Christine and the Queens’ Héloïse Letissier – aka Chris – has spoken candidly about representation and life in a celebrity spotlight in a new interview with Cosmopolitan.
Delving into her experiences within the industry, queer culture and of course, her music that has completely gone gangbusters within the pop world through 2019, Chris didn’t hold back when it came to speaking openly and honestly.
Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens – ‘Gone’
When it came to talking about the commercialisation of queer culture by the mainstream, Chris opened up and voiced her opinion with refreshing honesty.
“I’m conflicted,” she told Cosmo, referring to Taylor Swift’s single ‘You Need To Calm Down’.
“I guess somewhere, young gay men might watch that Taylor Swift video and feel a sense of relief. Five years on [since she entered the industry] and you can tell that being queer has been glossed out as this super-fancy accessory.”
“You can tell that the queer aesthetic is being used to sell things. The mainstream needs that life because it’s so vibrant. But I think the core of the queer aesthetic cannot be sold.”
Taylor Swift – ‘You Need To Calm Down’
Chris also noted how this commercialisation and co-opting of queer culture has affected her in her own career.
“When I changed by name from Christine to Chris on the second album, some people said, “That’s a cool marketing thing you did.” It was so painful. I’ve been singing ‘iT’ for the past five years. It’s never been marketing for me. It’s about jumping into the unknown and saying things loudly.”
Christine and the Queens – ‘iT’
