Zazie

Biography

Isabelle Marie Anne de Truchis de Varennes (born 18 April 1964), better known by her stage name Zazie, is a French pop singer and songwriter. Her greatest hits include "Je suis un homme×Je suis un hommeOctober 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Je suis un homme4:08", "À ma place×À ma place2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1À ma place (radio edit)4:212Tu seras bien3:56" and "Speed×Speed24 May 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Speed3:32". She co-produces all her albums and is noted for her playful use of language.

Early life

Isabelle de Truchis de Varennes was born on 18 April 1964 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. She was nicknamed "Zazie" in reference to the title character of the Raymond Queneau novel Zazie dans le métro. Her mother was a music teacher and her father, Hervé de Truchis de Varennes, was an architect. At home, they listened to Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel and Barbara, as well as classical music. Inspired, Zazie began learning to play the violin at the age of ten, later teaching herself to play the piano and guitar. After high school, Zazie began studying to become a psychotherapist; however, her classic beauty and nearly six-foot stature caught the attention of modelling agents, and she abandoned her schooling to become a fashion model.

1992: Initial forays into music and Je, Tu, Ils

In 1990, Zazie began her musical career. She signed a contract with Phonogram in 1991. In 1992, she released Je, tu, ils, her first album recorded in the studios of Peter Gabriel. She collaborated for the first time with Pascal Obispo on the song "Un, deux, trois, soleil". She wrote almost all the tracks of the album and participated in the composition. The album had minor success, and the single "Sucré salé" was ranked No. 46 on the Top 50 (French SNEP Singles Chart). The following year, Zazie was awarded 'Best New Female Pop Artist of the Year' (révélation variétés féminine de l'année) at the Victoires de la musique. The other two singles from the albums were much less successful, but the singer's career was launched. Her record label agreed to sign for a second album.
From Je, tu, ils Zazie distinguished herself as a songwriter by crafting songs notable for their wit, alliteration, homophonies and double entendres.

From 1995: Success

In 1995, she released her second album Zen, which was co-written by and co-produced with Vincent-Marie Bouvot. The album produced the singles "Zen" and "Homme sweet homme×Homme Sweet Homme1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Homme Sweet Homme (remix)3:402Signaux de fumée4:23". Her 1996 single "Un point c'est toi" from the same album was discussed on Canada's MuchMusic TV program Too Much 4 Much because of its controversial content. Ultimately, the discussion panel deemed the video okay for audiences. In the video, a group of four smitten women, including Zazie, follow a pair of men down to a lake. There, the two men strip off their clothes and swim in the water. Zazie fantasizes about undressing one of the men and kissing him. However, her fantasies are spoiled as the two men kiss each other.
In 1997, Pascal Obispo and Zazie released the single "Les meilleurs ennemis×Les Meilleurs Ennemis1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Les Meilleurs Ennemis (radio edit)3:572L'Électricité3:59".
Her 1998 album Made in Love×Made in Love1 January 1998 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Tous des anges5:292Ça fait mal et ça fait rien4:323Femmes téfales4:034Made in Love3:515Cyber4:236La Preuve par trois5:297Tout le monde4:068Autant de peine que de toi4:419La Vie devant moi4:1510Sous le voile4:3211Stop4:1312Chanson d’ami4:4213Tout le monde (Replicant remix)4:47 was co-produced by Ali Staton, Pierre Jaconelli, and herself. The album photos were taken by fashion designer Jean-Baptiste Mondino. The songs "Ça fait mal et ça fait rien×Ça fait mal et ça fait rien1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Ça fait mal et ça fait rien4:192La preuve par trois5:26", "Tous des anges×Tous des anges1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Tous des anges5:282Sous le voile4:30", and "Tout le monde×Tout le monde1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Tout le monde (version album)4:092Tout le monde (remix Replicant)4:47" were released as singles. This album was followed by a live album, Made in Live×Made in Live1999 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Je tue ils5:272Tous des anges6:143La vie devant moi4:374Sucré salé3:405Chanson d’ami4:226La preuve par trois5:357Ça fait mal et ça fait rien5:168Made in Love6:419Homme Sweet Homme4:35Disc 21Zen4:562Fou de toi4:433Cyber6:194Une souris verte4:255Un point c’est toi6:376Femmes téfales3:577Tout le monde5:168Larsen7:519J’envoie valser4:19, the next year. In 1999 she also wrote a song for Jane Birkin.
In 2001, Zazie teamed up with Axel Bauer on the single "À ma place×À ma place2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1À ma place (radio edit)4:212Tu seras bien3:56". It was her most successful single in France, reaching number four on the French charts.
Zazie once again addressed homosexuality on her 2002 single "Adam et Yves" from her 2001 album La Zizanie×La Zizanie2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Rue de la Paix4:172On éteint4:223Danse avec les loops4:364Adam et Yves4:415Aux armes citoyennes4:446Sur toi4:077La Zizanie4:518Cheese4:369Tais‐toi et rap3:4310Dans la lune3:1511Qui m’aime me fuit4:2412La Fan de sa vie3:3813Si j’étais moi5:19. This album was produced solely by Pierre Jaconelli. Other singles included "Rue de la paix×Rue de la Paix2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Rue de la Paix4:202Dans la lune3:133Rue de la Paix (le clip)4:21" and "Danse avec les loops×Danse avec les loops2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Danse avec les loops (remix)4:142Danse avec les loops4:383Sur toi4:084Je ne fais pas le poids3:42". In 2003, she released another live album, Ze Live.
Her 2004 album Rodéo×Rodéo22 November 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 42 tracks · 4 discsDisc 11La Dolce Vita4:502J’aime j’aime pas3:503Excuse‐moi3:274Toc toc toc3:275La Pluie et le beau temps3:476Mon cœur à la science3:277Lola majeure3:098Rodéo3:589Slow4:0910Doolididom4:5311Sauver le monde4:1212Oui4:2613J’arrive8:24Disc 21La Dolce Vita4:502J’aime j’aime pas3:503Excuse‐moi3:274Toc toc toc3:275La Pluie et le beau temps3:476Mon cœur à la science3:277Lola majeure3:098Rodéo3:599Slow4:0810Doolididom4:5311Sauver le monde4:1212Oui4:2613J’arrive8:24Disc 31La Dolce Vita4:502J’aime j’aime pas3:503Excuse‐moi3:274Toc toc toc3:275La Pluie et le beau temps3:476Mon cœur à la science3:277Lola majeure3:098Rodéo3:589Slow4:0910Doolididom4:5311Sauver le monde4:1212Oui4:2613J’arrive8:24Disc 41Le Film2Making of3Mumbai remix was co-produced with Jean-Pierre Pilot and Philippe Paradis. The video for the single "Excuse-moi" features Zazie playing the role of an Indian woman who leaves her cheating husband. She followed this album up with a live album, Rodéo Tour×Rodéo tour9 January 2006 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1J’aime j’aime pas2:222Toc toc toc4:153Tout le monde4:084La Dolce Vita4:425Homme Sweet Homme3:356Rodéo3:517Excuse‐moi4:488Lola majeure3:299Oui4:3810Slow4:4811Cyber4:0112Rue de la paix4:5513Un point c’est toi6:1514J’arrive4:5215Adam et Yves4:5116Larsen4:23 in 2006.
Her sixth album, Totem×Totem12 February 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Des rails3:322Je suis un homme4:113L’ange blessé4:164Jet lag3:485Ça3:216Duo3:077Na3:208Flower Power2:549Totem3:471007 déc.4:4411J’étais là3:1112Yin yang3:1313Vue du ciel3:49Disc 21Je suis un homme (demo)3:312Jet Lag (demo)3:213I Fall (demo)3:46, was released in February 2007. Like her previous album, it was co-produced with Jean-Pierre Pilot and Philippe Paradis. The "Totem Tour" began on 1 July.

