Benjamin Siksou
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Siksou is a French singer-songwriter and actor. He sings in a "jazz blues" style and plays the guitar, piano, and the violin.
of Paris. He began taking violin and tennis classes in 1989 at the age of two and a half years, but in 2000 a knee injury prevented him from realizing his childhood dream of becoming a professional tennis player. Benjamin devoted himself entirely to his other passion of music, and in 2002 he started to write and compose his first songs. He also joined a band with some of his friends from his college and, beginning in 2005, performed in Parisian jazz bars such as the Caveau des Oubliettes, the Melody Blues, the Swan Bar, and the café Le Charteux. At the time Benjamin was taking influences from songs such as Billie Jean
, Hallelujah, Just the Two of Us, and Summertime
, and was already playing his own compositions like Just know that I knew, On the Ground, Work Another Day, and Ma muse mon égérie.
In 2007, now studying in his second year of art history, Benjamin decided to interrupt his studies to dedicate himself to music, and obtained his first roles in the film industry in the same year.
Some of the musicians that have influenced Siksou are: John Lee Hooker
, Aretha Franklin
, James Brown
, Stevie Wonder
, Donny Hathaway
, Jeff Buckley
, Ella Fitzgerald
, Alain Bashung
, Lauryn Hill
, John Coltrane
, and James Chance
.
Early years
Benjamin Siksou was born from a visual-artist mother and media consultant father. This precocious musician grew up between the thirteenth and the sixth arrondissementArrondissements of Paris
The city of Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements municipaux administrative districts, more simply referred to as arrondissements . These are not to be confused with departmental arrondissements, which subdivide the 101 French départements...
of Paris. He began taking violin and tennis classes in 1989 at the age of two and a half years, but in 2000 a knee injury prevented him from realizing his childhood dream of becoming a professional tennis player. Benjamin devoted himself entirely to his other passion of music, and in 2002 he started to write and compose his first songs. He also joined a band with some of his friends from his college and, beginning in 2005, performed in Parisian jazz bars such as the Caveau des Oubliettes, the Melody Blues, the Swan Bar, and the café Le Charteux. At the time Benjamin was taking influences from songs such as Billie Jean
Billie Jean
"Billie Jean" is a dance-pop/R&B song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written, composed, and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones from the singer's sixth album, Thriller . Originally disliked by Jones, the track was almost removed from the album after he and...
, Hallelujah, Just the Two of Us, and Summertime
Summertime (song)
"Summertime" is an aria composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward, the author of the novel Porgy on which the opera was based, although the song is also co-credited to Ira Gershwin by ASCAP....
, and was already playing his own compositions like Just know that I knew, On the Ground, Work Another Day, and Ma muse mon égérie.
In 2007, now studying in his second year of art history, Benjamin decided to interrupt his studies to dedicate himself to music, and obtained his first roles in the film industry in the same year.
Some of the musicians that have influenced Siksou are: John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
, Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Alain Bashung
Alain Bashung
Alain Bashung was a French singer, songwriter and actor.- Youth :Alain Bashung was the son of a Breton factory worker and French Kabyle father, whom he never knew. His mother remarried, and at the age of one, Bashung was sent to Strasbourg to live with his new stepfather's parents...
, Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
, John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, and James Chance
James Chance
James Chance, also known as James White , is an American saxophonist, songwriter and singer....
.
Nouvelle Star
- Benjamin Siksou made a noteworthy first television appearance as a finalist of Nouvelle Star 2008Nouvelle Star (Season 6)The sixth season of Nouvelle Star aired from February 31 to June 13. Virginie Efira hosted her third season. Novelties of the season were brought with a change in the judging panel as André Manoukian remained as the only former jury member. Next to him Lio, Sinclair and Philippe Manœuvre judged the...
. His time on the show began at the Paris casting on 27 February 2008, where Philippe ManœuvrePhilippe ManœuvrePhilippe Manœuvre is a French journalist.He has been a radio and television presenter, specialized in rock music. He has been editor-in-chief for the magazine Métal Hurlant and is since 1993 the editor of the music monthly Rock & Folk. Since 2008, he was member of the jury of a reality show called...
called him a "rough diamond" (French: diamant brut) after he performed a cover of Just the Two of UsJust the Two of UsJust the Two of Us is a British television reality singing contest hosted by Vernon Kay and Tess Daly. The first series of the BBC show saw eight celebrities team up with professional singers and sing each night in duets, with one pair being eliminated every night. After each performance they were...
by Bill WithersBill WithersWilliam Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
and was unanimously supported. - Benjamin Siksou's jazzy style seemed unfitting for such a show, broadcast at a primetime hour. However, a jury strongly believing in him along with a public voting greatly in his favor helped to elect him each week by a large majority for his 19 performances. This great support over more than three months carried him to the finale of Nouvelle StarNouvelle StarNouvelle Star is a French television series based on the popular Pop Idol programme produced by FremantleMedia and broadcast by M6 in France....
at the Pavillon Baltard on 11 June 2008. - His time on Nouvelle StarNouvelle StarNouvelle Star is a French television series based on the popular Pop Idol programme produced by FremantleMedia and broadcast by M6 in France....
set off a long-time buzz, sending over 4.6 million hits to Benjamin's MySpace page since February 2008. The official Facebook page for Benjamin Siksou has accumulated 110,000 members, and over a thousand videos of Benjamin's performances and cinematic appearances can be found on the Internet, some of which have gained more than a million views.
