Vincent Delerm
A French singer-songwriter who crafts intimate, piano-driven vignettes of everyday life, connecting deeply with a devoted audience.
Born 1976 (age 50)·French musician·Birthday: August 31·Generation X
Biography
Vincent Delerm emerged not from the traditional conservatoire but from a household steeped in literature and illustration, the son of writer Philippe Delerm and artist Martine Delerm. His music, often described as chanson, bypasses grand spectacle for a quieter, more observational potency. Accompanying himself on piano, Delerm builds worlds from the minutiae of train stations, hotel rooms, and fleeting encounters, his lyrics possessing a novelist's eye for detail. While his name may not dominate international charts, in France he has cultivated a significant and lasting career, releasing a steady stream of albums since his 2001 debut that resonate for their wit, melancholy, and profound humanity. His work stands as a testament to the power of the specific and the personal in art.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Vincent was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Vincent Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Vincent's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Released his self-titled debut album in 2001, establishing his signature style of lyrical, piano-based chanson.
- Has maintained a consistent and respected recording career for over two decades, building a dedicated fanbase.
- His album 'Les Amants parallèles' was nominated for a Victoire de la Musique award in the category of Album révélation of the year.
Did You Know?
His father, Philippe Delerm, is a bestselling author known for the book 'The First Gulp of Beer and Other Minor Pleasures.'
He is married to French singer and actress Pauline Delerm.
He composed the score for the 2005 French film 'The Perfume of the Lady in Black.'
“I write songs about the small moments everyone sees but no one talks about.”
