Christine and the Queens isn’t afraid of heights. The French electro-pop solo artist, born Héloíse Létissier, can’t reach the ground in her new video for funk-filled single “Girlfriend,” which dropped today (May 24), but that’s not a problem. The visual exhibits multiple decades worth of quintessential American influences, while still maintaining an incredibly fresh and contemporary ambience.
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Létissier is instantly spotted dangling in the air from construction equipment, a cue taken from 1930s photographer Charles Ebbets, who was known for his risky, altitudinous shots of builders. While this alone inherently adds drama to the clip, Létissier kicks it up a notch further by bringing in a roundup of dancers and implementing choreography from both West Side Story and Michael Jackson classics. The video turns the concept of gender on its head, making for an incredibly alluring, seductive and downright aesthetically pleasing spectacle.
“The message is both simple and radical,” Létissier says. “Simple because the video relies on energy and an effective use of choreography — more physical, sensual and assertive. Radical in terms of its aesthetics: here, the gang concept blurs the lines between ballerina and thug, as was often the case in American musicals such as West Side Story.”
“Girlfriend” was released as a single May 17 and marked Christine and the Queens’ first release since a highly successful 2015 self-titled debut. North American and European fans can catch the talented artist on tour this fall.
Watch the new visual for “Girlfriend” below.