Liset Alea is the stage name of Lissette Gonzalez-Alea,[1] a Cuban-born singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who lives in Paris, best known as a solo artist and lead singer in Nouvelle Vague.
In 1998, Alea co-founded drum & bass/trip hop band Etro Anime. She co-wrote all the songs and provided lead vocals on their 2003 album See the Sound.[2] Soon after, she left the band to pursue a solo career. Her debut LP, No Sleep, was released in multiple European territories on EMI in 2005.[3] Around that time, she also began writing songs for other artists, including "Catfight," a single from Belgium’s Star Academy winner Katerine’s 2005 debut.[4] She later co-wrote "Il Futuro Che Sara" for Chiara Galiazzo, which was in competition at the 2013 Sanremo Music Festival in Italy.[5]
In 2010, Alea independently wrote and co-produced a Spanish-language album, Sin Cera.[2] It has not been released.
In 2008, Alea met Marc Collin, the founder of Nouvelle Vague. She opened for the group in Miami, and officially joined them as a lead singer in 2009.[2] She sings a cover of the Cocteau Twins song "Athol Brose" on Nouvelle Vague's 2016 album I Could Be Happy.[6] After 8 years of touring with the band, she left the group in 2017.[7]
While residing in Paris, Alea began collaborating with French DJ Alexkid, appearing on his 2003 album Mint. In 2009, Alea, Alexkid and French producer/DJ Rodriguez Jr formed the Honeythieves.[2] The trio's song "Reminder" was in 2009 episodes of Entourage and 90210,[2] and was remixed by RAC’s Andre Anjos.[8]
“Ceremony," a multimedia "costume show turned concert" created and directed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, was based on Nouvelle Vague's repertoire. Alea participated in all live performances of the musical, including presentations of the show at the 2011 digital arts festival Exit at the MAC Creteil art center in Los Angeles,[9] and at the 2012 White Nights Festival in Tel Aviv.[10]
Alea has been singled out for her unique style and presence, and for "providing a strong, sultry voice and some amazing vocal pyrotechnics."[11] She has toured the world with Nouvelle Vague, including North America,[9] Europe,[11] Russia[2] and South Africa.[12] She has done a European tour with Alexkid in support of the release of Mint, a tour supporting Sananda Maitreya (formerly known as Terence Trent D'Arby), and performed with Raul Paz.[13] She shared the stage with Juanes at the 2009 Paz Sin Fronteras II concert in Cuba, performing to an audience of 1.2 million people.[13]
