Christine and the Queens

“My whole life is queer.”

“I invented 'Christine' as a survival technique to deal with many things. I felt it would save me.”

“I see theatre everywhere, actually. We're all kind of performing a version of ourselves every morning by choosing the clothes and how we appear - but the stage is so emphasising that I really feel comfortable in it.”

“Typically, in France, someone in my position should keep their mouth shut. I'm an entertainer, operating in the realm of pop, and it's often looked down upon for a pop artist to take a stand, to have convictions or opinions. But I don't think the two are incompatible or mutually exclusive.”

“There are lots of ways to be a feminist. Beyonce, for example, is a beautiful example of feminine sensuality and is still really powerful. My character and my inner essence is more like an awkward 15-year-old boy, like a teenager backstage, like, 'Yeah, what's up?' That's what I'm trying to channel.”

“The character I've created, Christine, is mainly the first attempt for me to escape all the secret injunctions we have as girls all the time. Like, be pretty but be polite. Don't take too much space. All those things that didn't mean anything to me. I just decided to turn them around with my character.”

“Male rock stars are sexy because they desire you first. I want to be like that.”

“My words are my sword.”

“I remember writing '5 Dollars' out of intense listening sessions of Bruce Springsteen. I don't know if it's obvious, but I was obsessed with how limpid Bruce Springsteen's melodies are: It's such a great way to do storytelling and to still be melodic and catchy.”

“I enjoy this confusion. Heloise? Christine? Chris? Maybe I will be called C at some point.”

“I love people who go on stage and blossom like a weird flower.”

“Fashion is a way to transform yourself. By choosing your own silhouette and shape, you can constantly change who you are.”

“When I take risks, I win. When I do the safe thing, it's a disaster.”

“Dancing, for me, is like a second language. It's the best way for me to get out of my shell and be expressive in a very personal way.”

“I love Lou Reed because his voice sounds like your inner conscience.”

“I think I used Christine, who is my stage character, as an excuse to finally be myself, as if I needed to say, 'Oh this character is going to be the woman I wanted to be.'”

“Basically, when I like a song, I have to dance.”

“That's pretty much how I feel on stage, like I can let go of all kinds of baggage, or even disappear and change outfits. I want to remind people that they can grant themselves the license to do the same.”

“Christine and the Queens is born out of a particular moment in my life where I was quite low.”

“It's always odd to me when people say, 'Where does Heloise finish and Chris start?' It's the same thing. I'm just putting a theatrical form to my expression.”