Yseult Onguenet (; born 19 August 1994), known professionally as Yseult, is a French singer-songwriter and model. She rose to prominence after becoming runner-up on the tenth season of the French reality television series, '' Nouvelle Star''. She subsequently signed to Polydor Records, and released her debut album, ''Yseult'', in January 2015. Since leaving Polydor, she has released three extended plays, ''Rouge'' (2019), ''Noir'' (2019), and ''Brut'' (2020), as an independent artist.
Life and career
1994–2013: Early life
Yseult Onguenet was born on August 19, 1994, to Cameroonian parents in
Tergnier
Tergnier () is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Its location on the Canal de Saint-Quentin and the Creil–Jeumont railway ( Tergnier station) supported its development as an industrial centre in the se ...
, in the department of
Aisne
Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345.Roar,
Feeling Good
"Feeling Good" (also known as "Feelin' Good") is a song written by English composers Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the musical ''The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd''. It was first performed on stage in 1964 by Cy Gr ...
, and
Wasting My Young Years
"Wasting My Young Years" is a song by English indie pop trio London Grammar. The song was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 16 June 2013. The song peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (curre ...
throughout her duration on the show.
Following the show, Onguenet signed to Polydor Records under the name Yseult, and announced that she was preparing her debut album, working with French composer and singer, Emmanuel Da Silva.
In May 2014, Yseult released the lead single to her album, ''"La Vague"'', the video to which she later posted on her Vevo channel. As of December 2020, the music video has over one million views. Prior to the release of her album, she uploaded her covers to It's a Man's Man's Man's World and
La Mamma
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
on Youtube.
On January 5, 2015, she released her debut album, titled ''Yseult''. The album peaked at no. 69 on the French album chart, selling just 5,000 copies. The album's commercial performance was a disappointment for both Onguenet and her label, and influenced her decision to end her contract with Polydor a couple years later. Nevertheless, Yseult went on to release three videos for ''Bye Bye Bye'', ''Pour l'impossible'', and ''Summer Love'', all songs from her album, across 2015.
In March 2017, Yseult released her final single with the label, a cover of Blondie'sHeart of Glass. In April 2017, she worked in a writing seminar for the Black Eyed Peas, organised by Polydor, after which she decided to end her contract with the label later that year.
2018–present: ''Rouge'', ''Noir'' & ''BRUT'' EPs and other projects
After leaving Polydor Records, Yseult signed with IMM management. She modeled for the ASOS Autumn campaign in 2018, starring in several commercials and magazine advertorials. Yseult has since modeled for a number of campaigns, and featured on the cover of French fashion magazine ''Antidote'' in 2020.
In 2018, Yseult also established her independent label, YYY, having moved to Brussels, Belgium. The first single under her independent record label, ''Rien à prouver'', was released in January 2019; the song serves as the lead single to her debut extended play, ''Noir''. The music video for ''Rien à prouver'' has accumulated over 1.9 million views as of December 2020.
Yseult's second extended play, ''Rouge'', was released as a surprise project in May 2019. The record had no lead single, and was not promoted, rather Yseult described ''Rouge'' as "a project that makes a separation between the early Yseult" in ''Enfnts Terribles'' magazine.
In 2021, L'Oreal selected Yseult as an international spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris, stating that by "using the power of her songwriting to overcome barriers, she leads a path for other women with the message: Be exactly who you are."
In 2022, she was cast in her first acting role, playing herself in
Maïmouna Doucouré
Maïmouna Doucouré (; born 1985) is a French filmmaker. She made her feature film directorial debut with ''Cuties'' in 2020 and became a controversial figure globally after the film's international release on Netflix. On 8 March 2019 coinciding ...