Phoenix

Biography

Phoenix is a French indie pop band that formed in Versailles in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Thomas Mars on lead vocals, Deck d'Arcy on bass and keyboards, and brothers Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai on guitar. Their music is a blend of indie pop, synth-pop, pop rock, and new wave.

Formation and Early Years

The core members of Phoenix—Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, and Christian Mazzalai—started as a "garage band" while in school together. In 1995, Laurent Brancowitz, Mazzalai's older brother, joined the group after his previous band, Darlin', which also included future Daft Punk members Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, disbanded. The band initially played on the French bar circuit, covering songs by artists like Prince and Hank Williams. They adopted the name Phoenix in 1997 and soon after signed with Source Records. They gained early exposure by serving as the backing band for their labelmates Air.

Career Breakthrough

Phoenix released their debut album, "United," in 2000, which featured the charting single "Too Young." Their subsequent albums, "Alphabetical" (2004) and "It's Never Been Like That" (2006), continued to build their reputation. However, it was their fourth studio album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" (2009), that brought them international breakthrough success. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and included the hit singles "1901" and "Lisztomania." "1901" reached the top spot on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

Studio Albums

Phoenix has released seven studio albums to date.

• United (2000)
• Alphabetical (2004)
• It's Never Been Like That (2006)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009)
• Bankrupt! (2013)
• Ti Amo (2017)
• Alpha Zulu (2022)

Later Career and Notable Performances

Following the success of "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," the band released "Bankrupt!" in 2013, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. This led to headlining major music festivals like Coachella and Primavera Sound. Their 2017 album, "Ti Amo," was influenced by Italo disco and celebrated their European roots. The band's most recent album, "Alpha Zulu" (2022), was recorded in the Louvre Palace during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a significant cultural moment, Phoenix performed at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

Awards and Recognition

The band's critical acclaim includes a Grammy Award for "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" and a win for Best Rock Album for "Bankrupt!" at the French Victoires de La Musique in 2014. Their music has also been featured in films such as "Lost in Translation" and "Shallow Hal." Vocalist Thomas Mars is married to acclaimed film director Sofia Coppola.