FRANCE MUSIC WEEK SHOWCASES

Jan Verstraeten

Contemporary Music – June 18 – 3:00 pm

Singer-songwriter Jan Verstraeten’s pop is free, liberated and uncompromising. Coming from the heart of the punk scene in Ghent (Belgium), he learned the art of DIY, a way of creating everything himself, without compromise. After his first EP “Cheap Dreams” (2019) came “Violent Disco” (2022). Today, Jan Verstraeten begins a new chapter with his new EP and the track “Wolfman”, which combines hypnotic flights of fancy with poignant lyrics, a true invitation to immerse yourself in his unique and disarming world where the real, the strange and the absurd are constantly intertwined.

Kutu

Contemporary Music – June 18 – 3:45 pm

During a visit to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) in 2019, violinist and composer Théo Ceccaldi immersed himself in the vibrant local music scene. There he met two singers, Hewan Gebrewold and Haleluya Tekletsadik, whose voices captivated him. After a few improvisation sessions, the idea of a joint project emerged, blending their respective cultures. Named Kutu (“Let’s go” in Ethiopian), the trio released their debut album, Guramayle, in September 2022. Now a duo, with only Hewan Gebrewold on vocals, Kutu continues its adventure with a second album.

Max Baby

Contemporary Music – June 18 – 4:25 pm

Max Baby is a self-taught artist who composes, writes and produces his music alone, particularly at night, between dream and reality. His second single, Another Idea of Fun, celebrates doubt and imperfection through introspective rock. Fascinated by suspended moments, he draws his inspiration from the blurred zones of the night, where euphoria gives way to melancholy. A multi-instrumentalist, he taught himself drums, guitar, bass and piano. An accomplished producer, he produced Hannah Jadagu’s Aperture (2023) and collaborated with artists such as Clara Luciani and Weyes Blood. His music, raw and cerebral, reveals a rare sensitivity.

Laura Cahen

Contemporary Music – June 18 – 5:05 pm

After two debut albums (“Nord” and “Une Fille”) and an EP of duets (“Des Filles”, notably featuring Juliette Armanet) that won rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, Laura Cahen is now a key figure on the French music scene. Her new album De l’autre côté, co-written and co-produced with Josephine Stephenson and Mike Lindsay in Margate (UK), mixed and mastered by Fab Dupont in New York City (US), has been widely acclaimed by critics in France and abroad.

Tracy de Sà

Contemporary Music – June 18 – 5:45 pm

Tracy de Sà is a young rapper of Indian origin whose childhood was divided between Spain, Portugal and France, where she eventually settled. An outspoken and proud feminist in a male-dominated hip hop scene, Tracy delivers her flow and technique honed through intensive listening to 90s rap. A woman of colour and immigrant background, Tracy uses music to reclaim her story, counteract stereotypes and share a message of inclusivity. A master of the stage, she has already played over 40 dates in Europe, India and the United States.

Yom x Ceccaldi

Jazz – June 19 – 2:30 pm

Following the success of the Alone in The Light tour in duo with pianist Léo Jassef, clarinetist Yom continues his quest for spirituality and transcendence in a new trio project with the Ceccaldi brothers. Designed as a long meditation, the concert takes the form of an uninterrupted set, where Yom’s compositions stretch out to reach a state of trance. Accompanied by brothers Théo and Valentin Ceccaldi on violin and cello, Yom ventures into uncharted territory, playing with space and time as well as our perception of reality and imagination. Is it an epic journey through endless landscapes or a dive into the heart of our inner worlds? No matter—the silence resonates across all dimensions. And in this delicate expedition toward the rhythm of silence, there are as many myths and stories to unveil as there are omens and promises to embrace.

Robinson Khoury “Mÿa”

Jazz – June 19 – 3:15 pm

Robinson Khoury “Mÿa” is an exceptional instrumentalist as well as a brilliant composer. Spotted a few years ago alongside Ibrahim Maalouf and Natacha Atlas, he played a part in the success of the group SARAB and received a “Coup de Coeur” from the Académie Charles Cros for his recent album Broken Lines. In March 2025, he was awarded the “Django Reinhardt Prize” by the Académie du Jazz for the best musician of the year. His new repertoire, called Mÿa, is a dreamlike creation inspired by ancient melodies, skin-based rhythms, Gregorian chants and maqâmât from Arabic music, blended with an electronic, analogue and modular dimension.

Gabi Hartmann

Jazz – June 19 – 3:55 pm

Gabi Hartmann is a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose style is a blend of pop, folk, jazz and soul. A multilingual singer, her debut album, which won her the Japan Golden Disk Award for Best New International Artist, has racked up over 20 million listens and 15,000 sales, and has taken her to the stages of such prestigious festivals as Les Francofolies, the Montreal Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne and Blue Note Tokyo. Her new album La femme aux yeux de sel was released at the start of 2025.

Le Concert de la Loge: The Imaginary Ballet

Classical – June 19 – 4:40 pm

Founded in January 2015 by violinist Julien Chauvin, Le Concert de la Loge champions a wide repertoire on historic instruments, ranging from Baroque to early 20th-century music. The ensemble is committed to exploring new forms of concert, reviving the spontaneity and customs of the late 18th century, which brought together different genres and artists in a single evening. Le Concert de la Loge now performs in major French and European concert halls and regularly collaborates with renowned soloists such as Philippe Jaroussky and Marina Viotti. In less than a decade, Le Concert de la Loge has built up an extensive discography with some 20 recordings.

Les Apaches! Rave-L Party

Classical – June 19 – 5:20 pm

Les Apaches! is a multidisciplinary musical ensemble created and directed by conductor Julien Masmondet. The ensemble specialises in the musical repertoires of the 20th and 21st centuries, and works closely with contemporary composers, commissioning numerous new works from them. Their album La Tragédie de Salomé has won numerous awards (Diapason d’Or, Choc Classica, FFFF Télérama). With the B Records label, they have just launched the “Collection Apaches”, marked by the release of Fabien Cali’s digital single Niviana’s Devil Drop.

Théo Ould Sextet : Vuelvo al sur, around Astor Piazzolla

Classical – June 19 – 6:00 pm

Théo Ould is a multi-award-winning classical accordionist who has made a name for himself as a soloist and chamber musician. He is always on the lookout for new repertoires for his instrument, notably by collaborating with contemporary composers such as Philippe Hersant, Régis Campo and Thomas Gubitsch. In 2023, he signed an artist’s contract with the Alpha Classics label and went on to record his first solo album: “Laterna Magica”. He is continuing his collaboration with a forthcoming album devoted to the music of Astor Piazzolla, due for release at the end of 2025.

Photo © Angie Kremer