Thomas Mars

Thomas Pablo Croquet was born on 21 November 1976 in Versailles, France. Croquet was originally inspired to start learning English by his uncle, Horst.[1]

When Croquet was ten, he formed the band Phoenix with schoolfriends Chris Mazzalai and Deck d'Arcy. Mazzalai's older brother, Laurent Brancowitz, also joined the band after the break-up of Darlin'. Croquet says that he "destroyed every single other option that would lead me to any potential career other than music", attending college for only four days, studying economics.[2]

Mars in 2014

Croquet is the frontman for the band Phoenix, that was founded in the early 1990s. The band eventually became a full-time profession for Mars following his dropping out of college.[2] The band pressed their first 500 singles on their own label before being signed to Paris-based label, Source Records.[3]

Croquet wrote and produced Phoenix's first charting single in France, "Too Young", which peaked at number 97.[4] Eventually Phoenix's first studio album, United was released in 2000, shipping 150,000 units worldwide.[5]

The band has released six albums and won a Grammy Award in 2010.[6]

In 2011, Croquet married Sofia Coppola at Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda. The couple met whilst producing the soundtrack to one of Coppola's films.[7] They have two daughters together, Romy and Cosima.[8]

The German literary critic Hellmuth Karasek was his uncle.

Croquet currently lives in New York with his wife and two children. He travels to Paris every month and has a residence there since the rest of his band Phoenix live in France.[1]