5 things you didn’t know about Yann Tiersen

We’ve listed 5 things you might not have known about this versatile artist.

Yann Tiersen rose to international prominence with his film score for Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (2001). Although he had been active as a composer and multi-instrumentalist since the 1990s, the film marked his major breakthrough.
In recent work such as Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour, he combines minimalist piano compositions with modular electronics. The music is often inspired by his life by the sea and his sailing journeys along the coast of Brittany. Recurring themes include nature, identity, and transformation.
His oeuvre has evolved from intimate instrumental pieces to broader, genre-crossing compositions, with a strong focus on the relationship between humans and their environment. Environmental awareness and alternative approaches to touring and recording play an important role in this evolution.
On Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour (April 2025), Tiersen collaborates with his wife Émilie Quinquis, who contributes vocals to The Liquid Hour. The album consists of two connected parts: Rathlin from a Distance, featuring eight introspective piano pieces, and The Liquid Hour, a more pronounced electronic and rhythmic work.
Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour is made up of two distinct yet connected parts: Rathlin from a Distance, comprising eight introspective instrumental piano pieces, and The Liquid Hour, a genre-defying blend of electronic music and dynamic, psychedelic rhythms.