Yelle

Attention: Yelle is not just another MySpace hype. She did, however, rise to prominence in her home of France as a result of a tune she posted on MySpace. What caused all the commotion? Well, aside from the jumpy electro-pop stylings, the lyrics were an evisceration of a Paris hip-hopper—whose fame Yelle has long since eclipsed. How harsh was that original track? The title says it all: “Short Dick Cuizi,” that last word a reference to the rapper’s name, Cuizinier. Yikes. But hey, there’s more to Yelle than disses. Her LP, Pop-Up, is one catchy tune after another—and, we suspect, each one as saucy as the next. “Short Dick” is on there, re-titled “Je Veux Te Voir,” as is “À Cause Des Garçons,” which gamers may recognize from EA’s Need for Speed and UEFA Euro 2008. On top of it all, Yelle speaks excellent English, which made our conversation with her a whole lot easier.

PLAYBOY: What made you want to become a singer?
YELLE: Singing is natural to me, as my father is a singer. I was born into a song culture. Though the moment I became the singer I am now, with this identity, was when I met GrandMarnier.

PLAYBOY: What do you guys do to prepare to go onstage?
YELLE: We hug each other and say, “Donner du plaisir aux gens, prendre du plaisir.” That means something like “give pleasure to people, get pleasure.”

PLAYBOY: What’s been the coolest part of your year of touring?
YELLE: One of the coolest moments was the show we played in Santiago, Chile. It’s so strange to play a sold-out venue with amazing people and a crazy crowd (so crazy!) when you are a French singer on the other side of the world from your home country. I mean, Chile, wow!

PLAYBOY: We’re guessing, given your history, that the democratization of the music industry is something you’re into.
YELLE: Yes, sharing stuff with all the world, recording with a laptop and a mic, giving news to your fans, and playing gigs everywhere as a result—it changes everything. You write your first song, upload it and three months later you are touring Australia. The world is becoming one big recreation center. This revolution—the kids taking the power—is all about fun.

PLAYBOY: In addition to being able to play shows to fans around the world, are there other things that are marks of success for you?
YELLE: I love to hear my songs on foreign radio—like when I’m just wandering in a shop, for example. It makes me happy; I like to try to imagine who is listening to it, who the radio guy is, why he is spinning the record.

PLAYBOY: How does your approach to the Rock the Rabbit design reflect your aesthetic?
YELLE: We wanted something minimal and strong, because our aesthetic is like that, and the Rabbit is too.