Bio
Equal parts melancholy and glitter, Chateau Chateau is from Tucson, Arizona making cathartic indie pop for weirdos, outcasts, queer folks, and anyone else who needs it. Birthed in 2018, Bleu and Alex, a DIY-minded duo, 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 work through their trauma with their upbeat, danceable tracks packed with grim humor and messages of resilience and growth.
After releasing “Crisis Party”, their debut single that took off on streaming services, the band quickly built a local reputation for their outrageous performances. Whether it was featuring up to nine people on stage, their flamboyant self-made stage costumes, confetti cannons, giant eyeballs, or one of their other wild creations, the band stood out. Taking inspiration anywhere from drag icons The Boulet Brothers, to glam rocker David Bowie. “We’re both reserved introverts that get to dress up as wildly camp as we can and step out of our bodies and into these almost-characters that dance around, process our trauma with hundreds of people as they scream along, and just live out this life that we never imagined we could ,” says Bleu, a tattoo artist by day. Their larger-than-life persona has encouraged their audience to feel comfortable coming to Chateau shows and letting their freak flag fly with a bunch of like minded, beautiful humans (and xenomorphs). “Our shows (and us) will always be a safe space for people. Anyone can come and boogie and be weird with us.” Adds Alex, a drag queen by night.
On May 6th, the band’s first LP to be released by legendary label Kill Rock Stars debuted. Titled ‘Grow Up’, the album relives front person Bleu’s coming of age story, who dedicates each song to a different trauma, life lesson, or toxic relationship, that helped her grow into the person she’s proud to be today, while working through untouched emotions, and seeing things she never could before. On the honest yet raucous lead single ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’, she uses the exhaustively reiterated direct quotes by her abusive father as the scaffolding for the emotionally charged call and response hook.
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.
Press
From the bouncing beats of "Bunny" to the 80s feel of "Heroin", Chateau Chateau explore every avenue of their artistry evoking a heavy dosage of introspection, feeling and and inescapable groove. - Wonderland.
ith its insatiable pulse and feverish bounce, Chateau Chateau’s “Pray” is the kind of song that gets stuck in your head on the very first listen... Chateau Chateau perform with an incredible pop polish – albeit one with undeniable punk undertones and DIY prowess. - Atwood Magazine
Many of their songs are dense with instrumental layers of guitar, percussion and synthesizer. The opener “Bunny” (which happens to be one of the best songs on the album) has a strutting rhythm and playful guitar, combined with Fitz’s deep vocals that manage to sound both apathetic and animated a la Amy Winehouse. - Tucson Weekly
The album [Grow Up] is gritty and real and will leave anyone who has experienced similar stories feeling overwhelmed, but in the best possible way... As the album progresses, it keeps the funky, fast-paced pop sounds throughout. Grow Up’s penultimate track is a cover of ‘Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry,” and Bleu knocks it out of the park. The song’s 80’s funk meshes perfectly with Bleu’s raw vocals, and it will make any fan of the original smile. - Zocalo Magazine
True to their brand, the song is an upbeat and catchy indie pop tune about being walked over and taken advantage of far too many times. Despite its self-defeated demeanour, the song is irresistibly melodic and vibrant. - Dusty Organ
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. - The Big Takeover
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. - Amplify Music Magazine
“Push Your Luck” is a reassuring rush of fluid Punk Rock melody - The Autumn Roses
We absolutely love the amazing energy Tucson based Chateau Chateau give off in their music, it is absolutely electric. “Push Your Luck” is a catchy straight ahead speeding bullet of a song that grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go. - The Whole Kameese
Glam and glitter riot tattoo grrl Bleu attracts all attention, sonically as well as visually. She swirls and scintillates on 'I Don’t Love You Anymore', while cursing idiots who hate the LGBTQ+ community, who hate tattoos, and who actually hate anybody who doesn’t live by their rules.enjoy this jangly earworm that sticks as first-class glue and reaches an aural orgasm every time the chorus pops up.Bleu‘s vox adrenalizes and vitalizes. Her vivaciousness is contagious. This pumped-up pop gem is contagious. - Turn up the Volume
Lots of bands are making colorful nostalgia-tinged pop at the moment, but few go full on prismatic in the way Chateau Chateau manages. - YabYum music and arts
Chateau Chateau is a sparkle-fest indie pop band from Tucson. So far they've penned tightly wound dance pop, equal parts retraint and power, with all seven slender players moving into one almighty groove. And they snap, clap and whoop their songs in sweet gold lame, club kids with record collections crammed with Sparks, Byrne, Bowie, Of Montreal, Kylie Minogue, Tower of Power and Electric Six. - Tucson Weekly
Recalling the vibes of bands like Walk The Moon and Talking Heads, Crisis Party kicks off with a solid beat and bass line which will get you moving immediately. - Hype Hype
Anywho, the band is fun as heck in this song. Again, it is a ‘contrast’ within a song, with a serious subject put into a ‘fun’ packaging – the single does its best to help add to the conversation about struggles of an individual defining their personality in the face of gender roles and societal expectations. - comeherefloyd
Chateau Chateau sets some kickback synths to the serious struggle for individual identity in a changing social environment, especially on the gender-fluid-front, with “Crisis Party” and leaves me asking myself, “Why not turn your crisis into a party? - YabYum music and arts
'Evidence’ is that kind of euphoric pop cracker that gets under your skin from the get-go. Exciting guitars have an instant impact on your body’s mobility, while enticing vocals and spirited harmonies add an upbeat effect of joyousness. The colorful members of the band look like they are solid party animals and they provide the fuel to join them on the dance floor.
Their sound morphed to a glimmering, synth-based hook-driven sound that recalls A Flock of Seagulls and others... However, underneath the dance floor friendly vibes, the song’s [Evidence] narrator is in the midst of a mental breakdown, giving the song an underlying bitter irony. - The Joy of Violent Movement
The EP includes their previous singles Evidence, Driving In Circles and Burn Me Alive, that were featured on a bunch of Spotify Playlists and iTunes Charts, got airplay in the US, Canada, Germany a.o. and brought the band critically acclaimed international press. The track Times Are Changin’ is the featured album focus single of the EP. It’s a head bobbing pop-anthem with the Chateau Chateau distinctive cynical undertone. - WithGuitars
With clamoring beats and strident guitar strokes, the amply come-of-age single (Times Are Changin’) dives right into a pastel colored decadence of love and loss, where a message of recovery and return glory is in the cards. - comeherefloyd
If you listen to the song its entirety, you’ll find that Chateau Chateau isn’t just another indie pop rock band but rather one that defies the bounds of genres. - Abduction Radiation
