Listen to this: who is Santa, the French singer behind hits Popcorn salé and Hyphen Hyphen?
Samanta Cotta from Nice also performed at the 2024 Paralympics ceremony in Paris
Santa is the stage name of the 33-year-old singer Samanta Cotta, who grew up in Nice and formed her first band, Hyphen Hyphen, with her childhood friends in 2009.
In 2016, the electro-pop group won the prestigious French music industry award, the Victoires de la Musique for breakthrough live act.
They released their fourth and final album in 2023, the same year that Santa released her first solo offering.
Critics have said that Santa has created a unique musical style that puts her own spin on French chanson – it has been dubbed “neo-variété”. The dramatic piano ballad Popcorn salé showcases her gift for melody and powerful vocal expression.
Santa performed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France and has just released a live album, Recommence-moi (Live in Brussels). It captures the energy and vocal force showcased during a major tour which saw her sell out the famous Paris venue Le Zénith 50 times.
She is known for her bold, spectacular staging, including playing a piano suspended by wires.
See her Youtube channel here.
