COURANT D’AIR

Courant d’air (aka Célestine de Williencourt) is a multifaceted artist whose roots lie both in the vibrant energy of Paris and the creative buzz of Strasbourg. A musician with insatiable curiosity, she forged her sonic identity under the guidance of mentors such as Claudia Solal and Françoise Kubler. From this legacy, she has retained an approach to the voice that views it as a total instrument, a malleable medium with many faces.

A Hybrid Instrumental Language
Far from being limited to singing, her universe revolves around a constellation of both woodwind and electronic instruments. The concert flute dialogues with the kaval (a traditional flute from Eastern Europe), while organic percussion and electronic textures draw original sonic reliefs. This versatility allows her to navigate demanding ensembles: she performs on flute and vocals in the contemporary jazz trio Look North (alongside Daniel Beaussier and Gary Brunton) and brings her singular color to the Midva Lofi Ensemble, a project led by Nils Boyny (Emile Londonien).

Her talent as an improviser and composer is also evident on stage. Notably, she composed the music for the theatrical adaptation of Annie Ernaux’s L’Événement. Directed by Marianne Basler and produced by the Théâtre de l’Atelier in Paris, this score demonstrates her ability to translate literary intensity into sonic emotions. She also writes, composes, and directs the show Si tu vas dehors in collaboration with artist Cecil Boutaud, an original tale sung, danced, and performed by children at Théâtre 71 in 2024. For her, music is inseparable from sharing: as a performing musician and teacher, she places cultural mediation and pedagogy at the heart of her approach, seeing them as essential vehicles for empowerment.

Solo emergence: from instinct to the stage
The year 2024 marks a turning point with the launch of her solo project. Alone on stage, accompanied only by a synthesizer and a looper, Courant d’air breaks free from frameworks and conventions. She carves out a space where fleeting whispers and sunny calls intertwine. From this exploration emerges a hybrid universe, at the crossroads of alternative pop (Björk, JFDR), chanson (Camille), jazz (Leïla Martial), and sound experimentation (Laurie Anderson).

Her lyrics, which shift freely between French and English, reflect this quest for freedom. Following a short-lived debut EP, *Feux de joie* (October 2024), her rise to prominence gained momentum. Winner of the La Nouvelle Onde awards and supported in 2025–2026 by the Nordess network in Essonne, she is putting the finishing touches on her debut album, *Virevol*. Scheduled for release in September 2026 on the Juste Une Trace label, Virevol resonates as a call to leave the beaten path without delay.

By inviting everyone to listen, Courant d’air seeks above all to awaken the desire to create, to catch the wind and, in turn, find one’s own expression.