Zaho de Sagazan, the phenomenon that seduces the music industry

Buoyed by her first album “La Symphonie des éclairs”, singer Zaho de Sagazan, cited in five categories, came first in the nominations for the 2024 Victoires de la Musique on Monday.

She is the revelation of the Victoires de la Musique, even before they take place on February 9. With five nominations, Zaho de Sagazan enters the race in the lead and arouses curiosity about his career, his world and his personality. Winner in 2023 of the Francis Lemarque Prize for Revelation and the Joséphine Prize, the 24-year-old singer started music at 13. Bathed in French variety, she fell under the spell of Jacques Brel and Barbara. Growing up, she became passionate about electronic music of the 1980s, from krautrock, a German progressive, experimental and psychedelic rock, to synthwave. Sounds that fill the clubs of Berlin with an electro atmosphere.

During his childhood in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique), Zaho de Sagazan practiced dance intensively, up to seven hours a week. A frenetic rhythm that we find in his stage performances. She began her musical career, like many young artists, by broadcasting song cover videos on Instagram from 2015. Zaho de Sagazan also included some original compositions.

First album, first success

From 2019, Zaho de Sagazan participates in numerous festivals such as Printemps de Bourges, Rock en Seine, VIP, Nuits de Fourvière or Francofolies de La Rochelle. She continues her appearances on stage before the notable release of her first album on March 31, 2023, entitled The Symphony of Lightning. The album was certified gold in December 2023 after reaching the threshold of 50,000 copies sold.

In his only album with pop, rock and electro influences, Zaho de Sagazan talks about his complexes, his doubts. Hypersensitive, the singer recounts her emotions in her lyrics. “Who goes there, sadness? You won’t have me tonight. I have finally found wisdom and now full powers. What audacity to make me believe that I am just a poor puppet. Manipulated by your disgusting hands of desperation”she sings, breaking down each word on its title Sadness.

She also talks about violent, sometimes toxic loves, with an androgynous voice in The Sleepers. “These people are very smooth talkers. The seducer, the tease, the seducer. You might have been crying for hours. Monsieur will attribute mistakes to you. He who never does it anyway.”. Zaho de Sagazan likes to take refuge in the dark, which permeates the cover of his album. “Closing my eyes allows me to forget what is around me and to be able to enter my world. Being at the piano in the dark, with my eyes closed, helps me write prettier songs,” she said last October on the set of C to you.

Success somewhat frightens the 24-year-old young woman : “it can be great, but also a poison and you have to manage it well”she said to C to you. “I’m discovering this profession little by little.” A talent that even seduced Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s fashion at Louis Vuitton. We heard the music of Zaho de Sagazan resounding during the spring-summer 2024 collection show last October, in front of a conquered Pharrell Williams, on the guest bench.

On the road to Victories

Whatever happens on February 9, the day the 2024 Victoires de la Musique trophies are presented, the artist with peroxided hair is already one of the big winners. “It totally blows my mind, and so many nominations, it’s a way of saying congratulations, not just to me, but to my entire team”welcomed the artist to AFP.

The native of Saint-Nazaire is nominated in the categories “female revelation”, “stage revelation”, “album”, “original song” and “audiovisual creation” (clip). “I really like making people dance, but I don’t know how to make happy songs“, she summarized after her appearance on a small stage at Rock en Seine, a festival on the outskirts of Paris, in August 2022.

Zaho de Sagazan will return to Rock en Seine in 2024, but this time on a big stage. In the meantime, its Zénith de Paris in March 2024 is already sold out. “It’s great to see that this album has gone so far on stage, whereas a year and a half ago, we were at Point Ephémère [petite salle parisienne]”she rejoices. Zaho de Sagazan “is exceptional, his album is insane“, describes Vincent Frèrebeau, president of Victoires, met before the nominations were revealed. “Many are likely to say : we’re going to do like Zaho. But she is extraordinary and perhaps not everyone has her level.”, continues the manager. A success not about to stop for Zaho de Sagazan who launches into covers of classics of French song.