Also in 2007, she wrote several songs for Christophe Willem's album, Inventaire.
In June 2010, Zazie released a new single "Avant l'amour" (Before Love). Avant l'amour was the first single from the album "Za7ie×Za7ie10 September 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Les pieds nus3:142Avant l'amour3:413Polygame4:294Tout va bien3:555Je te tiens4:446Être et avoir3:137L'amour Dollar4:128Le jour J4:149Pas que beau4:0510Amazone3:0911Chanson d'amour2:5812Je vous aime3:1613La place du vide3:0614Tindfjöll3:49"; it reached No. 54 on the French SNEP radio airplay chart.
"Za7ie" was constructed as a concept project of 49 songs, split into seven theme albums of seven songs each. A shorter version with 14 songs was released in September 2010, with the 49 song project released as a box set in November of the same year.
Zazie announced eighth album, "Cyclo×Cyclo1 January 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Les Contraires3:522Mobile homme3:503Je ne sais pas3:594Mademoiselle3:285Cyclo5:506Tout3:407Si tu viens5:038Temps plus vieux4:58920 ans4:1210Vienne la nuit6:1211Où allons‐nous ?6:17", which is scheduled for release in spring 2013. The album was produced by Olivier Coursier of AaRON and mixed by Tony Hoffer.
In 2015, she released her ninth album "Encore heureux×Encore heureux30 October 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Encore heureux4:152I Love You All4:413Oui‐filles4:314Perchée4:195Faut pas s’y fier4:016Pise4:147Tais‐toi3:438Pétroleum4:169Discold4:5010Sait‐on jamais4:3211Adieu tristesse4:09".
On 24 May 2018, Zazie released a single "Speed×Speed24 May 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Speed3:32". Her tenth studio album, "Essenciel×Essenciel7 September 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Speed3:492Waterloo3:043Dire ce qu’on danse3:224Va chercher3:585Nos âmes sont5:516Ma Story2:557On s’aima fort4:388Patatras3:179Garde la pose3:1210Veilleurs amis3:4511L’Essenciel3:1712La Source8:50" was released on 7 September 2018. On 5 October, the SNEP announces that the disc is certified gold. On 15 February 2019 "Essenciel" was certified platinum for more than 100,000 copies sold. on 15 February 2019.
Her new tour "Essenciel Tour" began in March 2019.

Other activities

Zazie co-composed the music of the 1997 film Ma vie en rose.
Zazie made her acting debut in the 1998 film by Didier Le Pêcheur "J'aimerais pas crever un dimanche" (Don't Let Me Die on a Sunday).,
In 2007, Zazie wrote and co-composed seven of the fifteen tracks of Christophe Willem's first album, Inventaire, while also providing backing vocals in the tracks she wrote.
In 2009, she participated in Rendez-vous en terre inconnue.
Zazie started coaching on the French version of The Voice in 2015 and one of her team, Lilian Renaud, won that 4th season. She again coached in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024. She also participated in 2021 for All Stars format.
Zazie has been a member of the Les Enfoirés charity ensemble since 1997.

Personal life

Zazie's father came from a family of aristocratic background.
Zazie and her former partner, Fabien Cahen, have a daughter, Lola, who was born on 16 August 2002.

Compilation albums

1 Reached No. 1 on the French compilations chart.