A finalist on the French TV talent show Nouvelle star, Benjamin Siksou has pursued a musical career that has included both chanson and jazz. Born in Ivry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne) on February 8, 1987, the son of a painter and a journalist and jazz critic, Benjamin Siksou learned to play violin, piano and guitar in a wide variety of styles, from classical to pop. After starting out in amateur bands and bars, where he forged his first compositions between standards, he abandoned his studies in art history to embark on an acting career, appearing in films such as 15 ans et demi by François Desagnat and Largo Winch by Jérôme Salle. In 2008, he took part in the TV talent show Nouvelle star and made it all the way to the final of the sixth season, won that year by Amandine Bourgeois. This exposure enabled Benjamin Siksou to record his first song, co-written with Hugh Coltman, "My Eternity" (2009), followed by an EP recorded live at the Café de la Danse, Instantanés du 11/04/2009. Signed by the independent label Derrière les Planches, distributed by Believe, the author, composer, musician and performer worked on a debut album, which never saw the light of day. He takes part in Audrey Estrougo's musical film Toi, moi, les autres (2011) and wins the Prix d'interprétation masculine at the Festival du film de La Réunion. He presented the show Valises blues (2013) in Avignon and recorded the maxi Benjamin Siksou & the Horndogz (2015), after starring in the film La Vie d'Adèle, awarded the Palme d'or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. In 2017, she released her debut album Au Chant du Coq, in a style that blends chanson, pop, jazz and blues. Benjamin Siksou will be appearing in the musicals Les Souliers rouges (2020) and Songe à la douceur (2022), as well as in Arnaud Desplechin's film Frère et sœur (2022). At the same time, he will be recording his second album for the Polydor label, Saxophonia (2022), ranked No. 13 in French jazz sales.
