Selected by the French delegation for the Eurovision contest which will be held in May 2024 in Malmö in Sweden, Slimane already has some great successes behind him. A look back at the career of a popular artist.
Discovered in the show The Voice in 2016, Slimane doesn’t really have the typical profile of Eurovision candidates. The 34-year-old artist is already well present in the French musical landscape. Far from being a revelation, the singer-songwriter has three solo albums and already some big hits under his belt. His fourth album Versusin a duet with the singer Vitaa, notably earned her a diamond disc and a Victoire de la Musique for original song of the year in 2020, for It comes and goes.
This already well-established celebrity is perhaps one of the reasons for the choice of the French delegation. Because since the beautiful journey of singer Barbara Pravi, who finished second in 2021, France’s path to Eurovision has not been marked by glory. Alvan & Ahez, a group of emerging artists, came 24th – that is to say penultimate – in 2022. Singer La Zarra finished 16th in the 2023 edition.
A popular singer
“He has conquered the hearts of the French and I believe that we need to feel united in our choices. It is the choice of the obvious and the choice of an artist of generosity, authenticity and which perfectly corresponds to what Eurovision expects”said Alexandra Redde-Amiel, head of the French delegation and director of entertainment and games at France Télévisions when she announced, Wednesday November 8 on France Inter, that Slimane would represent France at Eurovision 2024 with the title My love. It must be said that the singer made himself known to the public with the most famous musical telecrochet in France. In 2016, he won the fifth edition of The Voice: the most beautiful voice, a show in which he now participates as a coach.
However, the road has been winding for the singer who has participated, since 2007, in several singing competitions without ever winning or becoming known. But since The Voice, the stars are aligning. With a first number one album in sales in France and Belgium, certified double platinum, Slimane made a remarkable entry into the profession. Author of his own songs. Slimane also writes for others. From Florent Pagny to Les Enfoirés via Amel Bent, the artist has also written for various Eurovision candidates, notably for Bilal Hassani and the group Madame Monsieur.
“For my parents, for my daughter, for France…”
AlongsideAlexandra Redde-Amiel, head of the French delegation, during the announcement, Slimane confided his emotion and his pleasure at representing his country at Eurovision. “I’m very happy and very stressed, too, because I almost feel like I’m starting over again, there’s something about Eurovision“, he then declared, immediately publishing a post declaring his participation in the European singing competition on Instagram.
“We need, even more today, this kind of gathering, a need for music, sometimes extravagance, love, freedom. I think Eurovision brings it all together and I think that explains why there is more and more interest“, also declared the singer at Léa Salamé’s microphone. Slimane had already declared on various occasions his desire to participate in Eurovision, but he was waiting for the right moment: “I wanted to be proud of my song, proud of the story I was going to tell, proud of representing France.”