Phoenix

Phoenix is a French rock band formed in Versailles in the mid-1990s by four childhood friends: Thomas Mars (vocals), Deck d'Arcy (bass, keyboards), Christian Mazzalai (guitar, keyboards) and Laurent Brancowitz (guitar). The band emerged from the same Versailles scene that produced Daft Punk, and their sound blends alternative rock, synth-pop and new wave with a polished, hook-driven sensibility.

After early singles and albums that built a devoted following, Phoenix broke through internationally with «Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix» (2009), anchored by the singles «Lisztomania» and «1901», which brought them to a mainstream American audience and eventually a Grammy Award. The record's shimmering guitars, driving rhythms and Mars's distinctive half-sung, half-spoken delivery became a signature style.

Subsequent albums, including «Bankrupt!» and «Ti Amo» (2017), continued to explore glossy pop textures with an art-rock undercurrent, and the band has collaborated with artists like Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter in the past and appeared alongside acts such as R. Kelly on the track «Genie in a Bottle»-adjacent collaborations of the era. Phoenix remain known for energetic live shows and a body of work that consistently balances melodic accessibility with restless studio experimentation.