Christophe Willem International

Watch the video for "Lost in Berlin"

2009-06-08T22:55:00.004-06:00

Hidden away on the official site is the music video for "Lost in Berlin", the English version of Berlin! Check it out by clicking here, then selecting "Videos". The player at the bottom will automatically start Lost in Berlin (you may need to pause the audio that's streaming though, on the top left of the screen).

The lyrics to Lost in Berlin are in my comment below. (with thanks to the wonderful fans on Christophe's forum, who helped transcribe them as best we could).

Caféine debuts at...

2009-06-04T21:19:00.002-06:00

#1 !!! Fantastic news, Christophe sold 45,000 copies of Caféine in just his first week. That puts him well ahead of the competition, for first place on the charts in France. The album also debuted at #10 in Switzerland.

New single... and a new poll!

2009-05-31T17:06:00.003-06:00

The second single from Caféine will be "Plus Que Tout". The gorgeous cover art is below.

Also, thanks to everyone who voted on the last poll. Please take a second and weigh in on your favourite songs from Caféine (you can pick up to three).

Ordering Caféine

2009-05-26T09:40:00.004-06:00

Caféine was released yesterday, and has been getting very positive reviews from both critics and fans! The album is currently #1 on iTunes France, FNAC.com, and VirginMega France. I'll post first-week sales figures when they're available.

If you want to order Caféine, the site cduniverse.com is in English, and ships internationally. Amazon.fr also ships internationally, but their site is in French. Alternatively, you can use paypal on www.starzik.com to buy the album digitally (ie: legal download).
It's definitely worth it!!

Live Concert Streamed Online

2009-05-23T12:49:00.002-06:00

With the album release less than 48 hours away (!!!), the French website SFR has announced that they will be streaming a live concert by Christophe on May 26th. By visiting their website at http://www.live-concert.sfr.fr/, you will be able to watch the concert live as Christophe presents his brand new album Cafeine. The concert will begin at 20h30 in France, and the site currently has a countdown going, so you can figure out any time difference depending on where you live.

Rendezvous le 26!! :)

New tracks on the Official Site

2009-05-13T14:25:00.004-06:00

Christophe's official site has made an exciting announcement - starting today, they will have one new track per day available to listen to! Today, the intro to the album and the first real track, "L'Homme en Noir" are available!

Also, the English version of the site has been launched, although there is not yet a lot of content. You can click on the "Bio" tab though, for an English explanation of the album and Christophe's background.

Berlin: The English Translation

2009-05-03T22:38:00.005-06:00

The much talked-about music video for Berlin was recently unveiled! Below is a version that I've given English subtitles - please note that this is a literal translation of the French lyrics written by Skye. An English version of "Berlin" has been recorded, with different lyrics. Feel free to post any suggestions to improve my translation. :)

The French lyrics can be found here.

Christophe on working with Kylie Minogue

2009-04-30T20:00:00.003-06:00

In a radio interview with Voltage FM, Christophe waxed philosophic about the meaning of the album title "Caffeine", revealed his secrets for leading a normal life, dished about working with Kylie Minogue…and told another hilarious story about his mother.

Subtitled here:

State of Grace becomes...

2009-04-23T13:23:00.002-06:00

Confirming the rumours, Christophe Willem's new cd will contain a cover of an unreleased Britney Spears song, "State of Grace". The French version is called "Entre Nous et le Sol", lyrics by Christophe and Skye. It's unknown so far whether he recorded an English version as well.

Christophe talks about Berlin

2009-04-18T21:53:00.008-06:00

Christophe recently did a tv spot where he talked about his new single, and the story behind it. The video below has English subtitles (and several bad puns on his song titles, which don't translate at all, lol). You'll also hear a sneak peak of the English version of "Berlin", which will likely be released as a bonus track when the album comes out. In other interviews, Christophe has said that the song is about letting go in a place where pleasure is everywhere, and nothing is forbidden.

Berlin is currently #22 on the French charts. Apparently the music video is being shot this week - I'll make a subtitled version once it's been released.

If you want to download the song (legally!!), I was able to do so through the website Starzik for 0,99€. You may have other options, depending on where you live, but many sites require that you live in France.

