Dita and Sebastien
Camille Vivier
This Valentine’s Day, Dita Von Teese is showing us that burlesque isn’t her only love. Ahead of her upcoming self-titled debut album — due Friday — the newly anointed singer is premiering her first single “Porcelaine,” a duet with French composer and songwriter Sébastien Tellier, exclusively through Billboard.
The cut is synth-infused and as dreamy as it is romantic, with Von Teese and Tellier exchanging lines in French over a slowed-down ’90s beat that channels the sophistication of classic French music, paired with influences of pop and R&B.
Songwriter Tellier said the song is about “Dita’s white skin, too perfect to be real.” Dita spoke fondly of his voice, saying, “I instantly thought of Serge Gainsbourg. But don’t think Sébastien is a copy of Gainsbourg; he’s as good as him.”
As for what she thinks of the entire album, she described it to Rolling Stone in November as “me with less makeup.” She continued on to say she’s focusing on “vulnerability, which stands in contrast to [her] stage image of a confident and glamorous woman.” She added, “I would never dare say such things in real life, and if I ever really felt like making such declarations of love, I would likely restrain myself right away.”
The entirety of the album is written and produced with Tellier, though “Porcelaine” is the only track that includes his own vocals. Other collaborators include keyboard player and programmer John Kirby, who has previously worked with artists like Blood Orange — a sonic link that rings through loudly in some of the familiar funk-inspired sounds on Von Teese’s first song.
And while this will be her first full project, this is not Von Teese’s first venture into music. She’s appeared on more than one track as a feature, including Die Antwoord‘s 2016 “Gucci Coochie.”
Pre-order is now available on iTunes.