Akram Sedkaoui

THE GOLDEN VOICE

His voice is that of a delightful unreason. Like him, it is first generous and impossible to contain. No musical genre will ever be able to cage him.

Of Tunisian origin, Akram was born in Toulon (France) and, as far back as he can remember, music has always been part of his life.

He grew up listening to the Arabic themes his mother hummed from morning till night, and to French variety music on television, but his first musical shocks date back to his teenage years.

He then discovers Stevie Wonder (“I don’t know how the album ‘Talking Book’ ended up at home, it’s a mystery…”), Bob Marley (“I listened to him on my first walkman, I discovered stereo, instrumentation…”) and most of the classic pop artists of all generations: the Beatles, Dylan, Cat Stevens, Supertramp, Paul Young or Michael Jackson.

Because he quickly understands that good music knows no borders, Akram also allows himself to be enchanted by “Carmen” at the Toulon Opera, while strumming his first guitar with only two strings.

And then he starts to sing. The year he graduated from high school, Akram decides to make the thousand suns that flicker in his throat heard, and, encouraged by his brother Atef, he starts working with other musicians.

It’s a revelation: he is made for the stage and takes his first steps there while refining his tastes. He then discovers artists as diverse as Dead Can Dance, Peter Gabriel, Mozart, Prince, Donny Hathaway, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

From the early 90s onwards, Akram’s journey is marked by encounters, often prestigious, and all decisive because they are formative. He jams with the American band Toto in a club in Nice (Jeff Porcaro himself falls for him), meets drummer Félix Sabal-Lecco with whom he promises to work one day, shares the microphone with Terence Trent D’Arby one evening during the San Remo festival. In 1996, he meets jazz musicians in a club in Old Nice and will finally sing with them for more than two years. This experience teaches him musical rigor, respect for structures, while opening the doors to improvisation. He thus obtains his “singing license »!

Summer 1998: Akram takes part in a spontaneous musical session on a beach in Juan Les Pins with Sinéad O’Connor, Dave Stewart, and Bono. On this occasion, the U2 singer introduces Akram to Chris Blackwell (the founder of Island Records) saying: “Here is the man with the golden voice! »

The following year, Akram sings accompanied by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Essen (Germany) as part of the Monte Carlo Pop Orchestra led by Herman Rarebell, the drummer of the Scorpions.

In the early 2000s, Akram joins M’Source, a collective of musicians and dancers including his brother Atef, Sylvain Saffedi, and others, who infuse their electro music (jungle, drum & bass) with Indian and oriental flavors. This collaboration results in two albums (“Bhava” and “El Hatyett »).

Like a magnet attracting all those enchanted by his voice, Akram then meets Loy Ehrlich, (Hadouk Trio), and lends his voice to Jerk House Connection “Each And Everyday »(Defected ).

He later forms a trio with Benedetto & Farina (creating tracks like “I Miss You” and “Your World »…), sings “Unidos para la Musica” on David Vendetta’s album “Rendez-Vous,” and, at Loy Ehrlich’s invitation, joins Band Of Gnawa, a vibrant collective set up with Louis Bertignac and Cyril Atef. Between Akram and Louis, we can speak of a musical love at first sight with many projects underway.

In 2022, the electro music group Bioxial is formed, consisting of musicians from diverse backgrounds and training. Finally, in 2024, they gather in a studio in Barcelona to record their first opus, marking the beginning of an exciting musical and human adventure.

Passionate about melodies and words, with an overflowing heart, Akram is a unanimous favorite because he does not cheat and has more than one string to his bow. Confident, he is even able to make them all vibrate at the same time!