Nicolas Ker

Born as "Nicolas Langlois" in Phnom-Penh, Cambodia, on November 19, 1970, Nicolas Ker launched his career in Paris, France, where he built his reputation as the sophisticated frontman of the electronica group Poni Hoax. He also maintained a successful solo career during the final years of his life, often working with Arielle Dombasle. Ker's memorable singing style offered peek into his childhood influences, including the gloomy pop sounds of Joy Division, The Cure, and The Smiths. Those bands all inspired Poni Hoax, which he formed in 2001 with Paris-based musicians Laurent Bardainne, Nicolas Villebrun, Arnaud Roulin, and Vincent Taeger. The group made its full-length debut with the self-titled Poni Hoax in 2006, then began attracting an international following with 2008's Images of Sigrid. While continuing to write, record, and tour with Poni Hoax, Nicolas Ker also earned critical acclaim as a solo artist. His first solo album, Les Faubourgs de l'Exil, was released in 2016. He collaborated with Arielle Dombasle on projects like La Rivière Atlantique and Empire, too, and also wrote music for the Bernard-Henri Lévy film Peshmerga. Still active in the French music community and beloved by a global fanbase, he passed away at 50 years, dying in Paris on May 17, 2021.

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