Chosen by Monk
This French songstress isn’t about to obey her own instruction to ‘Hush’ with this hard-hitting commentary on modern motherhood.
Lucie Sue says of the song:
[It] is the chaotic struggle of a single mother on the verge of a nervous breakdown, facing the indomitable rebellion of her children.
With a quirky tone, Lucie Sue reveals her fight to be heard. A quest for which no one really has the codes. Least of all her. Because in the family ring, rules don’t exist and give way to instinct.
‘HUSH’ is meant to be taken with a pinch of salt. I’ve never been a perfect mother. I reject the idea of “parental sacrifice” or “compromise,” which unnecessarily creates guilt. I’ve always prioritized autonomy: My kids know how to cook, get around, organize themselves and this upbringing has forged a strong character in them. There are sometimes clashes, they don’t always obey me and we don’t always agree. But in the end, it often leads to right choices.
As a side note, Lucie Sue’s two children have dual Franco-German nationality. To try to gain respect, she sometimes tries to have more presence by reusing the few Germanic words their father used to say to them with authority. With absolutely NO credibility coming from Lucie Sue’s mouth, these “shock” phrases have become a kind of private joke, which is reflected by their use in the song.
A child of the MTV generation, raised on ’90s Anglo-Saxon bands, Lucie Sue escaped to the sounds of L7, Metallica and PJ Harvey after her cello lessons at the Lyon National Conservatory. Passionate about visual arts, she became an accomplished art director. But, during the lockdown, she became known on social media for creative and funny cover versions, on which she played all the instruments. This led to her composing, recording, producing and releasing her first album, ‘To Sing In French, in 2023, as well as being picked up by long-time Gojira manager Richard Gamba the following year.
Her as-yet-untitled debut English-language album is due to be released later this year.