Cannelle: The Tumblr Icon Turned Rising Popstar
Our conversation with the emerging voice of French electro-pop
Interview by Mikail Haroon
Today, an artist is no longer someone who makes something in a specific medium. An artist is a multimedia creative project: a look, a tone, a set of references, a stable of collaborators, a personality, and a surrounding discourse, all conveyed through a digital presence.
The internet has raised a generation on this new understanding of the ‘artist.’ Few learned the lesson as well as Cannelle, the rising French electro-pop star, producer, model, and clubgirl, fresh off the release of her colorful, high-BPM mixtape, CINNA.
Long before Cannelle was touring with Ninajarachi (or even releasing music), she was working on other aspects of her artistry, constructing a recognizable aesthetic of dreamy, washed-out sunset pinks, purples, and blues. Her look, defined by pastel teal hair and maximalist accessories, has inspired the likes of North West, and been borrowed by underground brands like Vaquera, ABRA, and Anna Bolina.
Cannelle’s aesthetic and persona garnered her a cult following on Tumblr, and the ethos of that era continues to inform how she presents as an artist. She loves the resurgence of spam accounts (and has her own, @jjcinajj, which has posts dating back the way to 2020), shitposting, and the looser philosophy of the early web.
Her new mixtape CINNA is a work archetypal of the new artist: Cannelle was involved in every aspect of its production and art direction, and the project feels like a soundtrack to the preexisting world of her creation, where underground experimentalism meets club music.
Cannelle designed the artwork herself, embedding screenshots from favorite films as hidden references, and co-produced the project alongside a stacked roster of electronic producers including Oscar Scheller, Ocean2b, Chicken, Glasear, and Warpstr. She moves between French and English on the tape, with nods to both French pop influences (Sexy Sushi and Jena Lee) and American pop-electronic touchstones (Lady Gaga,’ Uffie, and M.I.A.).
We wanted a peek into the mind behind the world of Cannelle, so we gave her a call. Our conversation drifted between French electro history, Tumblr, fashion, favorite live performances, perfectionism, and the strange freedom of finally allowing yourself to trust your personal vision. Read on.
Mikail Haroon: What’s a small luxury or ritual that you swear by?
Cannelle: Lighting up candles around the house. I just tried this new candle that my friend got for me as a gift for my debut L.A. show, and yes, it is cinnamon-scented.
MH: If someone wanted to understand where you come from, what’s one place in your hometown that you take them?
CF: This huge thrift store called Emmaüs. It’s a thrift store that’s between my village and Marseille. I used to go there damn near every week when I was in high school to get cheap clothes and books. If I were to take a friend who’s not French, I would take them there at least once.
What’s the most “you” object that you own?
This anime figure of me that my friend Joi made. It’s my favorite thing ever. Same outfit, down to the accessories. She’s mini me.
Your music pulls from French Electro, blog era pop, hyperpop club music without sitting squarely in any of these singular worlds. Who or where do you feel like you’re most inspired heavily by an artist or a genre?
I don’t really think about it in terms of one specific influence. The base of my music is electronic pop, but I’m more interested in what happens between genres and languages, pulling from different sounds and ideas without thinking about where they exactly come from.
Warpstr and Oceane worked extensively on the production of your new project and I saw that you guys are all playing at Market Hotel next month with umru. What was that whole creative process look like for this mixtape and working with your producers and your whole team
It was super easy. We just had a lot of fun, and I think people can hear it in the project. It was my first time co-producing. We were just trying to make something honest and timeless. We would be watching cool movies or playing video games, trying to get inspired by a whole bunch of stuff that we love.
You’ve talked about how important it is for you to have control over every aspect of your work. What part of your creative process comes most naturally to you? And then what’s something that you’re still trying to work on?
What comes naturally to me when I make music is finding a pretty melody. I come up with a melody ASAP, and the lyrics will take longer. Something that I’m trying to work on is songwriting.