Album Details and Pre-ordering Caféine

2009-04-17T10:49:00.006-06:00

The official site now has tons of goodies, including a tracklist, new photos, a biography, and more. It also promises that an English version of the site is coming soon! If you subscribe to the newsletter, you'll also get a free download of the song "Trash" sent to the email address that you provide.

The tracklist *drumroll* is as follows:

Caféine
1. Ouverture
2. L’homme en noir
3. Sensitized (duet with Kylie Minogue)
4. Berlin
5. La demande
6. Entre nous et le sol
7. Plus que tout
8. Coffee
9. Fragile
10. Trash (duet with Skye)
11. Tu te fous de nous
12. Heartbox
13. Yaourt et lavabo
14. Si je tombais (Acoustic)

Caféine Bonus Deluxe Edition also includes:
1. Holé Holé (Alternate version of "L’Homme en noir")
2. Berlin (Alternate version)
3. La Demande (Remix)
4. Si je tombais
5. Walk away (duet with Skye)

As mentioned, Caféine is now available for pre-order through the official site. By pre-ordering you’ll receive an exclusive English version of Berlin on May 25th, and immediate access to several videos and contests. Also, if you order the physical album (as opposed to digital), the official site will have it delivered to you right on May 25th... but shipping outside of France is expensive. It would've been nearly 30 euros to ship to Canada! As an alternative, Amazon.fr also has the album available for pre-order. Shipping through Amazon is more reasonably priced, but slower. Please note that I'm just passing on information - I’m not affiliated with either site! :)

Exclusives on the Official Site

2009-04-12T17:55:00.006-06:00

As of April 16th, you will be able to pre-order Christophe's new cd Caféine! The Official Site promises tons of exclusives (songs, downloads, a chance to meet Christophe, etc.) if you pre-order. You will also get a free download of the song "Trash", which will be on the upcoming album.

If you have any questions about navigating the French on the site, just let me know and I'd be happy to help. :)

Promotion for Caféine will begin next week, so check back for new interviews, videos, and more!

Berlin has landed!

2009-03-26T23:18:00.006-06:00

The new single is here! Check it out on the official site (you'll have to submit an email address), or on msn video here.

Personally? I think it's stunning. Maybe the best thing he's done yet, and that's saying something!

"Berlin" - The New Single

2009-03-19T13:22:00.005-06:00

Breaking news! The first single from Christophe Willem's upcoming album Caféine will be called "Berlin", according to his brand new official website.

"Berlin" will be unveiled on March 27th at 06:00, French time. (so late next Thursday night, for those in North America like me). It will be available to listen to on: http://www.christophewillem.com/

The site confirms that the full album will be released on May 25th, 2009. Christophe also left a rather cryptic message on his myspace, warning his fans to "Be Ready". ;)

Album (Reportedly) Pushed Back

2009-03-10T00:01:00.004-06:00

Sorry to break the bad news - but there are numerous reports that Christophe's new album won't be released until May 25th, 2009.

In other news, he was seen recently at Paris Fashion Week, sporting a very styling look!

Possible Album Title...

2009-02-04T19:07:00.002-07:00

There are reports that the title of Christophe's new album will be Caféine (Caffeine).

He also recently took part in several charity concerts as a part of Les Enfoirés, alongside Tina Arena, Celine Dion and others. There's lots of videos to be found on dailymotion.com

Christophe grabs a Britney Spears song

2009-01-15T01:25:00.003-07:00

According to the rumour mill, Christophe will record a song originally done by Britney Spears. Christophe and his production team have acquired the rights to "State of Grace", a song that Britney originally recorded for her album Blackout. While there's been no official word, Christophe has reportedly recorded both a French and English version of the song, to appear on his upcoming album.

source: http://britneyspearsblackout.com/

Christophe - Duet with Kylie Minogue??

2008-11-01T19:07:00.003-06:00

After months of rumours, Kylie Minogue's producer Steve Anderson confirmed on his official myspace that he is working with Christophe on his new album. And many sites are now reporting that Christophe and Kylie Minogue will record a duet! The duet is said to be a reworking of the song "Sensitized", which appeared on Kylie's latest album, X.

Christophe's New Look!

2008-09-25T20:27:00.003-06:00

Christophe recently sang "One" by U2, at a tribute concert to Pavarotti.... and surprised more than a few people with his new look!

Check out the song (and the hairdo!) here:

christophe willem concert hommage pavarotti
Uploaded by tatian94

Concert memories

2008-08-30T22:36:00.003-06:00

Check out Christophe working his English as he impersonates his (black, female!) back-up singer.

