Music Video of the Week: La Vita Nuova

Artist: Christine and the Queens

Director: Julien Pujol

Choreographer: Ryan Heffington

Story by: Christine and the Queens and Colin Solal Cardo

Location: Palais Garnier (The Paris Opera House)

La Vita Nuova, the epic music film by Christine and the Queens

This music film accompanies her latest EP "La Vita Nuova" and was filmed at the Paris Opera house. When talking about the set location Julien Pujol said "it's one of the most beautiful places in the world and we got to use it on all of its axis from rooftop to basement. We had access to major places like the Grand Foyer and some places nobody has ever seen before. The setting is so cinematic." Chris explained that she wanted a Parisian place that was very hieratic that would tell a story of a picture-postcard Paris and at the same time was going to be invested by her subconscious. She also has a strong belief that performance areas are saturated with energy .The opera house can be seen as a symbol of her subconscious as we journey from the surface level(rooftop) of her mind delving deeper as she has an inner battle with her demons.

https://www.ourgoldenage.com.au/film/la-vita-nuova

Chris met the choreographer Ryan Heffington in Los Angeles and said that "he has a way of working its like an outpouring of emotions." While discussing her song "People I've Been Sad" with Heffington she explained to him that it was about the experience of loss and tormented love.They both had to delve very deep to test how far they could take it emotionally. Chris said "The choreography in this video is dangerous in the sense that it's not pretty. In pop music ,especially when you’re a woman, it's about looking sexy and desirable. Ryan’s choreography is more of -you cant hide and if you try to look pretty and to polish it, it shows and it doesn’t work.It was at first terrifying but then became a release of emotions."

https://www.shots.net/news/view/christine-and-the-queens-does-dante

"I find it a combination of style that can be very modern and contemporary but with something essentially pop at heart." - Julien Pujol.

The highlight of the film has to be the Thriller/Backstreets Back style dance number in La Vita Nuova with Caroline Polachek. It is the climax to her emotional journey and feels as though she's finally embraced her demons. This film is a piece of modern art and shows the wholesome artistic vision that Christine and the Queens seems to always get right!

Stream her latest EP La Vita Nuova on Apple Music and Spotify.

photo 1: https://www.vogue.com/vogueworld/article/christine-and-the-queens-la-vita-nuova-video-caroline-polachek

references

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjgdP2bWf7c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuKLECnBIx4