Words: Margherita Pincioni / margherita_pincioni /

Photographer: Jorre Janssens / janssensjorre /

Charlotte Adigéry  / adigerwww / is the Belgian- Caribbean you need to know. She is not one to shy away from risks proving herself to be a consummate story teller. Sometimes patently silly, sometimes deeply introspective, Adigéry’s ever-wondering mind spins tales that are absurd and poignant and ridiculously fun. Having been taught the ropes by her Martinique-born mother - namely rhythm’s relationship to musicality and the importance of a sense of humour - Adigéry is a persuasive young artist who can sing about lizards one moment and latex the next. Recently her track "Paténipat" was used as soundtrack for The New Pope, the new film by Paolo Sorrentino. French Fries caught up with the songstress to dish on the importance of being herself and the first steps to unity and compassion.

• You are a storyteller/ Where do you get your inspiration? 

From every day stuff! I love to observe people, I find great joy in doing that. Even though you wouldn’t guess it if you’re there yourself, the airport is a really inspiring place. Just how people behave is so interesting to observe. Sociological and cultural phenomenons like social media are also very intriguing to me. My own life is also a great source of inspiration (as any artist would say, haha); sometimes digesting the things that happened in my life through writing has been a really helpful way to move on.

• "Paténipat" (cantata in Créole) was used as soundtrack for The New Pope, the new film by Paolo Sorrentino. Can you tell us more about this collaboration?

There’s no romantic or special story behind it sadly, sorry! They reached out to us, telling us they wanted to use Paténipat for the trailer for The New Pope. But apparently Sorrentino is a big fan of DEEWEE, the label run by the Soulwax brothers on which we release our music, so that surely helps too! We’re super happy they used our song and personally I think it fits beautifully, I got actual goosebumps when I saw the trailer.

•  How important is your Belgium-Caribbean origin?

It’s very important as it makes me who I am as a human being. Heritage is a big part of my identity and being able to let that sip through in my music means a lot to me. My origin caused me growing up with different genres of music than most people that grew up in a Western world. I like mixing those Caribbean influences with things like techno and dance music - I believe it enriches music.

• How do you choose your performing outfits?

I’m still not sure how I go about picking an outfit. It’s important for me to feel comfortable. I love a good suit because it’s so timeless, I feel like it’s a very powerful silhouet as well. Stylistically I haven’t been able to put a lot of time in that aspect yet because we’ve been so busy these past few months but I’m really looking forward to exploring clothing and styling more.

• What is the best advice you've ever received?  

Love this question. I thought about this yesterday actually! When I was studying music a couple of years ago, one day a psychologist came to our school. He hosts workshops in which he helps people who face great pressure, having to prove themselves on this specific moment, like an athlete, but also a musician. He said “Please don’t waste your time on being liked by everybody.” Back then I understood it but had a hard time doing it… right now I’m still not great at it, but I am slowly learning to accept it. I think now is the time for me to really take in that advice and make it part of my daily life - if all goes well with my career, a lot more opinions will be formed on me and my music. I have to armor myself for that.

• You were touring great cities all over Europe, how do you usually spend the day in these exciting cities before the concerts? 

Google Maps is my best friend! I have lists of all the cities we plan on going to and ask around for more tips from friends… it’s good to have a bit of a clue what you can do in just a short amount of time. If we actually have time, which is only rarely the case, we usually go from that. Very casual though, I don’t want to be a “tourist” in that case and run around like a mad man. It’s more about getting a sense of the city. Food is very important though, we put a lot of thought and effort into finding the best place! Shopping can also be fun but usually my luggage is already overpacked, so that can be too much a tease, haha. Touring is intense though, you rarely get a sense of the city you’re playing in - if we have the time we try to arrive a day early or stay an extra day to make the most out of the trip. 

• What are your projects for the future?

We are really looking forward to releasing an album! We spend pretty much every day in the studio now.. there’s quite a bit of new songs finished already but I look forward to putting it all together. Doing photoshoots, creating videos, etc. is on the calendar for the next couple of weeks as well. I can’t wait to have fun with every aspect of the record, I want to express the music in the best way possible.

• Last but not least, where did you eat the best French Fries?T

 The best ones are here in Ghent at home, but that’s because I know where to go here. My favorite is Sympa, a place run by Turkish guys that make really good crispy fries… and if the owner is up for a party they put on really terrible music. There’s nothing like a DJ Sympa party! Also: Belgian Fries, haha!