Bilal Hassani is a only 22 years old and yet he/she – has already released 3 albums, is a familiar face from the French versions of both The Voice and Dancing With The Stars, has represented France at Eurovision – somewhat controversially – and finally, has infiltrated the haute-couture world with his stiletto-wearing ability. All he needed was a solid record to add pop culture king/queen to his resume, a task now checked off with “Théorème”, recorded with Grand Marnier – from the French electro-pop trio Yelle - icons of the electronic music scene. “2022 has been a reboot year for me. I needed to be more in tune with my artistic self, something I had lost to this business along the way. In many ways, this album is the beginning of my life as an artist”.

Bilal is the first to admit that he never spoke so personally about himself before he started working with Grand Marnier. Their partnership has resulted in a badass romantic sound on this debut album. It should be noted that this “badass” vibe is likely there to offset the glares and criticisms of a culture not quite ready to welcome the Hassani phenomenon, and more eager to judge and to stigmatize queerness. In an era marked by the quick-pace of social media, there is little time for artists to explore and discover themselves, Bilal has faced many obstacles in his attempt to break free of gender, at a time when France had not yet produced its own version of the Drag Race.

Their partnership has resulted in a badass romantic sound on this debut album. It should be noted that this “badass” vibe is likely there to offset the glares and criticisms of a culture not quite ready to welcome the Hassani phenomenon, and more eager to judge and to stigmatize queerness. In an era marked by the quick-pace of social media, there is little time for artists to explore and discover themselves, Bilal has faced many obstacles in his attempt to break free of gender, at a time when France had not yet produced its own version of the Drag Race.

But Bilal has little time for his critics. He stands proud, smiling, taking this new-found role model responsibility very seriously. “In 2019, I played this political part in all sorts of media, knowing that I had a duty to speak up and to control my own story. As soon as I sent my application to Eurovision, I knew that we wouldn’t necessarily win but that it would make enough noise to turn me into a spokesperson and for that, it was worth it. At 19, I would have really liked to have seen more queer figures on TV or on the radio”. He remembers, at a young age, when his aunt would take him to dinner parties where he would often sing and entertain the guests, she told him to “sing for those who aren’t listening”.

Today, Bilal doesn’t hold back, singing “he or she” for “children or their mothers”, he graced the stage of a famous Parisian cabaret, a temple of femininity, to launch his new series of concerts, thumbing his nose at those who still think that gender is binary and that he should never be referred to as she. Bilal is proud to share his whole self with the world, whatever that looks like, at Cannes earlier this year he made an absolutely stunning impression in a Margiela dress, but it’s not only about the image for him “Today, the nicest compliment that people could pay me would be to look at me and tell me that I am an artist. My dream since I was a little boy has been to become the biggest pop star on the planet, I really want to sing in stadiums. I know I can. My career path is unconventional, but from the moment I appeared in my wig representing my country at Eurovision, even as MPs were speaking out against me, I knew that the essence of Bilal Hassani embodied something that people had thought impossible, and I want to prove that anything is possible”.