Das französische Pop-Duo Charlotte Fever kommt Ende Juni im Rahmen der Fête de la Musique für ein Konzert nach Berlin. Vorab haben wir sie ausquetscht: über ihr aktuelles Album „Paris Cyclone“, ihre Dynamik als Duo und Sommer in Frankreich mit all seinen Facetten. Wir können jetzt nicht nur die garantierte Gute Laune empfehlen, die man bekommt, wenn man ihr Album hört, sondern sind jetzt auch riesen persönliche Fans der sympatischen Pariser. Wer sommerliche Landschaften und 80s Pop mag, ist hier genau richtig.
Charlotte Day im Interview
Anna: You’re a “french band with fresh sounds” as you say in your Insta-Bio. What is it that makes your sound so fresh?
Charlotte Fever: As much as we love Paris, the city has a slightly anxiety-inducing vibe. So when we begin working on a new song, we rely on our imagination to design ideal sonic and visual landscapes where we feel good in order to start creating. These imaginative spaces become our sanctuary, allowing us to craft our fresh new universe.
Our creative process often begins with visions of tropical paradises — sipping cocktails by a poolside oasis or strolling along sun-kissed beaches on a torrid day. We are usually infusing our music with elements of sunny percussion, dreamy 80s synths and echoes of good memories. Then we weave together melodies that transport us to these idyllic scenes.
Anna: How did you find your way to making music? What’s the origin story behind Charlotte Fever?
Charlotte Fever: We met about ten years ago through mutual friends and hit it off right away. We had our first musical experience together in a psychedelic rock band. But we both wanted to do something fresher, lighter, more spontaneous — just the dynamic duo of us. We realized that together the whole creative process was so much easier. Probably because we feel free to play and sing anything in front of each other. Whether it’s crafting melodies, weaving lyrics or delving into themes, our complicity fuels our creative flow effortlessly.
„When we’re composing, our minds wander between the streets of Paris and tropical daydreams.“
Anna: You released your debut album last November. After two EPs it’s a milestone called Paris Cyclone and packed with songs I wanna play on repeat at my fictional pool. What’s the story behind the album title?
Charlotte Fever: From start to finish, we do pretty much everything on our own in our Parisian-sized studio. That’s probably one of our strengths, because we record with each other with complete freedom and no time limits. But we still crave to get away from these few square metres and therefore we chat together a lot! We usually talk about things we like in general, like idyllic beaches, dreamy holidays and the occasional natural disasters… Writing about these ‚fantasies‘ gives us a sense of freedom.
Our very first album Paris Cyclone is a blend of solar tracks and a good summary of what’s going on in our imagination. When we’re composing, our minds wander between the streets of Paris and tropical daydreams. The album is resolutely designed to get people dancing to the rhythm of exotic percussion. We really tried to take people with us, to places where they can escape their everyday lives. In the end, like your fictional pool, Paris Cyclone is our very own make-believe paradise!
Anna: What would you play at your fictional (or non-fictional) pool? Do you have a favorite summer album/playlist or artists that you connect deeply with the sense of summer?
Charlotte Fever: To party on the day that we will get a non-fictional pool on the roof of our studio, the top of the playlist will be:
- Brigitte Bardot – La Madrague
- Nu Genea – any album really
- Pino d’Angio – Ma Quale Idea
Anna: What are some of your favorite memories of summer in France?
Charlotte Fever: August transforms Paris into a tranquil haven. The city is (almost) empty and it’s the moment of the year we like it the most. Any summer day spent basking in the sun, playing Mölkky with friends would be a favourite memory. Especially this time when we stumbled upon THE perfect spot in Les Tuileries, the experience was even more magical haha.
„Perhaps the next album will tell that tale?“
Anna: What’s your current favorite song on Paris Cyclone? And why?
Since the beginning, we’ve strived to keep our songwriting detached from personal experiences, delivering a rather neutral message. Yet, Septembre was a deliberate break from that norm where we intended to capture the bittersweet essence of summer’s end with a story we’ve all experienced to some extent.
As we both have a tendency to turn to music to let off steam, sadness is really not our go-to… Melancholic music is the only kind of sad tune we are able to feel at ease with. Therefore crafting a track like this one was a bit of a risk but also an intriguing experiment. And in the end, we are super happy that we ventured into this unfamiliar territory. So who knows, maybe someday we’ll explore the depth of outright sorrow. Perhaps the next album will tell that tale?
