🕒 This article is more than 5 years old (Published Oct 20, 2016).
It is hard to believe that Héloïse Letissier’s heartbreak-driven escape from Paris to London in 2010 would lead him to Soho’s lavish Madame Jojo’s, where he would find solace in the company of three drag queens and eventually relaunch his existence as one of the most enigmatic millennial French pop stars.
Yet, at the age of only twenty eight, Letissier, more commonly known by his stage name Christine and the Queens, is steadily conquering the music scene with his debut album Chaleur Humaine (later rebranded eponymously as Christine and the Queens for the English-speaking audiences).
Last week, he opened his fourth North American show as part of the new tour at the sold-out Paradise Rock, during which he recreated a vicarious, Paris-is-burning-esque escapism for Bostonians who eagerly anticipated Lettisier’s arrival. Switching effortlessly from catchy chart-toppers like “Tilted” and downtempo ballads, such as “Saint Claude” and “Nuit 17 à 52,” to tracks from his EPs, like “Intranquillité,” he flawlessly and vividly portrayed the underlying story of the devastating breakup that shaped most of the album’s lyrical content. The emotional underpinnings of his music were furthermore emphasized by the theatrical performance of “Safe and Holy” and “Here,” songs which never attracted as much public attention as other tracks from the album, despite their transfixing, dramatic character.
At the same time, the essence of Christine and the Queens was never in the music, and those who attend Letissier’s concert will surely understand why. Dance and meticulously designed movements are at the heart of his show, which is why the live renditions of songs like “Science Fiction,” “Half Ladies,” and “Tilted” brought in a pulsating flavor through exquisite choreography and gave a flamboyant spin on Letissier’s downhearted lyrics.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Letissier treats his concert-going fans with unexpected dance gems, brilliantly executed with the help of his backup dancers. “Science Fiction,” for instance, transitioned into a minute-long synchronized choreography to Serge Gainsbourg’s “Mon légionnaire,” while another segue put the four backup dancers under the spotlight as they took turns to demonstrate sleek voguing to Inner City’s “Good Life.”
Despite the concert’s captivating liveliness, it is easy to dismiss Letissier’s music and show as uncreative and trite. The streamlined, monochromatic outfits of the all-male dancers — in, what is essentially, a one-man show — will certainly remind the more observant audiences of Madonna’s music videos from the Vogue era.
His brisk and desexualized choreography clearly draws movements from iconic artists, like Michael Jackson, and more contemporary ones, such as Janelle Monáe, while the overall hyper-electronic pop sound of his music carries strong resemblance to that of other European music acts, like The Knife, that have already explored the ideas of marginalization and androgyny through pop music, which all together challenges the progressiveness of his identity as Christine and the Queens.
While it is completely warranted to doubt Letissier’s “novelty factor” for the previously-mentioned observations, there is also no reason not to believe that he will continue to grow as an artist and eventually carve his own, unique niche within the music industry. Most importantly, even though it might prove informative to objectively deconstruct the basis of his musical identity and question its authenticity, perhaps it is best to simply accept and appreciate his show for what it is — an enrapturing, playful, and undeniably entertaining performance that succeeds at creating a safe haven for those who seek one.
Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Hahn. Follow him on Instagram as well.
02/18/2023 update: The article was updated to use ‘he/him/his’ pronouns to reflect Christine and the Queen’s preferred gender identity.