He is one of the best-known Norman artists in the world, and paradoxically, one of the most discreet. Petit Biscuit, or Mehdi Benjelloun, his real name, releases his third album this Friday, June 28, called Discipline. The man who spent his entire childhood in Rouen, made a name for himself around the world thanks to his title “Sunset lover”, released when he was still a teenager. Since then, it has been listened to more than a billion times on Spotify, has 350 million “views” on YouTube and has been invited to the most prestigious festivals such as Coachella.
Three albums at 24 and yet, Petit Biscuit does not appear to be a man in a hurry. He had to wait four years since his last album, and had not gone on stage between 2019 and 2023, when he reappeared at the Armada in Rouen. “I wasn’t making too much music at one point,” the artist confides to France Bleu Normandie. “It was personally necessary to take a break. We all experienced the period of 2020 and confinement, I needed to take some time, to feel excited about making music again.”
But for this album, Petit Biscuit decided to add something more: from now on it’s him who sings. “There are eleven titles, ten of which I sing. I wanted the voice to occupy a central place in this album, this has always been my dream. I was sometimes frustrated to give my instruments to others. I had to write and sing myself. But singing well takes time.”
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Petit Biscuit – Shorter Than A Night (Stripped)
A political concern
He who started with the cello returns with an album that makes the pride of place for sweetness : “If there’s a sense I have, it’s melody. I think everyone needs sweetness, so I made this album withIn my studio in Rouen, where I have a panoramic view, when I work in the evening, I see the moon, It inspires me with a lot of sweetness.” A city to which he remained very close: “I still live there, I have my studio, Being back on stage at the Armada in front of my family and friends was amazing.I try to advocate for this city and say that it is great.”
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Petit Biscuit has grown up, and recently Mehdi Benjelloun has taken a political stand. On X, he felt “don’t even get excited” on the idea of releasing his album, due to the political situation in France, before the legislative elections: “My name is Mehdi Benjelloun, my father has an immigrant background, he arrived in France when he was 18 and these are values that I defend. I think we need them.”
And he promises that fans won’t have to wait another four years to hear new songs. The singer promises more releases soon.
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