French-born DJ, producer, and vocalist Coucou Chloe released her mixtape, Fever Dream, in October, solidifying her position in the music industry as a groundbreaking experimental artist. Since her debut, audiences have been enthralled by the enigmatic allure of Chloe’s aesthetic. With the lead single Drift, the record immediately showcased a development of the dark club hits we expect from the artist, while retaining all the hallmarks of her beloved sound.
Fever Dream is a true auditory gem, featuring collaborations with iconic artists such as Eartheater, 654AR, Woesum, Brodinski, Tony Seltzer, and Kai Whiston. Her musical collection finds its natural home within the core of the deep, throbbing beats of dance music that define the essence of nightclub culture.
Coucou Chloe has become a favourite in the fashion world as well, DJing for renowned brands like Prada and Gucci. Her striking appearance, seen characterised on the cover for Fever Dream, has also earned her campaigns for Burberry and Vivienne Westwood, while her involvement in the influential Nuxxe collective alongside Sega Bodega and Shygirl has garnered international acclaim from both the press and fashion industry.
Her electrifying live performances have captivated audiences across the globe, with an upcoming show at Barcelona’s own Razzmatazz on February 15 as part of the second leg of her European tour. In an interview with METAL, the London-based artist offers insights into her creative process, the essence of her latest project, and the symbiotic relationship between music, art, and reality.
The second part of the European leg of your tour with your latest misxtape, Fever Dream, is now underway, congratulations! How has the tour treated you so far, any highlights from shows? Any venues or cities you are particularly looking forward to, with this tour or in the future?
It’s been really good to meet everybody at the shows. I loved the energy in Paris, definitely didn’t expect it to be like that. I would love to perform in Seoul, soon. But I’m really looking forward to all shows, really.
You’ve said before that touring is one of the main ways you get to grasp the ways listeners engage with your music as you take the time away from social media like Twitter. Now you’ve had some time to engage with fans live, how have you found people have engaged with the music?
They’re definitely here, and so am I.
On the new record, could you introduce to us what it means for you or what defines the overall listening experience?
Through the making of this mixtape, I really experienced a kind of blur. Everything was feeling very intense and these feelings helped to keep myself grounded, surprisingly, but also just all feels like a dream. You know, these fever dreams, where reality is distorted and you don’t know if you’re having a bad dream, sometimes you barely know how to feel. You can go blank, or you can question the reality you’re experiencing. It’s like a beautiful chaos. I feel like the release helped me compartmentalise these experiences and feelings, and helped me keeping track of my thoughts, while keeping me sane, but also allowed me to get lost.
Fever Dream, kicks off with the real club-driven track, Drift. What inspired the choice of this particular song as the first taste of the record?
I feel like that track was a perfect bridge between my previous released EP One and its single Wizz. I made Drift and Wizz around the same time. I found similarities in the energy of those two tracks, with a twist on DRIFT that opened another gate to what was to come.
You have a track Silver A (T.IT.N. Part 2). Presuming ‘T.I.T.N.’ refers to the single Thief In The Night, what led to a part two of this particular track on this record?
T.I.T.N. Part 2 was actually an original track I wrote for a previous EP release called Naughty Dog; I ended up switching the vocals on that track called Silver B that I released, then took it down as it didn’t feel right. Like I betrayed something. So, I decided to release this song again as it was meant to be released originally. I used those lyrics for that T.I.T.N. song with Krash. So, it felt like the original song could easily follow up as a part two.
With a record so focussed on perceptions of reality, what do you find you do to stay grounded to reality or to de-stress?
It really depends on the moment. I try everything that feel right, until it doesn’t feel right anymore. I hate being stuck in one mental space, so I try to stay stimulated in different ways. I also tell myself that sometimes, I have to be patient with myself, that things always change. And that it’s okay to hit pause.
I think this idea of a fever dream is so interesting, as a mode to question reality and you’ve even mentioned before you’ve worked with automatic writing, touching on surrealism almost. What did you find majorly inspired the project?
Mastering chaos and its beauty. Or at least trying.
You’ve collaborated with various artists on this record. How did those collaborations come about, and what did each artist bring to the project?
All collaborations happened so naturally, with people I already had relationships with. I like when it’s organic. It all came together so easily. Without these artists, those songs just would not be what they are. And I think they exist the way they were supposed to be.
Do you have a dream collaboration in mind at all?
I don’t have dream collaborators, but I’d be curious to see what we could make with Clara Rockmore and Yves Tumor.
Can you share any memorable experiences or challenges faced during the collaborative process?
We made Kick It In in studio with Eartheater and Tony Seltzer in New York. That was the first time I met with her, and magic immediately happened between us. I can’t forget.
There is this real resistance in categorising your music style, with letting your music do the talking for you. If you, instead of providing a category for your music to fit into, could describe the experience it provides for you or you hope to share with listeners, how would you describe this?
Honestly, I would tell people listen to it. But not next to me.
Beyond music, you’ve also been involved in many fashion campaigns. How would you describe your style?
That’s a good question that I wouldn’t be able to answer really… maybe you tell me.
This union between music and fashion comes so naturally to you, do you find your involvement in fashion contributes or influences your artistic expression, visually and musically, or vice versa?
I think they’re all linked, in ways I’m not always aware of.
You’ve spoken before about being an avid fan of gaming, as well as video game soundtracks influencing your love for music as well. Do you have a favourite video game, or at least a recent one you enjoyed?
I really love the universe of Jersey Devil – that’s definitely a character on my moodboard. At the moment, I’m playing Undertale and Metamorphosis.
If you could visualise your life as a video game, what type of game would you imagine it would be and why?
Proteus, because it’s beautiful and not too silly, I peacefully just explore on a delightful soundtrack. And sometimes things can get spooky but it doesn’t hurt. I can’t even pinpoint why it feels spooky, to be honest.
You are obviously being kept busy with your tour, however are there any upcoming projects on the horizon that you're excited to share?
Definitely more music. And more life.