Single
- My Eternity, Benjamin's first single, realized by Vincent SégalVincent SégalVincent Ségal, is a French cellist and bassist born in 1967 in the French city of Reims.He is a conservatory musician from the National Music Academy of Lyon who also studied at Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. He is mainly known for the variety of his collaborations and out of the ordinary...
, was released in France on 9 February 2009. It was distributed by Believe Digital and produced by Derrière les planches / Temps d'Eté, and is only available for purchase in online music storeOnline music storeAn online music store is an online business which sells audio files, usually music, on a per-song and/or subscription basis. It may be differentiated from music streaming services in that the music store offers the actual music file, while streaming services offer partial or full listening without...
s. - The music video for My Eternity, directed by Christophe Charrier, was presented on 9 April 2009 in Le Grand Journal de C+.
EP
- Instantanés du 11/04/2009, Siksou's first EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, was released in France on 22 June 2009. The album, distributed by Believe Digital and produced by Derrière les planches / Temps d'Eté, is only available for purchase in online music storeOnline music storeAn online music store is an online business which sells audio files, usually music, on a per-song and/or subscription basis. It may be differentiated from music streaming services in that the music store offers the actual music file, while streaming services offer partial or full listening without...
s and for streaming on DeezerDeezerDeezer is a free music streaming service based in Paris, France. Deezer was launched on August 24, 2007. Deezer has negotiated rights to make 165,000 songs available for streaming legally via an agreement with Sony, as well as some of Universal's catalog...
.
-
Songs from Instantanés du 11/04/2009 Décor Avant de m'endormir Just the Two of Us Madame rêve Just Know That I Knew My Eternity My Eternity 4'37 – Live au Café de la Danse
( Benjamin Siksou )3'41 – Live au Café de la Danse
( Benjamin Siksou )2'38 – Live au Café de la Danse
(Bill WithersBill WithersWilliam Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
/Grover Washington, Jr.Grover Washington, Jr.Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.He wrote some of his material and...
)6'45 – Live au Café de la Danse
(Pierre Grillet / Alain BashungAlain BashungAlain Bashung was a French singer, songwriter and actor.- Youth :Alain Bashung was the son of a Breton factory worker and French Kabyle father, whom he never knew. His mother remarried, and at the age of one, Bashung was sent to Strasbourg to live with his new stepfather's parents...
)4'28 – Live au Café de la Danse
( Benjamin Siksou )3'08 – 1ère maquette
(Benjamin Siksou / Hugh Coltman)3'08 – Version studio
(Benjamin Siksou / Hugh Coltman)
- In a total duration of 28:25, the EP contains five songs recorded live at the Café de la danse in Paris on 11 April 2009 and mixed by Olivier Lude. The album also includes two versions of the single My Eternity.
So in Love
The album So in Love by André ManoukianAndré ManoukianAndré Manoukian, is an French-Armenian songwriter, arranger, and jazz musician.Since 2002, he is also one of the four judges in the French version of Pop Idol, Nouvelle Star.-Early years and education:...
, produced by Enzo Productions and distributed by CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, debuted in April 2010. It contained 14 classic jazz titles adapted and performed by brand-new artists, accompanied by Manoukian's piano music. Siksou sang two of the songs in the album: a solo I Fall in Love Too EasilyI Fall in Love Too Easily"I Fall in Love Too Easily" is a 1944 song composed by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. It was introduced by Frank Sinatra in the 1945 film Anchors Aweigh...
and a duo Lullaby of BirdlandLullaby of Birdland"Lullaby of Birdland" is a 1952 popular song with music by George Shearing and lyrics by George David Weiss under the pseudonym "B. Y. Forster" in order to circumvent the rule that ASCAP and BMI composers could not collaborate....
with China MosesChina MosesChina Moses is an American television host and jazz singer.- Life :China Moses is the daughter of jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and film and television director Gilbert Moses. Since 1997 she works as a singer, songwriter and producer...
.
Touring
Siksou's EP was the result of his first French tour. Organized by Auguri Productions, this tour was sold out from its debut in April 2009 to its finish in June. The tour passed through DijonDijonDijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
at La Vapeur, AngersAngersAngers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
at Chabada, Clermont-FerrandClermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
at Coopérative de Mai, BordeauxBordeauxBordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
at Rock School Barbey, Marseilles at Espace Julien, LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
at Ninkasi Kao, LilleLilleLille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
at SplendidSplendidSplendid was a musical duo featuring Angie Hart and Jesse Tobias, who at the time were also husband and wife.-History:The duo met in Canada, August 1996, when Australian band Frente!, fronted by Hart, arrived to play over two weeks of support dates for Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill tour,...
, and Paris at Café de la Danse for two concerts on 10 and 11 April 2009.
External links