Concert - Santa: A Celestial Performance at the Zénith de Paris that Redefined the Concert Experience

By Mulder, Paris, Zénith Paris La Villette, 11 june 2025

On June 11, 2025, the Zénith de Paris became the sacred setting for a concert that will linger in the memories of those who attended, like a dream too vivid to forget. That night, Samanta Cotta, known to the world as Santa, turned the stage into a canvas of pure emotional grandeur, delivering a performance that wasn’t just a show—it was a soul-bearing revelation. From the moment she appeared suspended above the stage, defying gravity like some ethereal messenger, it was clear that this was not going to be a routine concert. This opening tableau, bold and poetic, set the tone for an evening where musical storytelling met technical audacity. Floating in the spotlight, alone in mid-air, Santa immediately established that this performance would exist in a realm beyond the ordinary.

But it was during the haunting delivery of Salted Popcorn that the night took on a transcendent quality. As the lights dimmed and silence fell, the appearance of a piano rising slowly above the crowd was nothing short of miraculous. Discreetly hoisted by an unseen mechanism, the instrument seemed to hover like a dream above the dark sea of the audience. In that moment, Santa became a solitary celestial body orbiting her own creation—no backup vocals, no flashing effects, just her voice, fragile and clear, echoing through the cavernous venue like a confession in a cathedral. It wasn’t just a stunt—it was a statement, perfectly in tune with the song’s poignant narrative of tender, unapologetic love. That Salted Popcorn—a deeply personal hymn to lesbian love—would be performed with such literal elevation speaks volumes of Santa’s commitment to transforming vulnerability into spectacle without ever losing sincerity. The Zénith, usually a space of loud excitement, was transformed into something quieter, almost sacred.

Yet the magic didn’t reside solely in that airborne moment. Throughout the show, Santa wove a deeply emotional journey, one that spanned the melancholic beauty of Les larmes ne coulent pas, the introspective poetry of Où va le Temps qui s’en va, and the climactic power of Recommence-moi. Each piece unveiled another layer of her artistic evolution—from her early days with Hyphen Hyphen to the raw, introspective songwriter she is today. The lighting design, shifting fluidly between shadows and radiance, served not only to enhance the visual allure but to mirror the emotional tempo of her setlist. At times, the vast Zénith felt like a bedroom lullaby whispered in your ear; at others, it pulsed with collective energy, turning the crowd into a single living organism. Her connection with the audience was intimate and electric—she didn’t just perform to them, she performed with them, sharing her stories not as a diva but as a fellow traveler.

What elevated the evening even further was her natural chemistry with her musicians. Their presence wasn’t just accompaniment—it was camaraderie. The trio played with a warmth that made even the grandest musical moments feel grounded. This authenticity radiated through every song, particularly during the powerful mashup of Le Paradis blanc by Michel Berger and Désenchantée by Mylène Farmer, as well as her breathtaking rendition of Johnny Hallyday’s Vivre pour le meilleur. These covers were not mere tributes; they were reinterpretations, reframed through Santa’s singular emotional lens, proving her ability to inhabit and reshape even the most iconic works of the French musical canon. And just when the audience thought the surprises were over, she introduced a new original song, Dis-moi oui, instantly embraced by her fans and adding a fresh gem to her repertoire.

Santa isn’t just performing at the peak of her abilities—she’s redefining what it means to be a contemporary performer. Where many artists rely on spectacle to mask lack of substance, she dares to be both grand and grounded. The show ended in a storm of ovations. Encore! rang through the hall like a chant, as if the crowd was unwilling to return to earth after having floated with her among the stars. But perhaps the most telling moment came not from the stage, but from the audience itself. As fans exited the venue, visibly moved, some in tears, a quiet consensus formed: something extraordinary had just happened. Many, including us, rushed to secure seats for her next monumental date—April 2, 2026 at the Accor Arena. Not out of routine fandom, but out of sheer gratitude for having witnessed a performance that transcended music, stagecraft, and performance altogether. What Santa offered that night wasn’t just a show—it was a gift. A shared breath. A suspended instant. A declaration that art, when fearless and unfiltered, has the power to lift us off the ground.

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Photos : Boris Colletier / Mulderville