Slimane

Born Slimane Nebchi in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, France in 1989, the French singer/songwriter grew up in the eastern province of Paris before moving to Les Lilas. Originally writing his own songs and uploading them to the internet, Slimane had his first brush with fame when he entered the seventh season of singing completion Nouvelle Star in 2009. Although not making it through, Slimane returned for another stab in 2011, entering The X-Factor and eventually going on to appear in the off-shoot Encore Une Chance the following year. 2011 also saw him releasing his first EP, Tourne le Monde. In 2016, Slimane returned to the TV screen with an audition on The Voice: La Plus Belle Vox. After gaining experience from his previous TV appearances, Slimane’s version of Vitaa’s “À Fleur de Toi” saw all four judges turn their chairs. Going on to win the series, Slimane signed a deal with Universal to release his material. A flurry of singles, including his version of Vitaa’s hit single, appeared before Universal issued his debut album, A Bout de Reves, just a few months after his win. ~ Rich Wilson