Christophe’s next scheduled appearance is at the September 13th tribute concert to the late Pavarotti.

Christophe on Nouvelle Star: A star is born

2008-08-08T10:35:00.007-06:00

On June 8 2006, Christophe Willem was crowned France’s fourth Nouvelle Star, or French Idol. While the show’s previous winners went on to moderate success, Christophe had the entire country under his spell in a matter of weeks. I’ve put together a retrospective of Christophe’s time on Nouvelle Star – from an improbable audition to a tearful acceptance speech six months later. Enjoy!

Poll #2

2008-08-06T23:36:00.005-06:00

Thanks to everyone who voted on the first poll here at Christophe Willem International! The second poll is now open, and asks what musical style(s) you would like to see on Christophe's sophomore album. Dance/electro like Double Je? Ballads like Des Nues? Please note that you can select more than one option.

Tomorrow I will be posting video highlites of Christophe's run on Nouvelle Star 2006. Stay tuned!

Album news!

2008-07-28T13:12:00.005-06:00

At a recent press conference in Belgium, Christophe discussed his second album, which is scheduled to be released on April 16, 2009. He had some very interesting things to say about the possibility of recording in English. The original interview (in French) is here.

Some of the most interesting soundbites were as follows:

"We’re currently working on the second album… All the [songwriting] teams have been assembled. Of 14 songs, there’s about 8 that are in place, that have really taken shape."

"The people I’m working with right now are British, so we only speak in English. And we’re working with English demo's of the songs because the songwriters are anglophone. They keep telling me, "It’d be a shame if the songs were French-only, because they could work really well in English-speaking countries."

"If I were to record in English, it wouldn’t be with the intention of suddenly exploding onto the international scene. Not at all. We would release the album in French in francophone countries, regardless. That would be the main version of the album. But, we’re considering also recording an English version of the CD. Then if the French version took off, we’d have the English one ready. Because with "Double Je", especially here in Belgium, people have said it’s too bad there wasn’t an English version, because we could have brought it to people and countries that weren’t francophone."

Talk show highlites

2008-07-20T14:08:00.004-06:00

Just a couple highlites from a cute talk show appearance. Discussing marriage proposals and learning how to drive... too funny!

Jacques A Dit - the English translation

2008-07-16T12:16:00.003-06:00

While "Double Je" was the runaway success of Christophe’s album Inventaire, the follow-up single "Jacques A Dit" is in many ways the heart of the album.

Written specifically for Christophe by singer-songwriter Zazie, the song captures the disillusionment that we feel when we grow up and realize that adults aren’t perfect… and that they can cause us just as much pain as the children who bullied us in the schoolyard. The title refers to a children’s game similar to the English "Simon Says". Zazie uses this game as a metaphor, since 'Jacques' tells children that it’s easy to fly or to run, but when they grow up, they realize this was just a dream.

I’ve added English subtitles to the music video above. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to capture all the nuances of the original text. Zazie’s lyrics contain many double meanings and plays on words. Still, it’s a beautiful song even on a literal level.

Fête de la Musique Medley

2008-07-10T18:44:00.008-06:00

Christophe recently performed a medley of his greatest hits at the 2008 Fête de la Musique in Paris. I think this was one of his best tv appearances ever! You can watch the performance here:

The dancers are dressed as construction workers because, as per the title of his concert dvd, Christophe is now “Closed for Renovations” as he works on his next album.

Double Je: the English translation

2008-07-03T23:39:00.000-06:00

One of the most common questions among international fans is "what is he singing about?" In particular, many people are curious about the lyrics to "Double Je" (Dual Me), Christophe Willem’s biggest single so far.

"Double Je", written by French superstar Zazie, talks about the difficulty of defining ourselves as one single thing. As the title suggests, the singer feels there is a split in his personality, that he is several different people at once. It’s about all the different 'costumes' we try on as we’re growing up and trying to figure out what kind of person we’ll become. The music video takes the concept one step further, as Christophe enrols himself in a self-help group where he confesses his problem to a group of strangers.

I’ve added English subtitles to the music video below, so that fans can follow along with the lyrics. The translation is the best I could come up with, but please feel free to post any suggestions!

