Pamart, however is not your standard piano prodigy turned superstar, or virtuoso gone viral; he instead approaches his music with an almost athletic conviction, turning one of the most ubiquitous instruments on earth into a vehicle for both personal transcendence and social transformation.

“The piano forces you to compete with yourself because the piano is always going to be bigger than you are,” Pamart tells RANGE, speaking during a quick stopover in New York. “It forces you to tap into something deeper in yourself, almost like an athlete in competition. It demands a humility and adaptability that feels like entering a mental state of exaltation.” Such a statement coming from any other artist would maybe feel like an out-sized interpretation of the significance of their work, yet coming from an artist of the calibre of Pamart, the sentiment feels almost excessively humble. For Pamart isn’t only one of the most high-profile young pianists alive today – frequently selling out stadium-sized venues and collaborating with legends like Wyclef Jean and Nelly Furtado – but he is also at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of what exactly will define classical music for the 21st century and beyond.

Pamart’s rise to piano fame certainly didn’t follow the path typical for classical musicians. “My parents were not musicians, and I think it’s because of this background that I don’t approach the piano with the sensibility of someone with an inherited musical background. I think my journey to music more resembles rap and pop stars who come into their artistry from an ecosystem where they were not surrounded by artists, but rather just felt an undeniable attraction towards making music.” For Pamart, who cut his teeth in the French rap scene, blending his musical education with his countercultural interests always felt like the natural direction for him to take his music. “I want to make the piano an instrument that can speak to everyone, not just those with access to a classical education or an inherited relationship to nobility.”

As an artist who walks the line between high art and pop culture with the effortlessness of a modern-day Andy Warhol, Pamart revels in his freedom to blend both genres and audiences through the sonic emancipation his music inspires in listeners of all backgrounds. “I find it equally exciting whether I am playing in a stadium or opera house, as both venues allow this cross-over of culture I find really interesting. Through my music I get to expose the classical crowd to the pleasure of stadium sports culture, just as much as I expose the sports crowd to appreciate and become exposed to the classical arts.”

And on his latest album Movie, Pamart pushes his musical ingenuity even further by laying out the album’s movement along a cinematic sonic narrative. “I wanted to tell the story of a day in the emotional life of a specific protagonist that could be relatable to everyone. There’s moments of love, of reflection on the state of the world, as well as these particular fleeting moments of solitude, hope, and melancholy which I feel like everyone experiences in the course of a single day.” The album is filled with testimonials and anecdotes from the different artists who participated in its creation to further illustrate the emotional landscape of a single day. “To achieve the greatest breadth of emotional resonance, I wanted a diversity of perspectives. You have the unexpected inclusion of the Basketball player Jimmy Butler on the album, alongside the musical icons in Jazz and R&B.”

Taking as much inspiration from Wong Kar-Wai’s catalogue as from classic French cinema like Les Choses de la Vie, Pamart’s goal was to exemplify a form of narrative subtly usually reserved for art-house cinema. “To approach very intimate subjects with a great deal of discretion, that was really the goal of this project,” Pamart recounts. When speaking about the album, he lights up with the pride of a new parent. “I wanted to try my hand at something touching and simple, a quality I guess more common in classical music but not so much in the music I’ve previously made.” Pamart smiles and relishes in the unusual direction his own career has taken, one that’s brought him more success and exposure than he ever thought possible as a pianist.

“I love Montréal because I find it just so interesting and refreshing to see the love for the French language blend so well with this comprehension of English and English culture, this really doesn’t exist in France,” Pamart says when asked about his grand return to the iconic Montréal Jazz Festival this July. “I always love returning to Montreal and to Jazz fest specifically. The city just has this classic elegance which blends effortlessly with the drive towards modernity and boundary-pushing inherent to the city’s evolution and blend of cultures. I feel like Montréal in general is an urban reflection of my music.”

At the moment, Pamart’s sole scheduled North American tour date is his stopover in Montréal. It goes without saying that the show will likely be a jaw-dropping performance and a masterclass in sonic emancipation. It also should come as no surprise that the show is already sold out.