Born in Dreux, Nicolas Montazaud began studying piano at the age of six. Three years later, he entered the Conservatoire National de Région de Douai, and discovered classical percussion during a symphony concert. This first musical ‘shock’ definitively oriented him towards this instrument.

He studied percussion and drums in parallel for several years and decided to perfect his skills in Paris. He then applied to the Conservatoire National de Boulogne, where he was unanimously awarded first prize in percussion, before joining the CNSMDP, where he was awarded first prizes in percussion and chamber music.

At the age of 20, he became interested in Cuban percussion and worked with Miguel Gomez, Orlando Pauleo and Viscaino. Although his engagements during this period were mainly classical (Paris Opera, Ensemble Itinéraire, Lille Philharmonic Orchestra), he also performed regularly with a jazz quartet at Le Baiser Salé, Le Sunset and Le Duc des Lombards. It was there that he met Luc Le Masne, who asked him to be the percussionist in his new orchestra, Terra Nova, alongside François Merville, Laurent Dehors and Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac.

Gradually, he left the classical world behind to work with Serge Adam and his big band ‘Quoi De Neuf Docteur’ and in Pierre Olivier Govin's quartet.

He then met Yvan Cassar, who asked him to accompany Serge Lama alongside Loic Ponthieux and Laurent Vernerey. They hit it off and projects quickly followed one after another. Nicolas could then be found on stage and in the studio alongside numerous artists such as Claude Nougaro, Charles Aznavour, Linda Lemay, Jean Louis Aubert, Florent Pagny, Johnny Hallyday, Roberto Alagna, Mylène Farmer and Laurent Voulzy.

At the same time, he collaborated with Michel Portal, Philippe Rombi, Eric Lévi, Jun Miyake, Pierre Adenot, Gabriel Yared, Jean Michel Bernard, Eric Neveu and Alexandre Desplat on film scores, and in 2013 co-composed the original music for his play ‘Open Space’ with Mathida May.

He also produced Serge Lama's album ‘Feuille à feuille’ and Agnès Bihl's album ‘Merci papa, merci maman’, which respectively won a ‘Choc du Monde de la Musique’ award and the First Prize of the Académie Charles Cros.

He gradually felt the need to focus on more personal compositions, broadening his spectrum beyond classical music and indulging his taste for world music and electro. His compositions were born and enriched over time and through encounters: the emotion of a voice, the obvious depth of a text, a rediscovered sound, and a piece was born. To the point where he now has 10 rich but surprisingly coherent tracks on an album: ‘Out of the box’, which Nicolas entrusted to the talented Jean Lamoot to mix, giving them the spiritual dimension of a true initiatory journey.

He has just finished composing an experimental percussion album (‘Creative Cue’) for Universal Publishing's Koka Media label, following on from the album ‘Jolis souvenirs 2’ composed for the same label.