Today, I adore Je Veux Te Voir by Yelle. It's an energetic hollaback at the misogynistic output of French rapper Cuizinier, and makes me feels that all those French lessons I had were worthwhile. There's something disarming about such a sweet-faced girl half singing, half MCing through lyrics such as 'on voulait voir des pectoraux, des mecs montés comme des taureaux.'
The video is almost embarrassingly hip and fashion-forward, especially as she's in clothes straight from a Jean-Charles de Castelbajac catwalk. (FYI, the blue and white frock is my favourite.) But she also released a cover of cheese anthem A Cause des Garcons and featured alongside comedy duo Fatal Bazooka on Parle A Ma Main, so it's all swings and roundabouts for the fledgling fashionista.
The lyrics are crude, but lots of hip hop has been objectifying women for years (not ALL hip hop, of course). But the video features Yelle cavorting in a gym like an American Apparel model, presumably for the viewing pleasure of an implied male gaze. Is this post-feminist empowerment? Is this post-ironic? Is it post-anything, or just a bit phwooaaaar? I don't know. She looks more like a cute girl trying to be sexy.
There's also an earlier cut of the video taking up space on the internet where Yelle resembles Jayne Middlemiss presenting The O Zone. It's true!
Monday, 21 April 2008
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