Equal parts melancholy and glitter, Chateau Chateau is an evolving community of musicians from Tuscon, Arizona making cathartic indie pop for weirdos, outcasts, queer folks, and anyone else who needs it. Formed in 2018, the band is led by Bleu and Alex, a DIY-minded duo who transform things that are “traditionally ugly, abstract, and leftover” into new shiny and special forms. Although their songs explore dark subjects like mental illness, addiction, and trauma, Chateau Chateau channel their anguish into upbeat, danceable tracks packed with grim humor and messages of resilience.
After releasing “Crisis Party,” their debut single that took off on streaming services, the band quickly built a local reputation for their outrageous performances (featuring up to nine people on stage) and flamboyant self-designed stage costumes, inspired by everyone from horror drag icons The Boulet Brothers and glam rocker David Bowie. “We’re a bunch of introverts that dress up like extroverts and get up on stage and dance around,” says Bleu, a tattoo artist by day. The reason for the larger-than-life persona is to help their audience — but especially their LGBTQ+ fans – feel comfortable in letting out their inner freak. “We want to keep making a safe space for people to come and boogie and be weird,” adds Alex, a drag queen by night.
Grow Up, the band’s debut release for Kill Rock Stars, tells the “coming of age story” of frontperson Bleu, who dedicates each song to different toxic relationships throughout her life and how she found herself growing up through each experience. On the raucous lead single “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” she takes a stand against her abusive father with acerbic lines of indifference, while the galavanting song “Converted,” they poke fun at a narcissistic ex who once saw Bleu as his “token fantasy.”
Although their lyrics can be brutal in their emotional honesty, Chateau Chateau imbue their tales with a tongue-in-cheek playfulness and end each song with tenacious declarations that they will overcome any obstacle. “I’ll prove you wrong, just let me interrupt,” Bleu sings on the fiery track “Push Your Luck.” As a result, Grow Up is a rebellious statement of self-determination that delves into everything from ‘80s-inspired synth-pop and post-punk to dance music.
It’s also Chateau Chateau’s first project where Bleu helms the vocals on every track — a marked difference from the band’s 2020 self-release album, Princess. This step into the spotlight goes hand-in-hand with Bleu’s newfound willingness to explore themes and memories that are more personal than ever before. “She’s finding her voice in the songwriting process and through who we are as a band,” Alex observes.
Bleu hopes her story resonates with a younger generation of listeners, especially those who are queer, or grew up “in an unaccepting household.” With their songs, Chateau Chateau hope to tell their fans: “You’re not alone. Let’s stand together and take ourselves and our identity back. [Let’s] be whoever the fuck we want to be.”
