Rahim Claude Redcar (born 1 June 1988) is a French singer and songwriter best known under the pseudonym of Christine and the Queens. Born and raised in Nantes, he started learning piano at the age of four and found inspiration in one of London's clubs while studying. Redcar released a series of extended plays (EPs) throughout 2011–2013.
Redcar's debut studio album, Chaleur humaine (2014), received critical acclaim, reached number two in the French and UK charts, and was certified diamond in France; it was also a best selling debut record in the United Kingdom. In 2018, he released his second studio album, Chris, to further critical acclaim. It was ranked album of the year by Clash, The Guardian, and The Independent, and placed in the top-ten of nine other year-end lists. "Girlfriend" was recognized by Time as song of the year. In reaction to his mother's death, Redcar released an EP in 2020 La vita nuova, with some critics calling it his strongest work up to that point. Time again named his song, "People, I've Been Sad", the song of the year. Ensuing years saw the releases of Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) (2022) and Paranoia, Angels, True Love (2023), which were met with critical acclaim but did not achieve the commercial success of his previous releases. In 2024, he released Hopecore, a more dance-inflected album.
In 2016, Redcar was ranked number one in Vanity Fair's list of most powerful and influential French people who "promote French ingenuity", ahead of the country's president. The next year, Forbes placed him on its list of 30 most influential and talented people under 30, and Time included him on its list of Next Generation Leaders twice – in 2016 and 2018. His accolades include four Victories of Music awarded by the French Ministry of Culture. Christine and the Queens has been signed to the independent record label Because Music since 2012.
In August 2022, he stated in a TikTok video in French that his gender journey was "a long process" and explained that he had gendered himself in the masculine for about a year, which he had shared with family and close friends. He subsequently updated his pronouns to he/him across social media platforms. He has stated that he is "in resistance to the approach of trans identity that there has to be hormones and operations", which he considers a form of binarism.
Early life
Rahim Redcar was born Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier on 1 June 1988 in Nantes. His father, Georges Letissier, taught English literature at the University of Nantes and specialises in Victorian era literature. His mother, Martine Letissier, taught French and Latin at a local middle school. Martine died suddenly from a heart infection in April 2019, in the week between Redcar‘s two scheduled Coachella performances on 13 and 20 April. The latter performance was cancelled because Redcar travelled back to France to be with his mother.
Redcar began learning to play the piano at the age of four, learned classical dance at five, and then modern jazz. His parents recommended to him writers such as Sarah Waters and Judith Butler, whose works served both as inspiration and reference in Redcar‘s youth. He attended Lycée Clemenceau learning theatre and then Lycée Fénelon secondary school in Paris learning literature. He later studied at the Department of Arts of École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon) and studied drama at the Lyon Regional Conservatory.
Career
2010–2013: Career beginnings
Redcar's first performance as Christine and the Queens was at a small Lyon club in 2010. That same year, Redcar dropped out of the drama conservatory he was attending out of frustration at not being allowed to direct, as well as feeling depressed after a romantic break-up. He made a trip to London and was inspired by the work of local drag queen musicians, including Russella, at the Soho nightclub Madame Jojo's. The queens then became 'the Queens' in his stage name as a tribute. As soon as he returned to France, he left the ENSL grande école in the middle of the second year to devote himself fully to the musical project now called "Christine and the Queens". He dedicated many of his creations to them, and to all transgender individuals, describing his genre as "freakpop".
He released his debut extended play, Miséricorde, in 2011, with Marc Lumbroso (Jean-Jacques Goldman's producer). His second EP, titled Mac Abbey, followed in 2012, with minor hits "Narcissus Is Back" and "Cripple". The same year, he was the opening act for Lykke Li, the Dø, and Woodkid. Redcar won the Best Discovered Act award, known as "Découverte", at the Printemps de Bourges music festival and also won the "Première Francos" award at the Les Francofolies de La Rochelle festival. Then he signed with the independent label Because Music.
In 2013, Redcar was the opening act for Lilly Wood and the Prick and Gaëtan Roussel. On 3 June, he released the single, and also an EP of the same name, titled "Nuit 17 à 52", which garnered him his first charting on the official French SNEP albums chart. The song was the first single of his forthcoming studio album.
2014–2017: Christine and the Queens
Christine and the Queens' debut studio album, Chaleur humaine, was first released in France on 2 June 2014. He wrote it and co-produced with Ash Workman; the track "Paradis perdus" is a cover of a 1973 French song by Christophe. Besides "Nuit 17 à 52", three singles were released: "Saint Claude", "Christine", and "Paradis Perdus". "Christine" is the French version of "Cripple" earlier released in 2012. After the album reached number 2 on the French chart and was certified diamond there, Redcar toured France.
For the American market, the single "Tilted", English version of "Cripple"/"Christine", was released on 3 March 2015 under the Neon Gold Records label. Redcar then toured in the US for promotion with Marina and the Diamonds. Exclusively for this market, Saint Claude EP was released on 14 April, including five songs from Chaleur humaine in English versions. On 16 October, the full album, entitled Christine and the Queens, was released via Because Music. Many tracks were reworked with English lyrics and revamped beats by producer Ash Workman. Two tracks were replaced with three new songs, and two of these new songs were collaborations – "Jonathan" with Perfume Genius, and "No Harm Is Done" with rapper Tunji Ige. These two new collaborations were released as additional singles, the latter on 11 September, and the former on 16 October. On 11 November, Christine was warmly received in his first performance in large venue, the Webster Hall, New York; the next day, he appeared on The Daily Show. In 2015 top-ten lists by Time, "Tilted" was included as one of best songs of the year. Pitchfork listed the song in its 2010 best-of, "defining tracks of the decade" list at number 106. At the end of the year, he was back home, and, on 10 December, Madonna invited Christine to dance with her on stage during her concert at the Bercy Arena, Paris.
In the United Kingdom, "Tilted" was released on 15 January 2016 and peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart. An English version of the album was released there on 26 February, under the original French title. The record received universal critical acclaim. In April, Redcar performed for the first time, and twice, at the Coachella Festival. In May, he was added to the BBC Radio 1 main rotation playlist, and on 17 June, he appeared on The Graham Norton Show. The Guardian called his performance at the Glastonbury Festival on 24 June, the day after the Brexit vote, one of the festival's "unequivocal highlights" and later described it as "career-launching". Chaleur humaine reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart in July and was the best selling debut studio album of 2016 there. It was featured on some year-end lists and ranked 3rd by NME and 8th by The Guardian, among other accolades. In the decade-end 'top albums of the 2010s' listings, the record was ranked…