Bensé

A singer/songwriter from France whose work draws upon both folk-rock traditions and the style of chanson française, Bensé entered the music scene with his first album release during 2008. Julien Bensé, who entered the world on April 18, 1980, within Nice, France, points to numerous sources of inspiration such as folk-rock icons Neil Young, the Band, and Cat Stevens alongside chanson figures Jacques Brel, Georges Brassens, and Nino Ferrer, in addition to present-day American singer/songwriters Bonnie "Prince" Billy, M. Ward, and Devendra Banhart. The year 2008 saw Bensé issue his debut full-length recording, Album, via the Naïve imprint. Working together with Yann Arnaud on production duties, the album includes the primary single "Au Grand Jamais" along with "Petite," which pairs him alongside another French contemporary singer/songwriter named Rose.