I personally like my songwriting, but I’m not a huge nerd about it. For me, it’s really about finding a theme that fits me and my story. My favorite lyrics from the project are on “Antenna.”
What’s an idea that you’ve been obsessed with or thinking about recently that hasn’t found a home in your music yet?
Something that I’ve been thinking about a lot is having more instrumental moments in a song or uploading instrumental versions. Like having a really long intro with the beat building up for a minute or more. That’s something that I really want to explore. I believe songs need to breathe more.
Early Tumblr felt like people were building identities through taste rather than algorithms. Do you feel like that earlier version of the internet still exists?
Yeah, I feel like now people are embracing shitposting and having public spam accounts, posting whatever they want. We’re kind of circling back to that old version of the internet. But obviously there’s still the pressure of, “My post flopped,” lol. It still exists to a certain extent, but we’re in a new age, and it’ll never be the same again.
I know you’ve been spending a lot more time in New York recently. What are your favorite places to hang out in New York?
Venus is a super cute store, and I really like the restaurant Kiki’s.
One half of it closed it seems.
This is devastating. At least the other half is still there, I guess. I always get the coated cheese fries and the orange sparkling wine.
What about the city inspires you creatively?
I love looking at the city’s skyscrapers at night. I get super inspired every time I’m going out or I’m in the car going back home. Graffiti, museums, pastel buildings, and the people!
The French underground fashion scene feels like it’s in a really exciting place right now. I’ve seen you wearing Rohan Mirza. Who are you most excited about in that scene right now?
Etharif Studio is so sick. We did a shoot a few months ago with my friend Anna.
Who are your favorite French electronic artists that you listened to growing up?
Ocean Drive, Hakimakli, Justice, DJ Mehdi, Shy’m, David Guetta, Diam’s, Jena Lee, Yelle, Daft Punk. I want to say Mika, but unfortunately he’s not French. He’s French in my heart.
What are your thoughts on Paris Fashion Week? What was your favorite show you saw, and your favorite party you went to?
I’m not a fan of Paris Fashion Week for a bunch of reasons, but a recent show that I really enjoyed was the ABRA show. My favorite party was a Courrèges after party.
Which brand that you’ve modeled for do you resonate with the most?
I liked the look Vaquera gave me. I think it was for their SS22 runway. I remember posting it on Instagram and people were like, “What the fuck is this?” I was like “No you don’t get it yet like this is cunt. You don’t understand.” It was a provocative and fun debut.
Do you still do non-runway modeling?
I still do it if it makes sense. When I was 17 or 18, I was really hustling and doing it because I needed money to move to the U.S., pay for my visa, etc., which is so expensive. I remember sending hundreds of emails and being rejected by every single modeling agency. It’s a humbling experience, but when I first got signed, I did every single job I could. And now it’s the same with shows. I want to do every show I can and give the best energy for my live performances.
What’s your favorite fashion trend this year?
I like thick stripes. It’s always an iconic look. I’m literally looking at my striped ballet flats as I speak, and they’re my favorite pair of shoes ever.
What’s your favorite accessory to complete a fit?
I love a lace choker.
What’s a club moment you’ll remember for the rest of your life?
My set at Palomosa. At first they were like, “Oh, by the way you have no room. and you can’t move the mic at all.” What? Then at the last minute they’re like, “Okay, like we figured out like you can do whatever you want.” and I ended up standing on the DJ booth. People were jumping and singing in the rain, and I will never forget that moment.
What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in the last year?
I changed my mind about wanting to make a project only in English so I could have more reach and so people would understand all the lyrics. This mixtape ended up being French AF, and honestly it helped my artistry and also helped me understand myself. I’m not pressuring myself anymore, and I’m feeling super inspired for the next project. Also, I’ve been getting more comfortable dressing basic on an everyday basis. When I was younger, I would always put together a look to make sure people knew I was different, but now there’s just a fatigue. I can be cool and comfortable. I do have taste, and I love fashion, but getting older, you realize you don’t have to prove yourself every single day anymore. You exist, and that’s enough.