Bazbaz began his recording career during the 1980s in the French alternative rock band Le Cri de la Mouche. In the mid-'90s, he made his solo debut, releasing Dubadelik (1996). Prior to releasing his follow-up solo album, Bazbaz composed the film score for Comme Elle Respire (1998), the first of numerous collaborations with French film director Pierre Salvadori. Bazbaz then released 2004's Sur le Bout de la Langue, the latter of which earned him a Victoires de la Musique award nomination. Le Bonheur Fantôme (2007) was even more popular, reaching number 46 on the French albums chart.