The group I was with at Francos this past weekend was looking for something a bit more lively than the psychedelic dad rock of Les Breastfeeders, so we stumbled toward the Francos Main Stage to catch Zélie, a rising pop star from Paris. Giant bleeding lips and teeth hung from the backdrop as Zélie, decked out in a black fringe shirt and knee pads, ran and bounced around the stage. I had no idea who Zélie was, but 15 minutes into her set, I was captivated by her athleticism, capped off by coreographed dance moves during the song’s instrumental sections and her powerful voice. Her vocal chops are super controlled and can which can switch between a breathy whisper, falsetto, French rap, and an anthemic scream mixed with a bit of delay. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand within a few minutes of “CE CORPS.”
After doing a bit of research, I learned that Zélie was touring her newest labrum, LE CŒUR ET SA DICTATURE and has rigorous classical training in dance from the Conservatory of Paris. This makes perfect sense, as her dance moves with something to behold, but paired with a tight band of guitar, piano, bass and drums, this 25-year-old singer-songwriter is something special.
