Inspired by the classic chansons of Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, and Léo Ferré and the lyrical wordplay and delivery of the Gallic hip-hop scene, Barcella is a charismatic singer/songwriter who has been instrumental in preserving the art of French slam poetry. Born Mathieu Ladeveze in Reims in 1981, he first started writing his own poems at ten years of age, and after graduating from a teacher training course at the IUFM, he began to organize regular slam workshops for the general public. Performing under the guise of his mother's Italian surname, he built up a reputation on both the festival and championship circuits, and after supporting the likes of Coeur de Pirate, Francis Cabrel, and Anis, released his debut album, La Boîte à Musique, in 2010, which was followed up by Charabia two years later. ~ Jon O'Brien