Concert - Miki: The Élysée Montmartre captivated by the electro-pop sensation during a high-energy concert in Paris

By Mulder, Paris, Elysée Montmartre, 19 march 2026

On March 19, the legendary Élysée Montmartre venue in Paris was sold out for the second date of a series of three highly anticipated concerts by musical sensation Mikaela Duplay, better known by her stage name Miki, and it’s safe to say that the evening will go down as one of the highlights of this French tour. Our media team was on hand, and the atmosphere was already electric long before the artist arrived—proof that the buzz surrounding this Franco-Korean singer has continued to grow since the release of her debut album Industry Plant and her EP Graou. For nearly an hour and a half, Miki performed her songs with impressive energy, alternating between explosive tracks and more melodic moments, in a show that was meticulously choreographed yet never rigid, confirming that her reputation as a live performer is well-deserved and that she is now among the French artists capable of transforming an entire venue into a true musical playground.

Before she took the stage, the audience was treated to an opening act by Elle en été, whose performance perfectly set the stage for the rest of the evening, with a soft and sensitive atmosphere contrasting with the intensity that was to follow. From the very first seconds of the concert, Miki established her style—a blend of electronic pop, melodic rap, and hyperpop influences a mix she herself describes as music that is rhythmic, seemingly innocent, yet always imbued with a certain tension. The hits came one after another, including Particule and ça pik un peu quand même, whose recently unveiled music video was directed by Émilie Tronche, best known for the animated series Samuel a collaboration that clearly illustrates the artist’s affinity for the visual and cinematic worlds. On stage, this aesthetic dimension is evident in every detail, from video projections to deliberately offbeat gestures, confirming that the Miki project goes far beyond a simple musical performance to become a comprehensive artistic endeavor.

Born on November 6, 1998, in Nice, Mikaela Duplay grew up in Luxembourg in an environment deeply steeped in music, with a father who was an engineer and a passionate fan of classic rock and a Korean mother who practiced opera singing two influences that can still be found in her work today. Trained from a very young age at the conservatory, where she studied violin and then piano for nearly ten years, she later developed a strong taste for hip-hop, indie rock, and electronic music discoveries that would come into their own during her film studies at Royal Holloway University of London between 2016 and 2019. It was during this period that she immersed herself in the world of raves and electronic production, before returning to France where she worked in documentary production while simultaneously creating her first music videos and compositions on her own—an artistic autonomy that remains one of the defining characteristics of her career today.

Her musical career truly began in the early 2020s with the release of her first tracks, including the single “Moi Je” in 2020, followed by a cover of Barbara’s Dis, quand reviendras-tu?, recorded with Thomas Guerlet, and then a debut EP titled 4X in 2023. After attracting the attention of several record labels, she finally signed with the independent label Structure, run by Pierre Cornet and Yann Dernaucourt, producers who had previously collaborated with Clara Luciani, Eddy de Pretto, and Angèle, but chose to start from scratch by deleting a large portion of her early tracks a decision that sparked numerous discussions on social media and, paradoxically, helped reinforce the mystery surrounding her image. This period also marked the birth of a more assertive artistic concept, inspired by manga, video games, and animated films, with an aesthetic she herself describes as situated on the border between cute and disturbing.

The real turning point came in 2024 when she decided to sing primarily in French and fully embrace this blend of rap and electro that she defines as electronic pop, notably with the singles Échec et Mat and Cartoon Sex, excerpts of which went viral on TikTok, helping to significantly expand her audience. Her EP Graou, released on March 7, 2025, and produced with DJ Canblaster and producer Tristan Salvati, confirmed this rise to prominence, ahead of the release of her debut album Industry Plant on October 3, 2025 a title chosen ironically in reference to critics accusing her of being a product of the music industry. True to her flair for the theatrical, she accompanied the album’s release with unconventional promotional items, such as a computer-shaped USB drive containing the tracks in WAV format along with bonus files further proof of her penchant for hybrid concepts blending music, imagery, and storytelling.

The concert at the Élysée Montmartre thus marks a pivotal moment for Miki, who is now capable of filling prestigious Parisian venues while maintaining a highly personal artistic identity which undoubtedly explains the particular fervor of the audience present that evening. Combining raw energy, humor, self-deprecation, and technical mastery, the singer delivered a non-stop show, confirming that her reputation rests not only on buzz or social media but on a genuine stage presence and a coherent artistic vision. As the crowd filed out of the venue, the prevailing sentiment was clear: the Miki phenomenon is no longer in its infancy, and while the current tour already marks an important milestone, everything suggests that her next appearances in Paris will take place in even larger venues.

Discography:
March 7, 2025: Graou (EP)
October 3, 2025: Industry Plant

Photos: Boris Colletier / Mulderville