"I feel like Bruce Springsteen but without all the CDs," joked Heloise Letissier - better known by stage name Christine and the Queens - as the rapturous crowd deafeningly cheered her sold out opening show at London's Brixton Academy.
Letissier's statement is not misplaced: Christine and the Queens has whipped up an overt frenzy since releasing debut album Chaleur Humaine in June.
This chilly November evening was no exception - the singer-songwriter was greeted to the stage with adulation usually reserved for musicians five albums into a career. As the lights went down, a fervent excitement descended no doubt inspired by the shared knowledge that all packed into the particularly rammed music venue were fortunate to be there.
Not that she herself can believe it. The self-proclaimed "tiny French woman with a tiny French repertoire" seemed marvelled as the crowd whooped her every move, lyric and endearing anecdote she peppered throughout the 90-minute set. Of course, it helps that Letissier is the moment's most likeable on-stage presence, her words - delivered with French affectation - making the beaming audience willing putty in her hands (if they weren't already) as she bounded about the stage like a woman unaware she deserves such praise.
Christine and the Queens showcased the full package: tender lyrics - eschewed towards gender identity - sung with crystal clear clarity as Letissier found her note with every first attempt. The synchronised dancing with vibrant backing troupe empirically aided the visual aesthetic, while each song's charming preamble - most notably with signature track "Titled" - seemed so off-the-cuff it made all spectators feel as if they're the first she's ever performed to.
Whether through the discotheque vibes of "Intranquillité" or the stripped-back shimmer of "Saint Claude," every passing minute of the set - much like with her star-making Glastonbury performance earlier this summer - felt like the finishing touches being applied to a future superstar.
If the synth-heavy sound of "Safe and Holy" and standout track "IT" - with its impressive call and response involving her dutiful backing musicians - freed the flamboyance, it was over to the more heartfelt moments to crystallise the evening. A well-earned encore saw a faithful cover of Terence Trent D'Arby song "Sign Your Name" which segued into the jewel in the night's crown: "Nuit 17 à 52," a lyrically-melancholic yet enchanting - and endlessly hummable - tale that sent the crowd into the cold night with their hearts warmed.
On-stage persona Christine may have been surrounded by her Queens, but for two nights at least, Letissier was the monarch of London; all hail.
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