Voyou

Born in Lille, Thibaud Vanhooland learned music from an early age from his father, a music teacher and trumpeter.^[1][2] He entered the Conservatoire de Lille at a young age to learn the trumpet^[3] before becoming a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, bass, drums, and piano. After his parents' separation, he later spent time living in Nantes. It was there that he joined Elephanz, an electropop duo.^[4] He later described this period as important in developing his skills as a musician.^[5]

Vanhooland began writing songs in 2017 under the pseudonym Voyov, which later became Voyou.^[1][6]

Under the name Voyou, Vanhooland released "Seul sur ton tandem" on 1 December 2017.^[7] He released his debut album on 15 February 2019.^[8][9] The album, entitled Les bruits de la ville, was met with positive reviews.^[10] His early recordings introduced a style combining French pop and electronic influences.^[11][12] Following the album's release, Voyou continued touring while also collaborating with artists including Vincent Delerm.^[13]

Voyou released his second studio album, Les royaumes minuscules, in 2023. The album continued his combination of French pop, orchestral arrangements and influences from Brazilian and soul music.^[14][15] The release was followed by festival appearances and concerts around France.^[16][17]