As a solo artist, collaborator, and founding member of , has shaped the world of alternative music with her elegant voice and perceptive songwriting. With , she delivered questioning, politically charged lyrics in a graceful alto that made the band's genre-defying sound on albums like 1996's all the more striking. While lending her inimitable voice to artists such as and , created an outlet for her own songs with , offering a more personal perspective on her music with 2003's Socialism ou Barbarie: The Bedroom Recordings and other releases. The albums she made under her own name heightened this intimacy; 2010's touched on death, while 2017's explored her love of humanity. 's sophisticated idealism was especially relevant in the turbulent 2020s, and 2024's offered urgent pleas for self-knowledge.

was born in France and spent most of her childhood there, aside from a short stint in upstate New York during which she bought her first record (a album). Later, she became a fan of literate British indie bands such as and . While working as a nanny in the late '80s, met member at one of the band's gigs in Paris. She followed to London and the duo formed soon after disbanded in 1990. The pair was inspired by lounge-pop, bossa nova, film music, and Krautrock, but 's hypnotic vocals and leftist lyrics made the band's sound even more distinctive.

earned critical acclaim for albums such as 1993's , 1995's , and 1996's . was an in-demand guest vocalist, and she appeared on songs by , , and . Around this time, she began working on her own project, , recording with 's Rosie Cuckston; a pair of singles, "The Sunrise Telling" and "Witch Hazel/Ode to a Keyring," appeared in 1997. In 1999, she returned to for the group's and 2001's .

Following 's collaborations with Fugu Fugu and , released its first album, Socialisme ou Barbarie: The Bedroom Recordings, in 2003. persevered in the wake of member 's 2002 death, releasing in 2004; the next year, was busy with the full-band album and Fab Four Suture, a compilation of limited-edition EPs. Likewise, 2008 saw the release of the third album, Monstre Cosmic, and 's most accessible album in some time, .

In 2009, went on hiatus and retired the project. She began work on her first solo album, bringing in ' , , , and former players and . Arriving in September 2010, was dedicated to 's late sister and featured covers of songs by , , and along with original material. For her next album, July 2012's introspective, politically charged , worked with some of the players from and frequent collaborator . The following year, she appeared on 's album , then sang on Alexandre, the 2014 album by the Brazilian band . That September, she released , a lavish, orchestral album that featured and filmmaker/multi-instrumentalist among its contributors. also teamed up with and 's as for that year's debut album .

After working with on a 2015 single, collaborated with , , and . Her new group, , featured as well as longtime collaborators and Xavi Munoz, keyboardist Phil M.F.U., and guitarist Mason Le Long and debuted in March 2017 with . The album's idealistic songs included contributions from 's and cornetist . That June saw the release of Summer Long, the debut EP from and 's collaboration Modern Cosmology. returned with March 2018's Apocalypse!; in 2019, appeared on 's . then reunited for a series of live dates that coincided with deluxe reissues of many of their albums.

During this time and the COVID-19 global pandemic, remained busy, with projects ranging from a cameo on 's Chansons d'Ennui Tip-Top in 2021 to Modern Cosmology's full-length debut What Will You Grow Now? in 2023. On February 2024's , complemented songs about healing and self-awareness with choral vocals and string arrangements. ~ Heather Phares

Lætitia Sadier

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