Santa (singer)

Santa
Santa in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Samanta Cotta
Born	(1991-02-24) 24 February 1991 (age 34)
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Singer Songwriter
Years active	2009–present
Website	www.santa999.fr

Samanta Cotta (born 24 February 1993), known professionally as Santa, is a French singer-songwriter and musician. Initially known since 2009 for being the singer of the English-speaking rock group Hyphen Hyphen, she found solo success singing in French in 2022 with the EP 999 from which the single Popcorn salé was taken.

Biography

At the 2024 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France in September 2024

Samanta Cotta, known professionally as Santa, was born on 24 February 1993 ^[1] . She grew up in Nice in a family of artists, with an American mother, the singer of the group Daisy Duck in the early 1980s, ^{[2] [3] [4]} and an architect father who studied fine arts. ^[5] In 2009, Santa founded the group Hyphen Hyphen with her childhood friends Adam (Romain Adamo), Line (Laura Christin) and Zac (Zaccharie Schütte) and with whom, in 2016, she won the Victoire de la musique Révélation scène  [ fr ]. ^[6] In 2022, concurrently with her work with the group, she embarked on a solo career and released a 6-track EP, 999. ^[7] The first single, Popcorn salé, ^[8] was a major success and was certified platinum. ^[9]

Santa performed Popcorn salé on stage at the Paris Paradis 7 festival on 16 September 2022. ^[10] On 14 July 2023, ^[11] she gave a performance in Brussels, giving a solo concert with her grand piano suspended 40 metres above the ground, as part of the opening of the inaugural Urban Garden de Plaisirs d'Été organised by the city of Brussels. ^{[12] [13] [14]} She joined the Enfoirés 2024 troupe where Popcorn salé was performed on stage at the Arkéa Arena in Bordeaux. ^{[15] [16]} On 8 September 2024, she opened the 2024 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France in front of 60,000 spectators by performing Vivre pour le Meilleur  [ fr ] by Johnny Hallyday. ^[17]

Discography

With Hyphen Hyphen

Main article: Hyphen Hyphen § Discography

Solo

Studio album

Recommence-moi (Warner Music, Parlophone, 2024)

• "Popcorn salé"
• "Recommence-moi"
• "La différence"
• "Les larmes ne coulent pas" (with Christophe Willem)
• "Eva"
• "Paradis"
• "Chanter le monde"
• "Où va le temps qui s'en va"
• "Qui a le droit"
• "Silverlake"
• "Générique de fin"

EP

999 (Warner Music, Parlophone, 2022)

• "Popcorn salé"
• "Paris en août"
• "Réveil"
• "Je brûle"
• "Où va le temps qui s'en va"
• "Qui a le droit"

Singles

• 2023 : "Popcorn salé" #8 (FRA)
• 2024 : "Recommence-moi" #16 (FRA) ^[18]

Notes

1. https://santa999.fr/santa-chanteuse-biographie-parcours-succes/
2. "Born on February 24: Santa, new star of French song". MSN. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
3. "Les airs de jeunesse de Santa, du groupe Hyphen Hyphen, de Rod Stewart à Sum 41". www.telerama.fr (in French). 9 October 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
4. "Santa, traits d'union libres – Libération". www.liberation.fr (in French). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
5. Roussel, Jane (February 2024). "Un apéro avec Santa : « Mes amis m'ont dit : "Il faut que tu le chantes, ça va faire du bien aux gens" »". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
6. Nuc, Olivier (13 February 2016). "Les Victoires de la Musique 2016: le relais des générations". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 27 July 2023..
7. Leroux, Marianne (9 September 2022). ""999" : Santa plonge dans la variété française avant de renouer avec le rock-électro d'Hyphen Hyphen". francetvinfo.fr (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024.
8. Marolle, Emmanuel (4 July 2022). "Santa de Hyphen Hyphen dévoile une version live de «Popcorn salé» : «Faire un album solo, c'était vital»". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024..
9. "Certification sur le site de la SNEP" (in French). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
10. "Santa de Hyphen Hyphen sort «999» et ouvrira le festival Paris Paradis" (in French). Le Parisien. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
11. "Bruxelles - La chanteuse Santa dévoile une nouvelle version de « Popcorn Salé » suspendue au-dessus de la Bourse". La Capitale (in French). 2 January 2024. p. 7. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
12. Dero, Kevin (15 July 2023). "Quand Santa, du groupe Hyphen Hyphen, impressionne Bruxelles en jouant du piano et chantant à 40 m de haut" (in French). RTBF. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
13. Pineau, Marine (11 March 2024). "Santa raconte l'histoire de Popcorn Salé". europe2.fr (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024..
14. Quinet, Aude (3 January 2024). "Santa dévoile une version vertigineuse de "Popcorn salé" tournée à Bruxelles". dhnet.be (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024..
15. Kitwa, Prisca (1 March 2024). "Santa : son hit « Popcorn Salé » n'aurait jamais dû sortir". nrj.fr (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024..
16. Benjamin Rabier (1 March 2024). "Santa nouvelle recrue des Enfoirés : "J'ai été prise d'émoi de les voir reprendre ma chanson 'Popcorn salé'"". ozap.com (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024.
17. "Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Epic Closing Ceremony bids adieu to summer of unforgettable Games". olympics.com. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
18. Mazoyer, Emilie (22 March 2024). "Après Popcorn salé, Santa dévoile Recommence-moi". francebleu.fr (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2024.