Vincent Delerm
Vincent Delerm (b. 1976) is a man of varied abilities and interests in music, writing, theater, cinema and photography. In live concert performances, he incorporates many of these elements along with the humorous side of his personality. Delerm attended the University of Rouen in Normandy where he studied literature and cinema, writing his thesis on François Truffaut and literature. His father Philippe is a retired professor of literature who successfully turned his pen to full-time writing (e.g. “La premiere gorge de biere et autres plaisirs miniscules” or “The Small Pleasures of Life”). His mother Martine is an illustrator of children’s books and author of novels. Delerm falls within the lineage of classic “chanson” and is commonly listed among the exponents of a fuzzy category termed “la nouvelle chanson.”
Vincent Delerm (b. 1976) is a man of varied abilities and interests in music, writing, theater, cinema and photography. In live concert performances, he incorporates many of these elements along with the humorous side of his personality. Delerm attended the University of Rouen in Normandy where he studied literature and cinema, writing his thesis on François Truffaut and literature. His father Philippe is a retired professor of literature who successfully turned his pen to full-time writing (e.g. “La premiere gorge de biere et autres plaisirs miniscules” or “The Small Pleasures of Life”). His mother Martine is an illustrator of children’s books and author of novels. Delerm falls within the lineage of classic “chanson” and is commonly listed among the exponents of a fuzzy category termed “la nouvelle chanson.”
Delerm made his solo debut in Rouen in 1998 and followed with appearances in Parisian cabarets and clubs. He fell in with Thomas Fersen who introduced him to the Tôt Ou Tard ("Sooner or Later") independent record label founded in 1996. Delerm released his first four albums every two years beginning in 2002: Vincent Delerm (2002), Kensington Square (2004), Les Piqûres d'araignée (2006), and Quinze chansons (2008). The next five albums appeared in 3-year intervals beginning 2013: Les amants parallèles (2013), À present (2016), Panorama (2019), Comme une histoire/Sans paroles (2022), La fresque (2025).
In 2002, his first album, the eponymous “Vincent Delerm,” scored the Victoires de la Musique (French Grammies) award for “Révélation de l’année” (“Revelation of the year”) as well as the Francis-Lemarque (newcomer) "grand prix" award offered by SACEM (Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music). In 2019, the Académie Francaise awarded Delerm the “Grande médaille de la chanson française.”
Delerm delivers the full “ACI” package. He writes his lyrics (Auteur), he composes the music (Compositeur) and performs his songs (Interprète), both vocally and instrumentally. During his early performing years, he accompanied himself on piano but beginning around 2005 he added string and percussion instrumentalists. His lyrics follow the “chanson” template of recounting stories in a familiar structure of verses and refrains with distinct rhyme patterns. Delerm's lyrics have a distinctive tendency for alluding to prominent locations and literary, musical and cinematic personalities like the actress Fanny Ardant, Nobel literature awardee Patrick Modiano, film director Enrico Fellini, tennis player Steffi Graf, photographer/film director Agnès Varda and many others. As a result, listening to a Delerm song and reading the lyrics provides ample inspiration for excursions into the wider culture of the times. There is even a website dedicated to "les lieux dans les chansons de Vincent Delerm." Obscure references like “la plage le rayon vert” in "Danser sur la table" add contextual richness to the stories, while they instigate a treasure hunt for their connections. On this website, the Notes following song lyrics amplify such discoveries.
Delerm’s physical presentation conveys a bookish impression that is occasionally accentuated by heavy, round black spectacles. His restrained vocal style, sometimes described as “sleepy,” settles in a place somewhere between singing and talking (“parler/chanter”). He occupies a narrow tonal range that is occasionally difficult to understand and directs attention instead to his lyrical narrative and addictive melodies. In songs like Fanny Ardant, it sometimes seems a struggle to fit all the words within the racing musical pace. His preferred instrument is the piano, which he taught himself, inspired by the example of William Sheller, Barbara, and Michel Berger. The following sampler of songs covers much of his career.
Delerm’s physical presentation conveys a bookish impression that is occasionally accentuated by heavy, round black spectacles. His restrained vocal style, sometimes described as “sleepy,” settles in a place somewhere between singing and talking (“parler/chanter”). He occupies a narrow tonal range that is occasionally difficult to understand and directs attention instead to his lyrical narrative and addictive melodies. In songs like Fanny Ardant, it sometimes seems a struggle to fit all the words within the racing musical pace. His preferred instrument is the piano, which he taught himself, inspired by the example of William Sheller, Barbara, and Michel Berger. The following sampler of songs covers much of his career.
Vincent Delerm Songs
Fanny Ardant et Moi, 2002 (Album: Vincent Delerm)
Le Baiser Modiano, 2004 (Album: Kensington Square)
Danser sur la table, 2016 (Album: À présent)
Vie Varda, 2019 (Album: Panorama)
Le Baiser Modiano, 2004 (Album: Kensington Square)
Danser sur la table, 2016 (Album: À présent)
Vie Varda, 2019 (Album: Panorama)