Translations of Christophe’s other songs, including “Jacques A Dit” are coming soon!

Christophe and his fans: A love story

2008-06-28T22:27:00.024-06:00

Christophe is extremely generous with his fans, and makes every effort to be in close contact with them. He maintains a myspace page that he (and not his record company!) updates semi-regularly. During his concerts, Christophe also thrives off of interacting with the audience. In an interview earlier this year, he said "When I'm onstage, I want to allow people to let go completely. I want them to use me for that! So that over the course of a 2 ½ hour concert, they wind up letting loose and climbing on their seats… I talk a lot on stage, sometimes for three or four minutes between each song so that people can say to themselves: 'I wasn't just at a Christophe concert, I really spent an evening with him.'".

In the video below, Christophe's fans surprised him in the middle of a concert with a reworked version of his song, "Jacques A Dit". The ovation that followed lasted more than 3 minutes, and moved him to tears! When Christophe finally spoke, he gave one of the most touching and heartfelt thank you speeches I have ever seen. The video below (taken by Christelle, and used with her permission) has been subtitled:

Christophe also endorses and did a series of publicity ads for a fan-made magazine, Otake Mag. The magazine features exclusive interviews and photos of Christophe, as well as articles written by his fans. While most of his fans are of French or Belgian origin, Christophe's international popularity has been growing, through strong word of mouth, and thanks to the success of his single Double Je.

Which is where we come in! Tell your friends. And if you speak any French at all, join the fun on Christophe's official forum. The fans there are very welcoming and excited at the international attention he is getting.

As always, feel free to contact me if I can be of any help. :)

Christophe sings "Frozen"

2008-06-20T21:46:00.004-06:00

Does it get any more beautiful than this? Christophe sang Madonna's "Frozen" on June 14th, in Paris.

Who is Christophe Willem?

2008-06-17T15:47:00.009-06:00

Christophe Willem is a 24 year old singer-songwriter, and one of the most promising figures in French pop music. His musical influences include the Cardigans, Kylie Minogue, Daft Punk and Feist. Christophe first came to the public’s attention in 2006, when he won the fourth season of Nouvelle Star – France’s equivalent of American Idol. His warm personality, gorgeous voice, and atypical look charmed audiences young and old, and won him a record deal with Sony-BMG.

His debut album, “Inventaire” (Inventory) would go on to sell more than 700,000 copies, earning it triple-platinum status. Christophe co-wrote several of the songs on the album, and assembled a dream-team of French artists – including Zazie, Philippe Katerine, and Bertrand Burgalat – to write the rest. The album was well-received by critics, and even garnered some international attention.

The American blog popnography raved about Inventaire, calling it “the most artful record to come out of the Idol phenomenon,” and praising Christophe's “swoony vocals that swoop down from a frothy falsetto to an erotically anxious tenor with all sorts of soul and electro sounds swirling and bubbling in sympathy.” Christophe’s smash hit “Double Je” (Dual Me) was the best-selling single in France in 2007, and charted in several other European countries. He later released a live acoustic version of the album Inventaire, as well as the concert DVD “Fermeture Pour Renovation” (Closed for Renovations).

After selling out his seven-month concert tour, winning numerous industry awards, and becoming a sought-after guest on the talk show circuit, Christophe is currently preparing his second studio album, which is scheduled to be released on April 16, 2009. He has said that the new album will reflect his anglo influences, although it is expected to be in French.

Christophe has a very dedicated and diverse group of fans, who range in age from the very young, to 60 and 70-somethings. Christophe’s good naturedness and self-deprecating humour contribute a great deal to his appeal. Unlike many popstars his age, he takes his music very seriously, and isn’t concerned with the trappings of fame and stardom. He is a self-described perfectionist who is heavily involved in every phase of his career – from composing and selecting the material for his albums, to planning the concept and look of his stage shows.

I’ve started this blog so that Christophe fans who may not speak fluent French will be able to stay on top of all the latest news, as well as gain some insight into who he is as an artist and as a person.... Trust me, you won’t be disappointed! :D

Welcome!

2008-06-15T19:05:00.007-06:00

Welcome to Christophe Willem International: the first English blog dedicated to singer Christophe Willem. I will be updating this blog regularly with bio and album information, providing links and translations to his interviews, and working to make the blog as interactive as possible. Until then, feel free to have a look at the links along the right sidebar.