On Oct. 4, French artist – and soon-to-be superstar – Héloïse Letissier brought her captivating project Christine and the Queens to Chicago’s Vic Theatre. The performance perfectly kicked off her U.S. tour as fans fell deeper and deeper in love as the night went on.
“Tilted” inspired a mid-set dance party on the floor and up on the stage, where Letissier and her dancers performed interpretive moves that would be perfectly at home at The Joffrey Ballet. Starting out purposefully wobbly, Letissier and her dancers poured across the stage as if it were covered in slopes and sudden angles. As the music evolved, so did the dancing, both elements becoming firm, strong and even assertive in the art of self-assurance.
Letissier is clearly her own artist, poised to become the voice of her generation if she wants the job, but she aptly incorporated little nods to the visionaries that came before her throughout the set. Whether it was handing out flowers to fans à la Morrissey or striking Michael Jackson-esque poses while covering Beyonce’s unapologetic “Lemonade” track “Sorry,” these little touches offered fans a deeper glimpse into the musical DNA of Christine and the Queens. Earlier in the set, Letissier also paid homage to Chicago’s own Kanye West with her track “Paradis Perdus,” which features elements of “Heartless” mashed-up with Christophe’s song, “Les paradis perdus.”
As the concert drew to a close, Christine and the Queens shared a tender moment at the introduction of the song “Saint Claude” and took time out to show appreciation for Chicago fans. “You spoiled me,” Letissier said before joking that now she will feel like she should be “treated like a princess all the time” throughout the rest of the headlining tour. Fans refused to let her leave without an encore, and when she returned to the stage, she rewarded them with a truly special moment – her first-ever on-stage performance of the heartbreaking Terence Trent D’Arby tune, “Sign Your Name.”
After performing across the U.S. through the end of the month, Christine and the Queens will travel to the UK for a string of sold-out shows this November. Head over to ChristineandtheQueens.com to purchase tickets and bear witness to the humor, heart and unmatched artistry of Christine and the Queens when Letissier and company perform in a city near you.