Christine and the Queens has announced the release of her sophomore record ‘Chris’. It includes standout single ‘Doesn’t Matter’ which was released July 5th. It was premiered by Zane Lowe as his World Record on Beats 1 and is coupled with an equally beguiling video – directed by Colin Solal Cardo. “It’s a crisis song that I wrote late one night”, explains Christine. “This song is a cathedral, with a rhythm as unalterable as white stone. The bass line, I remember playing it for hours, as if to rock myself.”
‘Doesn’t Matter’ is an outstanding piece of songwriting, with pin-point melodies dancing around subtly considered production. There’s no denying Christine’s ability to write sumptuous alt-pop which tugs at complex emotions whilst remaining accessible. If the rest of ‘Chris’ is at this level, the album will be one of the hottest of the year.
“Chaleur Humaine was about teenage years, most of it,” says Christine. “Loneliness, really true feelings, and there is a softness in the way I wrote as well, because I was properly introducing myself.” Chris arrives on different terms. “It gets to be a bit more exhilarating, because I get to say, okay, I’ve been introduced now. I get to be more confident, and it matches what happened in my life as a woman.”
Christine explains that the first record turned her from a reclusive, bookish young woman writing for herself into “an athlete performer, which is something I always wanted to live, but it happened. Then suddenly I’m out in the open and I’m having more experiences, meeting people, having relationships, and stories are happening to me. All of a sudden, you’re a real grownass woman.”