Bellaire – Close To Me [AOC]
French producer Bellaire steps into 2026 with irresistible momentum, unveiling his brand-new single ‘Close To Me’ out now, alongside the announcement of his debut album Born Funky, set for release on 10th April via Triple Double. To celebrate, Bellaire will embark on his UK/EU Funky Adventure Tour, bringing his soulful, groove-led house sound to dance floors across Europe and beyond.
‘Close To Me’ is Bellaire at his most flavour-filled and free. A funk-ridden cut that oozes groove from the first bar, the track is laced with shimmering guitar riffs and elastic basslines. Rooted in 90s house yet glowing with contemporary warmth, The single captures Bellaire’s gift for crafting dance music that feels both club-ready and intimately human – acting as a snapshot of the sound world that defines Born Funky.
More than a debut album, Born Funky is Bellaire’s manifesto. Raised on hip-hop and sampling culture, he chose house music as his way to make people move without losing the soul of the groove. Written between his Paris studio and his family home in Picardy, the album channels a deeply personal yet universally resonant energy.
Across thirteen tracks, Bellaire bridges generations and genres, championing a soulful, funky house sound rooted in the 90s, infused with disco sparkle, jazz finesse and boom bap sensibility. Designed for the club but welcoming to everyone, Born Funky embodies his self-described role as a generational connector.
The album features a carefully curated cast of house and disco icons alongside contemporary voices, including DJ Spen, Barbara Tucker, Dimitri From Paris and Cerrone, standing shoulder to shoulder with Tour-Maubourg, Nic Hanson and Fleur De Mur.
Following the album release, Bellaire will hit the road with his Funky Adventure Tour – a run of international dates celebrating the next chapter of his journey, including US dates in Vancouver, Denver, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and LA, then Canada in Montreal and Toronto. The tour continues on and follows across national dates including; Sheffield, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Brighton and rounding off an exciting headline show at London’s Roundhouse
With ‘Close To Me’ setting the tone and Born Funky poised to make its mark, 2026 signals a defining chapter for Bellaire: a producer honouring the roots of house music while pushing its joyful message forward for a new generation.
