Much like a popular meme that references the Japanese anime Dragon Ball Z, Héloïse Letissier has evolved into the binary-defying, strong-willed ‘Chris’. And this isn’t even her final form.
The self-produced, seductive second album from Christine and the Queens places Letissier firmly in the tier of synth-pop heavyweights, delivering empowering lines over lusty electronic refrains and impressive, arena-ready vocal hooks.
Her breakthrough album, ‘Chaleur Humaine’ rocketed her to pop stardom both in the UK and her native France, introducing a bold new voice and joyous, expressive dancer.
The album fleshed out the personality and backstory of Christine - in a Soho club, a group of drag queens helped mend her broken heart and revamp her confidence - and was a huge hit.
Fast forward to 2018, and her highly anticipated second album has arrived with one big, sexy bang and a strong language warning. Scratching out the second half of her former moniker, chopping off her hair and exploring what her new-found fame means in terms of the power she has to disrupt norms, Letissier is now simply ‘Chris’.
The themes that were apparent on her debut are developed further here. “I’m a man now,” she sang on ‘Chaleur Humaine’ opener iT, above soft jabs from fuzzy synths. In French, she said “If I do not want to be a big girl, I'll be a little boy” on the silky, delicate Half Ladies. Now, on ‘Chris’ it’s all about Letissier’s sexual liberation in a tangle of slick, sweaty imagery and blunt words. “I don’t feel like your girlfriend,” she groans on the lead single. “But lover? Damn, I’d be your lover.” You can Google “para follarse” from Damn (what’s a woman got to do) in your own time.
Her themes and lyrical content may have bloomed, yet the backbone of the record lacks the equivalent progress. Sticking to the formula of glossy synths and simple singalong choruses, it’s fair to say some of the songs here are uneventful. The drum tracks on Goya Soda and Damn mimic the tinny R&B sounds of the ‘90s, while the rhythms on closer The Stranger sound like offcuts from an Alt-J session. The main synth loop on Girlfriend has been lazily swiped from Logic Pro.
There’s no doubt Letissier is a pop icon in the making. With dance routines on par with Michael Jackson, a level of funk that will have you up and grooving in no time and a ravenous attitude that challenges and breaks down boundaries, ‘Chris’ knows how to do it all. Yet, the substance of the record falls short of the message: evolve.
Christine and the Queens Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat November 17 2018 - BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Tue November 20 2018 - LONDON Eventim Apollo
Wed November 21 2018 - LONDON Eventim Apollo
Fri November 23 2018 - GLASGOW Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Sat November 24 2018 - EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Mon November 26 2018 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Tue November 27 2018 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Wed November 28 2018 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Fri November 30 2018 - DUBLIN RDS Main Hall
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