Anna: What topics do you cover on the album and in your music? As a (sadly) non-french speaking person, I only understand so much.
Charlotte Fever: Charlotte Fever is more than just two collaborators — we’re friends who chat a lot and share everything. Our songs are born from the very conversations we have, delving into topics like love, heartbreaks, parties, natural disasters, erotica, holidays… and even aquagym.
Overall, with this album we’re trying to make the summer season last all year round, to conjure up a sensual universe whisking you away on a journey away from everyday life. Paris Cyclone immerses you in an eternal, tropical, and sensual summer, inviting you to escape the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary.
„80s pop inspires us a lot.“
Anna: Who would you list as your musical influences? Is there a dream-collab you would like to make happen some day?
Charlotte Fever: Clearly, 80s pop inspires us a lot, but if we’re going to do a collab we might as well do it with someone who’s still alive. We would probably jump at the chance to work with Sébastien Tellier, Tame Impala, Niagara, Polo&Pan or Daft Punk…
Anna: Talking about collabs, you’re deeply rooted in the Parisian music bubble. Can you rec us some local artists we should check out?
Charlotte Fever: Absolutely! We assume that you are undoubtedly already familiar with L’Impératrice, but if not, do something about it as it’s a must-know haha. We even had the chance to collaborate with them at the very start of Charlotte Fever. And while you’re at it, don’t miss out on discovering other incredible talents like Edouard Bielle, Lewis OfMan, Zaho de Sagazan, and many others featured in our curated Spotify playlist La Fièvre F.M.
„It was both totally out of the blue and truly magical.“
Anna: You’ve been touring and playing (sold out) shows not just in Paris or France but globally. Is there one show that stands out to you? It has to be really exciting to play your music in a completely different country.
Charlotte Fever: Tokyo was absolutely surreal. We had the incredible opportunity to perform at Spotify o-nest, a renowned venue for indie music. The energy was electrifying, the show sold out, and the audience was super welcoming. It was like stepping into a dream come true, we did not even expect half of this!
Another unforgettable experience for us was not a traditional concert. Picture this: we were touring Central America, and while in Honduras, we received the unexpected request from the Alliance Française to play in a school. So, at 10 AM, we found ourselves performing in the schoolyard of a local school. The children, who were all learning French, surprised us with handcrafted signs adorned with our photos and lyrics written in bold felt pen and as we performed, they sang along with us. After the concert, they presented us with banknotes, plaster casts, pencil cases, erasers — anything they could find for us to sign. It was both totally out of the blue and truly magical.
„It was both totally out of the blue and truly magical.“
Anna: A few weeks ago you’ve played a c/o pop, in June you’re going to play the final show at Fête de la Musique in Berlin. We’re already excited for you to be here, have you ever been here before/know some artists from here?
Charlotte Day: A few years back, we had the chance to go to Berlin on holidays and we love this city for many reasons. Yet, what truly stole our hearts was its culinary scene: you have the finest vegan pizza and the most incredible vegan blue cheese on the planet! Now, as we prepare for our first show in the city, our excitement extends beyond just the food to the legendary Berlin atmosphere. Parties in Berlin are said to be memorable and we’re eager to see if the live music scene lives up to the vibrant hype.
Even though Nena, Kraftwerk, and Nina Hagen may not hail from Berlin, they’re German icons we admire. And during our time in Berlin, we’re hoping that we will get the time to explore the city’s record stores, hoping to unearth gems and discover new local indie artists.
Anna: For our last question we always ask for an untold story– something you’ve never shared in an interview before. That can be totally random, serious, funny or music connected, whatever you feel like sharing now.
Charlotten Day: Oh wow, this is going to be hard because we are an open book… It’s not untold but it’s a truth bomb: nobody’s actually called Charlotte in our band.
The real story goes like this: we have been super close friends for years and started making music together purely for fun. It all started on a rainy summer day in our Parisian apartment, where our friend Charlotte was staying with us. She was crashing on the couch due to a fever, which inspired us to jokingly name our very first song „Charlotte Fever“ after her… It eventually stuck and was adopted as our band name.
Wer Lust hat, das sympatische Pop-Duo live zu sehen, am 21.06. spielen sie im Kesselhaus, Berlin im Rahmen der French Night der Fête de la Musique! Der Eintritt ist frei, bis dahin verliert euch gerne noch ein wenig in der idyllischen Sommer-Welt von Charlotte Fever:
Fotocredit: Kevin Blain
