Leïla Martial, a singer with a grand choir

French singer Leïla Martial crafts a unique sonic landscape by employing her voice as a multifaceted instrument, capable of conjuring a diverse array of timbres and identities. She describes her vocal performances as invoking a "great choir" that she summons when she sings, a practice she sees as a way to fill a sense of solitude.

Martial's artistic journey is deeply rooted in her childhood fascination with polyphonic music and a yearning to connect with what she calls "singing and nomadic peoples." This fascination led her to immerse herself in the culture of the Aka Pygmies in the Central African Republic in 2019, an experience that resonated with a lifelong quest for belonging.

Her vocal technique transforms her into a "theater of specters and identities," where her body becomes a "music box" she carries across the globe. This approach allows her to embody different characters, creating a sense of companionship through her art.

Martial's exploration of sound and identity is a personal quest for connection, transforming her individual voice into a collective experience. She finds a sense of unity through her music, which she shared from a public square in Paris, reflecting her journey from solitary exploration to a more communal artistic expression.

“

It's perhaps to palliate my solitude, she confides with a smile. To keep myself company, to make such or such character emerge to feel in a group. It's a great choir that I invoke when I sing.