Born and raised in Paris, Notre Dame is simply named after the school he attended as a youngster. In the French capital his formative musical years revolved around the city’s heroes; Daft Punk, Justice, Breakbot, Ed Banger and the rest of the community connected to the legendary French Touch era. As time went on, his tastes matured and the influence of his musical touchpoints permeated into his production output.
From Hans Zimmer’s cinematic compositions, to the emotionally-charged classical renditions by a variety of orchestras, Notre Dame’s field of influence became broader and his music more nuanced. However, it wasn’t until he took a conscious decision to shift away from the chilled deep house he was making, that his music really started to resonate with a bigger audience. Like many creatives, it took a big shake up and change of direction to truly awaken Notre Dame’s creativity and connect him with tastemakers like Solomun.
In 2021 he decided to take a leap of faith, quit his day job and do the music thing full-time. A week after he left, ‘Yumi’ was released on Diynamic. Solomun’s support of the track was ubiquitous, using it to close his sets all over the world. With such a powerhouse selector and label supporting his track, Notre Dame’s profile was boosted massively. Radio 1 tastemaker Pete Tong made it his Essential New Tune, further amplifying his status and the track was an instant hit. His release with Bedouin’s Human By Default, ‘Amuse’, came soon after.
Notre Dame kept the momentum high off the back of both releases, with his music finding a home with a remix of RY X’s ‘Lençóis (Love Me)’ for Cercle Records. He also produced a rework of ‘My City’s On Fire’ by Jimi Jules for Innervisions, channelling that funky French Touch vibe in his own distinct way. More recently, he’s collaborated with AMÉMÉ on ‘Runaway’ for Armada Music and remixed fellow Frenchman BOg’s ‘Breathe’ (feat. Afanan Prince) on Atlant.
As a DJ Notre Dame’s intention is to invigorate the dance floor with the same level of emotion as he does through his productions. Cultivating an uplifting, energized, feel-good atmosphere is at the core of his ethos. The kind of performances that create memories and moments that people can refer back to, stimulating their happy hormones over and over. His touring schedule includes visits to the USA, and a variety of influential club spaces and festivals: Womb (Tokyo), Sound (Los Angeles), Space (Miami), Koko (London), Kraftwerk (Zurich), Grand Factory (Beirut), Het Sieraad (Amsterdam), and Bar Americas (Guadalajara) among many more. With each appearance, he gives his all, channelling that same passion for music into emotionally charged performances.
This week, Notre Dame takes the Main Mix by storm with a hauntingly beautiful, intricate, and seamless set sure to start your weekend off just right. Enjoy!
Notre Dame: Facebook // SoundCloud