Cover Photo by Ashley Parango
At the age of 15, some of us were just really excited to get behind a wheel or pass our algebra test that week. Never would most of us dreamed about producing a song at that age that would amass over 350 millions streams on Spotify or that just three years later we would be taking the stage at Coachella. That however is the incredible reality of young French producer, Mehdi Benjelloun, known as the artist Petit Biscuit.
Photo by Jonathan Bertin
He started his musical journey at the age of 6 when he told his mother that he wanted to learn to play the cello. She enrolled him in lessons to learn the cello, then guitar and piano. Around age 11 or 12 he discovered the sounds he could make with a computer. On the computer is also where he discovered his favorite artists and inspirations Flume, Bonobo, Tame Impala, Bon Iver, and Frank Ocean to name a few.
He released his debut single, Alone, in May of 2015. Then just a few months later he released, Sunset Lover, which would be the song that really put a spotlight on the young music maker. The song caught on like wildfire, gaining millions of views on YouTube and listens on SoundCloud. When he put his EP out, Petit Biscuit, is when the streaming of the song really took off. The song keeps the production simple, focusing on the melody and a few other basic elements.
Since then, he has captured fans with his use of vocal chops to create memorizing melodies. His sound has emerged to include more lyrics with the release of his debut album, Presence. In this body of work he collaborated with singers like SONIA and other producers like Lido and Møme. This year he has been touring festivals internationally, performing at Coachella in the US, Listen Out Sydney in Australia, and Paraíso Festival in Spain to name a few.