electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
band from
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
. The four-member band has released three albums — ''Times'' (2015), ''Times & Lives'' (2016) and ''HH'' (2018) — two EPs and a number of singles. Their new album "''C'est la Vie''" is released the 20th of January 2023.
History
Early years (2011–2014)
The band was formed at the
Conservatory of Nice
The Conservatoire Pierre Cochereau à rayonnement régional de Nice (C.R.R. de Nice) is a state-run regional music and dance conservatoire which serves the French city of Nice (Alpes-Maritimes). It was founded by Adeline Ballet, a pianist, in 1916. ...
, when all four members were studying Plastic Arts. Santa and Adam are childhood friends, and met the other two band members in high school. They chose the term Hyphen from
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
(''hyph' hén''), an
elision
In linguistics, an elision or deletion is the omission of one or more sounds (such as a vowel, a consonant, or a whole syllable) in a word or phrase. However, these terms are also used to refer more narrowly to cases where two words are run toget ...
of (''hypó hén''), "in one" (literally "under one").
They self-released their two EPs, titled ''Chewbacca I'm Your Mother'' (March 2011) and ''Wild Union'' (May 2012).. The first elements from their current visual identity began showing with these projects, including tribal signs. They would later use the term ''Wild Union'' to describe the bond they formed both within the band and with their ever-growing audience.
Since 2010, the four musicians have taken part in many national and regional music contests.
They notably won the Prix du Jury of
Les Inrocks
''Les Inrockuptibles'' () is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. Now it is a monthly again, since 2021. In the beginning, rock music was the magazine's primary focus, though every issue inc ...
Lab in 2011, the Biennale des Jeunes Créateurs d'Europe et de Méditerranée in 2011 and made it to the 2012
Printemps de Bourges
Le Printemps de Bourges is an annual music festival that is held in Bourges, France, over the course of five days. It is now a major event in France and Europe.
History
The festival was created in 1977 (by , , and ). With its span of 35 years, ...
finals. Hyphen Hyphen also won FAIR 2013, détours ADAMI 2013 and Best Live 2013 with the two French bands
Skip the Use
Skip the Use is a French band with electro funk, rock and punk influences founded in 2008 with musicians from Ronchin, near Lille and made up of Mat Bastard (vocals), Yan Stefani (guitar), Nelson Martins (bass) and Enzo Gabert (drums). The band i ...
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pref ...
region, Hyphen Hyphen started performing all over France including high-profile festivals such as
Solidays
Solidays () is a French annual music festival that takes place at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris at the end of June. Organized by Solidarité sida (a French HIV/AIDS awareness group for youth), the event brings together more than 150 artists a ...
in 2012 and 2013,
Rock en Seine
Rock en Seine () is a three-day rock music festival, held at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, the Château de Saint-Cloud's park, west of Paris, inside the garden designed by André Le Nôtre.
Name
The name is a pun, based on exactly the sam ...
in 2012 or
Eurockéennes de Belfort
The Eurockéennes de Belfort (; en, Eurockeans of Belfort) are one of France's largest rock music, rock music festivals. The Eurockéennes, a play on words involving ''rock'' (rock music) and ''européennes'' (Europeans), is a festival based in ...
in 2013.
''Times'' and ''HH'' (2015–2020)
In 2014, they started working on their debut album ''Times'', with all tracks written, composed, arranged and produced by the four members. The album was released in France in September 2015.
On 12 February 2016, they won the Award for ''Revelation Scene'' (Best New Live act) at
Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la Musique (; en, Victories of Music) is an annual French award ceremony where the Victoire accolade is delivered by the French Ministry of Culture to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. The classical and jazz ...
, the French Music Awards.
They released their second album "HH" in May 2018 and went on tour for over one and a half-year. They performed more than 150 shows all around France, Belgium and Switzerland.
On 22 March 2019, they released internationally the single Lonely Baby (feat Kiiara).
A five dates North American tour (Toronto, Montréal, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles) is announced at the beginning of 2020. The tour will be unfortunately cancelled due to COVID.
''C'est la Vie'' and solo project (2023 – present)
During the year 2020-2021 the band began the writing and production of their third album which will be called "C'est la Vie". They wrote and autoproduced most of the songs during lockdown. The album is recorded in Brussels (ICP Studio) where the band recorded their first album Times in 2015. This new album will be released on 20 January 2023. They surrounded themselves with Glenn Ballard, American producer who worked with Alanis Morissette, No Doubt or Katy Perry as well as Mike “Spike” Stent (Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Muse, Linkin Park, Oasis, Bastille) and Dan Grech ( Halsey, George Ezra, The Vaccines, Lana Del Rey, Keane, Moby) for the mixing parts.
The band will play a first batch of new songs in New York during the Sumerstage festival in June 21, 2022.
Hyphen Hyphen released the first single of their new album "Don't Wait for Me" the 13rd May 2022. Still in May the band released the single "Too Young" which is chosen by the French TV TF1 and FIFA to be the official hymn for UEFA Women's EURO 2022.
In September 2022 the band officially announced their new European Tour called "C'est la vie Tour" and will perform in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxemburg starting in January 2023.
At the beginning of December, they released their third single "Call my Name"
Hyphen Hyphen did a intimate Release Show the 5th of December 2022 in Paris. This show marks the come back of the band on stage with new songs.
The kick off of this new tour was made on January 18 in Rouen.
At the end of March, the band announced a North American Tour across the USA and Canada (Montreal, Edmonton, San Francisco, Los Angeles) for the month of August 2023.
Members
The three-member band is composed of:.
* Santa – lead vocals, guitar and synth
* Adam – guitar, keys, vocals
* Line – bass, vocals
* Zaccharie (or Zac) – drums and pads (left the band in 2016)
* Zoé Hochberg – on drums during the HH Tour
* Axel Le Ray on drums during the C'est la Vie Tour
Santa is of both French and American descent and the daughter of a singer. She trained with Guy Roche, vocal coach of singers including
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
.
Discography
Albums
EP
* ''Chewbacca I Am Your Mother'' (March 2011)
* ''Wild Union'' (May 2012)
Singles
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
**Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts nor the bubbling under Ultratip charts, but was registered in the Ultratip charts as an extra tip.
Other charting songs
Songwriting
*2020:
Ali
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...