Christine and the Queens, Madonna, and Big Eye
Christine and the Queens talked to BBC.com before unveiling tracks from his new album, PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE, at the BBC 6 Music Festival in Manchester, England, revealing how he enlisted Madonna to appear in three tracks of the new record and premiering one of them, Lick The Light Out.
Chris, who was Madonna’s unapologetic bitch during the second Rebel Heart Tour show in Bercy in 2015, explains how they met:
The first time I met her was actually on stage. She was doing a tour and there was a song where she was inviting people she loved on the set – and I was lucky enough to be invited. It seemed like a prank at first because I received a text from the choreographer and I was like, ‘Are you sure?’
And so I witnessed the power of the Lord and the Queen on stage.
PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE is the second instalment of Christine and the Queens‘ rock opera concept record project based on Tony Kushner’s 1991 play Angels in America and was produced by longtime Madonna collaborator Mike Dean; Madonna features as Big Eye, a mysterious character who appears throughout the album.
Chris explains that when developing the narrative for PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE he decided she would be perfect for the role.
What is the most emblematic female voice we have in the pop landscape? he has such an imprint on everybody’s subconscious.
She did a very risky FaceTime when I explained the whole concept and I was like, ‘Do you want to be an actress in this weird musical? To be exactly also the great actress you are?’ Because she’s multifaceted. She’s not even enclosed in one person.
And she said, ‘Yes!’ I think because she was enticed by the insanity of the whole thing. She was like, ‘You’re crazy. I’ll do it!’
I sent her lines that I wrote because she’s embodying the character of Big Eye, a very ambivalent ‘being of light’. We don’t really know if it’s AI, a true angel, or maybe my mum?
Or if it’s maybe me. She’s has this voice that encloses all of the others and she’s piercing through in the record to just give the wisdom we need.
She sent me the lines and she delivered in such a perfect way. So I had the emotions of a stage director having the best, best performer to direct, and she delivered in exactly the right way.
I’m truly joyful that she trusted me enough to give me this impeccable piece of theatre. And also, any time she wants me to just do something for her, I’ll be of service all my life.
One of the songs Christine and the Queens debuted in Manchester is Lick The Light Out – a track that features spoken parts by Madonna as Big Eye. Click here to listen, Lick The Light Out plays at about 1 hour 16 minutes in to the set.
Read the full story on BBC.com.
