Profile
Biography
Stéphane Pompougnac is a French DJ, producer and music curator whose work helped define the French Lounge sound and its international reach.
1997
Hôtel Costes / The Defining Years
Invited to Hôtel Costes as resident DJ and musical curator, Stéphane developed a distinctive sound for the hotel: elegant, eclectic and paced around the life of the space.
1999–2011
Hôtel Costes Compilations
Beginning with the first Hôtel Costes compilation in 1999, the series carried that musical identity far beyond Paris. Fifteen editions and related collections formed an internationally recognised catalogue.
The Story of the Hôtel Costes Compilations
The Hôtel Costes compilations began with a sound.
When Jean-Louis Costes opened Hôtel Costes in Paris, Stéphane Pompougnac became its resident DJ, shaping the musical identity of the hotel night after night. His selections moved freely between house, downtempo, soul, jazz, Latin music, dub and electronic sounds, creating a signature that soon became inseparable from Hôtel Costes.
In 1999, Stéphane translated that musical direction into the first Hôtel Costes compilation.
Each volume was conceived as a curated journey rather than a simple collection of tracks. Across the series, Stéphane brought together established artists, emerging producers and music from different countries and scenes, introducing a wider audience to artists including Grace Jones, Pink Martini, Gotan Project, Boozoo Bajou, De-Phazz, Club des Belugas and many others.
Over 15 volumes, the Hôtel Costes series became an international reference in lounge and downtempo music. The compilations sold more than 7 million physical copies worldwide, taking a musical identity originally created for a Paris hotel far beyond its walls.
The series played a defining role in Stéphane Pompougnac’s international career as a DJ, producer and music curator, leading to performances, productions, remixes and collaborations around the world.
More than two decades later, the Hôtel Costes compilations remain a central part of his catalogue. Together with Stéphane Pompougnac’s own releases, this body of work has generated more than 800 million cumulative streams, extending the story of Hôtel Costes to new generations of listeners.
Fifteen volumes. One musical signature. From Paris to the world.
Selected Works
Remixes & Collaborations
The catalogue connects original productions, commissioned remixes and featured vocalists. Each credit below identifies the nature of the relationship rather than presenting every name as a direct collaboration.
MadonnaWhat It Feels Like for a Girl (Stéphane Pompougnac Remix)Remix / compilation release
Michael Stipe (R.E.M.)Clumsy — Living on the Edge (2003)Featured artist
Peter Kingsbery (Cock Robin)A Complicated Life — Night in Paris (2025)Featured artist / songwriter
Ayumi HamasakiJEWEL (Stéphane Pompougnac Main Version Edit Remix)Official remix
Alain ChamfortIngrate — Hello Mademoiselle (2007)Featured artistRoquette Music
International DJ, Producer & Roquette Music
Living on the Edge, Hello Mademoiselle, Bloody French, Tu cherches quoi and Night in Paris form a five-album catalogue that expanded his work from curation into original production, while international DJ dates brought the sound to clubs, hotels and cultural events worldwide.
Stéphane Pompougnac founded Roquette Music as an avant-garde ecosystem linking his musical heritage with contemporary electronic sounds. More than a label, it is the platform through which he maintains full artistic direction, moving between atmospheric lounge and club-oriented productions. As curator and producer, he supervises every release and connects the melodic approach developed during his residency years with current house and melodic house sounds, regularly tested in his DJ sets worldwide.
Bespoke Catalogues
Brands, Travel & Culture
Alongside his artist catalogue, Stéphane has created dedicated musical selections for international brands and editorial partners: Saks Fifth Avenue (2002), The Concorde Lounge for Casa Brutus (2003), Sparkling Moments: Tokyo / Paris for Perrier (2005) and STARFLYER (2007). These are commissioned compilation and DJ-mix projects — not solo studio albums.
Hospitality
Beyond the DJ Booth
After defining the sonic identity of Hôtel Costes and co-curating Buddha-Bar’s 25th-anniversary collection with Charles Schillings and Ravin, Stéphane now develops multi-level music programmes for flagship destinations such as RH Paris on the Champs-Élysées through Roquette Music. From hotels to fashion houses, he develops sonic architecture designed to stay in the memory.
