# Victor Le Masne

Victor Le Masne (born 8 February 1982) is a musician and composer from France. Mainly associated with the electronic and pop movements, and considered one of the representatives of the French touch, he also composes jazz and classical music. Notably, he is the composer of the anthem for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

## Biography
### Early life

Victor Le Masne was born into a family of musicians, including his father, a flutist who directed several music conservatories and was influenced by the work of Iannis Xenakis.

### Education

He studied piano, percussion, and trained at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Boulogne-Billancourt [fr]. In 2005, he co-founded the band Housse de Racket with Pierre Le Roux, where he served as the duo's drummer.

### Career

In 2022, a new version of the rock opera Starmania was presented to the public, with Victor Le Masne serving as the musical director. Directed by Thomas Jolly, this version featured re-arrangements by Le Masne to modernize the score.
He arranged a new version of La Marseillaise for the transition between Tokyo and Paris during the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics in 2021.
In 2023, after Thomas Jolly became the artistic director for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, he chose Victor Le Masne to handle the musical elements of the event. Their collaboration on Starmania played a significant role in this decision. On 2 May 2024, the Paris Olympics Organizing Committee announced that Le Masne was appointed the musical director for the ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics.
Le Masne, as the official composer of the event, created Parade, the anthem of the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad.

## Music
### Style

Victor Le Masne is recognized as one of the representatives of the French touch movement.
With Housse de Racket, his music leaned towards electronic. However, his solo work moves away from this genre. His album May 20th is jazz, while Parade, created for the 2024 Paris Olympics, features an orchestral arrangement with a classical style.
Victor Le Masne's expertise lies in rearranging classical compositions, highlighting the relevance of classical repertoire in modern and popular creations, including pop and rap.

### Solo Work

For his third album, recorded in 2021, Le Masne completed the project in one week, dedicating one day each to preparation, recording, selection, mixing, and mastering.

### Arranging Starmania

At the end of the 2010s, Le Masne worked with Thomas Jolly to modernize Starmania. The project included reintroducing pieces omitted in prior versions and modernizing arrangements.

#### Rearrangement of La Marseillaise for the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics

As part of the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021), Victor Le Masne arranged a new version of La Marseillaise for the handover between the cities of Tokyo and Paris.

### Musical Direction for the Paris 2024 Olympics

Starting in 2023, Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, decided to collaborate with Victor Le Masne for the musical aspects of the event's artistic projects. Jolly mentioned that their prior work together on Starmania was instrumental in his decision. In May 2024, the Paris Olympics Organizing Committee officially announced Victor Le Masne as the musical director for the ceremonies of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
As the official composer for the event, Victor Le Masne created Parade, the anthem of the Olympiad in 2024. This musical theme was specially composed for the Olympic event and represents the musical signature of the Olympiad. It should not be confused with the Olympic Hymn, which serves as the universal musical symbol of the Olympic Games.
Le Masne was featured in the Olympic Channel’s full-length documentary, "La Grande Seine", which covers the creation and development of the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. This documentary was released in December 2024.
In February 2025, the presentation of "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)" by Le Masne, Gojira and Marina Viotti at the opening ceremony received the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.

## Music
### Style

In his solo work, Le Masne often diverges from the electro or pop genres. For example, his album May 20th features a jazz style, while Parade, composed for the Paris 2024 Olympics, utilizes a classical orchestral arrangement.

### Arrangement of Starmania

In the late 2010s, Victor Le Masne collaborated with Thomas Jolly on modernizing the rock opera Starmania. While Jolly directed the stage production, Le Masne handled the musical direction.
Le Masne's objective was to modernize the original score (dating back to 1979). He introduced new arrangements that incorporated the soundscapes typical of the 2010s. Furthermore, Jolly reintroduced an orchestra into the musical production, with live performances from the orchestra pit.
The duo also sought to reintroduce pieces previously removed in earlier versions, such as Masse Médias, Paranoïa, and Sex Shop, which were rearranged and reinstated.
Victor Le Masne noted that the primary challenge was arranging the music without knowing the final cast of singers. As a result, he had to imagine his arrangements based on the voices of Starmania's historical performers, such as Daniel Balavoine and France Gall.

### Collaboration with International Artists

Victor Le Masne has also collaborated with several international artists. He worked with The Weeknd on the album My Dear Melancholy, providing arrangements for the tracks Call Out My Name and Try Me. Additionally, he has collaborated with artists such as Bryan Ferry, Lana Del Rey, and Arcade Fire.

## Discography
### Albums

* Aquarium with Housse de Racket (2008)
* Alesia with Housse de Racket (2011)
* May 20th (2021)

### Soundtracks

* Parade – Anthem for the 2024 Summer Olympics (2024)

### Collaborations

* My Dear Melancholy, by The Weeknd – Arrangements for Call Out My Name and Try Me (2018)
* Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey – Additional production and arrangements (2014)

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2024 | La Grande Seine | Himself | Appeared in the documentary about the creation and development of the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. |

## Awards

| Year | Award | Recipient(s) | Work |
| 2025 | Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance | Gojira, Marina Viotti & Victor Le Masne | "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)" |