Swimming Paul: French Dance Producer Rises Ahead of North American Tour Dates
French electronic music producer Swimming Paul is making a significant impact on the dance scene, with a string of upcoming festival appearances and headlining shows scheduled across North America and Europe. Known for his unique blend of stutter house and IDM, the artist maintains anonymity by not revealing his face in press or social media. His project, officially launched in March 2023, has rapidly gained a following for its distinct sound.
The French electronic music producer known as Swimming Paul is gaining recognition in the dance music scene, with numerous performances slated for summer festivals and fall headlining shows across North America and Europe.
The artist adopted his moniker after a childhood incident in the French Riviera, where a man named Paul saved him from drowning. Despite his growing presence, Swimming Paul maintains an anonymous public persona, refraining from revealing his face in press photos or on social media.
Growing up in Paris, Swimming Paul was influenced by artists such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and Moby. He began creating electronic music as a teenager, drawing inspiration from French pioneers like Daft Punk and Justice. His sound has evolved to fuse these early influences with U.K. IDM artists like Bicep, Jamie xx, and Fred again..
The Swimming Paul project officially launched in March 2023 with the release of "Your Song." He adopted a strategy of releasing a new track every month for the subsequent year. His debut album, *Smiling Through the Pain*, was released in June 2024, followed by *Smiling Through the Pain 2* in October.
His career quickly escalated from playing 200-capacity clubs in London in late 2024 to performing at major events by 2025, including Coachella's Do Lab stage, Tomorrowland, CRSSD, Seismic Dance Event, and Portola in San Francisco. He signed with France's Unity Group, an artist agency specializing in management, releases, publishing, and synchs.
Swimming Paul attributes his rise to a "super natural, very step by step" process, appealing to a community that embraces what he describes as "new electronica, this new easy house, emotional stuff."
According to Billboard, his upcoming U.S. festival plays include Day Trip, Electric Forest, Beyond Wonderland, Arc Music Festival, and Breakaway Philadelphia, alongside newly announced headlining dates throughout North America and Mexico City, and several summer festivals in Europe.
