Christine and the Queens: I’ll always be brutally honest

Christine and the Queens was "born out of a crazy desire to finally accept everything".
The 31-year-old singer – whose real name is Heloise Letissier – says her artistic ambition to be "brutally honest" is "non-negotiable".
Asked about her approach to songwriting, she explained: "Since I started to write my first song, it’s been non-negotiable: I’m going to be brutally honest.
"Christine and the Queens was born out of a crazy desire to finally accept everything and own everything about myself including the dark thoughts, including sadness, including the impossibility of fitting in. And I wouldn’t shy away from that … which creates a weird balance.
"And honestly, you know, Christine and the Queens was also borne out of something that happened between me and drag queens [she was nursed out of depression by a troupe of drag artists]. Christine is a drag character – it’s really generous and fun and entertaining, but it’s borne out of wounds."
The singer has been widely called a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community and she’s admitted to feeling a need to speak her mind.
Talking to the BBC, she said: "I think it’s healthier not to see yourself as a spokesperson for anything.
"As an artist, I do believe in visibility, in speaking out. I believe in that very much. But it’s good not to think of yourself as a role model, because it can become so solemn; and a bit pretentious also."