International Spotlight: Angèle

What glistens the most from China Bears, though, is the integrity within their songwriting that is crystallised through their performance; this shone through eloquently throughout their Cavern set — the audience was mesmerised.

Manon Martini, Online Arts + Lit Editor, explores the Belgian musician's messages and background

THE Belgian pop sensation who has sold millions of records in her home country and across France is one of the hottest artists on the French-speaking scene right now. She seems to be on every radio station across Europe and her songs are infectiously catchy. A Franco-mix between Billie Eilish, Lana Del Ray and Taylor Swift, her breakthrough into the Anglo-American music scene following her collaboration with Dua Lipa is dismantling not only Western assumptions of ‘English-as-universal' — but the male domination of the music industry. Her feminist outlook constantly renegotiates the masculine boundaries of song writing through a proudly political reclamation of a lovesick, childlike nostalgia.

DISMANTLING... WESTERN ASSUMPTIONS

Her debut album, Brol (2018), speaks not only of heartbreak, but also of double standards and gender roles. ‘Balance Ton Quoi’, for example, refers to the Me Too movement and the 'denounce your pig' hashtag in France. The song candidly discusses misogyny and sexual violence — proposing education as a means to combat sexism. The joyful, slightly melancholic tone of the piece contrasts beautifully against its purpose and makes for an immensely pleasurable listening experience. Angèle released ‘Tout Oublier’ with her brother, Romeo Elvis, and the pair discuss their past lovers and the ways in which one should heal and move on during the 21st century. The reoccurring rhythm of the piece is complemented by the minimal shoulder shrug dance move through out the mu sic video. The video sees Angèle and Elvis in a ski hut complete with vintage snow suits and a blazing fire. As they wander along a sweltering hot beach in their snow gear, the beautifully stylised video makes for an evocative audio-visual piece that perfectly distills the relentlessly stuffy feeling of being trapped by the emotions of a past relationship.

Whilst Angèle’s breakthrough into the English music scene is outstanding, her presence in the French and Belgian sphere is arguably even more profound. In an interview with The Guardian , Angèle says that France is still largely "behind on sexism".

She believes that "Violence against women is still treated as a taboo subject and one that’s difficult to address and is minimised." Her light-hearted yet politically loaded anti-sexist albums are gently infiltrating sexism in her home country and across Europe. She likes to keep her albums “beautiful, accessible and light and funny” so that everyone can hear and listen to what she has to say.

Angèle faced immense controversy when her brother, Romeo Elvis, was accused of sexually assaulting a female member of his entourage. Angèle’s refusal to speak out immediately meant that fans were questioning the authenticity of her lyrical feminism. She ended up more publicly condemned then her brother, as rape culture worked to ensure that a woman was ultimately held accountable for the actions of a man. Eventually she spoke out, condemning what her brother had done and continuing to work through theoretical feminism in her music — but by this point rape culture had reared its ugly head and the damage had been done. Whilst Angèle’s song subjects and her sudden rise to fame have meant that she has been thrust into the spotlight as a feminist role model, she notes that she is a "feminist in progress" and continues to reflect her growth and development through her song writing. With her repeated platinum albums, her record-topping singles and her reputation as the woman who beat Stromae’s record for most weeks at the top of the Belgian singles chart — Angèle is really bringing it home for the women.