Christine and the Queens made quite an impression when the French artist burst onto the pop scene in 2014. Critics loved Héloïse Letissier’s effortless synth-pop; her 2015 single “Tilted” was a seductive pleasure and a minor hit that got her booked at Coachella (check out the wonderfully choreographed music video on YouTube).
Thankfully, Letissier’s much-anticipated follow-up doesn’t suffer from the sophomore slump. Interestingly titled Chris — Letissier identifies as pansexual, which means she’s attracted to people regardless of sex or gender — the half-French/half-English collection is a thoughtful, catchy listen. Chris doesn’t take long to start having fun — “Comme Si” (“As If”) is a sexy come-on and its follow-up, “Girlfriend,” is a playful take on ’80s Top 40. Then “The Walker” slows things down, with an intriguing exploration of discrimination and violence set to a drum machine. Then we’re back with “Doesn’t Matter” — a poem about suicidal thoughts and doubting God that masquerades as a pop song.
Like many of Letissier’s songs, the sound and lyrics contrast, which makes for a delicious mix, especially when her voice soars on “Doesn’t Matter.” While the meanings of some of Chris’ songs are far from transparent, they’re all a sonic wonder and many drip with an intoxicating sexuality (“Goya Soda” and “Damn [what must a woman do] are highlights). Letissier herself must be commended for the production, which she did mostly herself. Throughout its 23 song length (11 songs in English, 12 in French), Chris is entirely Letissier; there’s simply no other pop artist making music as singular. Magnifique! (Because Music)
This article is a part of the 2018 OCT / NOV issue of Whole Life Times.