Marseille-born and Los Angeles-based, Cannelle has fascinated listeners since the release of her first self-produced single “LUCKY” in 2024. Coming fresh off a series of shows in Paris and opening for Ninajirachi, Cannelle created a sound of her own with her debut electropop mixtape CINNA. STATIC chatted with Cannelle about her musical inspirations, Paris v. NYC, and her past running an Ariana Grande fanpage.
I read that CINNA, the name of your debut EP, comes from an Ariana Grande fan page that you ran.
Basically, Cinna is my nickname. I used to have a page called “CinnaVids.” I would make edits and stuff. So, everybody, my close friends and my internet friends at the time, they all call me Cinna. It’s just a cool title for my mixtape and I didn’t want to necessarily name it anything else. CINNA was the only thing; it was the only option. I think it really matches the world in the project. I’m really excited.
Can you tell us what to expect with CINNA?
Way more French songs. I really want to push this version of myself and this sound. It’s more personal to me to write in French and sing in French, but [I] didn’t want this project to be like, ‘Oh, this is French pop.’ No, this is just electronic pop. I don’t want to portray it as a French—or whatever—project, but what you can expect on the mixtape is way more French songs and making it more personal. And, more co-production.
I feel like all my singles, it’s songs that I love, but it was definitely more like, ‘I want people to like this.’ This next tape, it’s more like, “This is my music, this is my sound.” Whatever it does, good or not, it’s here and I want to share it to the world.
When you’re working on a new track, how do you decide between having lyrics in French or in English?
Honestly, I like to start off in English. Sometimes, I’m gonna hear or do a production and it’s instantly a hook in French, but I like to write in English first and have some ideas of what theme I want to talk about. Later on, I’m gonna include some French words or French parts in it. It really depends on the track we’re making and the vibe and if I’m comfortable talking about how I feel in French. It’s more personal to me.
Creating CINNA, what are some of your musical inspirations?
My musical inspirations were the artists and the music that I grew up on. So, all the electronic Ed Banger people. I grew up listening to that. My dad is a huge fan of other artists that were on the roster.
I’m a huge fan of Uffie. She’s a huge inspiration of mine. She’s like a pioneer in that electronic genre for women. I love DJ Mehdi, I love Justice, I love Daft Punk, I love DJs—like Bob Sinclar. I really grew up around that. Yelle, I love her. She’s like a pop icon. All of these inspirations that I grew up on, that’s what made CINNA.
For this project, I definitely want it to be more avant-garde and even if it’s pushing the current electronic scene, I wanted to keep those codes of this old electronic sound. Underground electronic sound from France and Europe, but it still sounds new. I just wanted to make something new that’s inspired from something that I grew up on.
In terms of visuals, how do you think Tumblr and the internet have influenced your style?
It influenced everything. That’s what I grew up on. I literally owe everything to all the girls that I’ve been following as a kid on apps like Tumblr. It definitely influenced my style. I had nobody else to look up to. I mean, I had sisters, but we were all big on these apps and social media to find cool stuff and cool fashion. I found my style because of social media and also because of my sisters. I grew up in a small village. I couldn’t really walk outside and be like, ‘Oh, this seems really cool.’ Nobody was really dressing up.
A big part of your style is the blue hair and you handed out icy blue wigs at your shows in Paris. How did you decide on your signature color?
I was always using this color. The light blue was in everything. I’ve always been using it in my outfits and like my art. I just wanted to wear the art and wear the vision that I had. I feel like it just matches with everything I do.
I was getting tired of changing my hair all the time. I used to wear different colors of wigs, which I love and I still love doing that, but I wanted to keep that one signature hair. I think it matches me really well. I had this idea of throwing wigs in the crowd and people loved it. I’ve been doing that since. I just love seeing people wearing them. Sometimes, I’m putting perfume in them and people are like, “Oh my god, your hair smells so good.” Thank you, I literally sprayed perfume in it.
What do you enjoy most about performing live?
I love engaging with the crowd. I think that’s my favorite part. We’re all here together and, as I was saying the other day, it’s not just them coming to see me. I’m also here to see them. It’s like we were all just meeting and having fun.
I love meeting my fans, I love singing with them. Performing is one of my favorite things in the world. I feel that sometimes I lose myself. I feel like I’m in my room again or something.
How does the club scene in Paris compare to the clubs in NYC and LA?
Obviously, when I’m in Paris, my fans would sing the lyrics of my French songs. The difference is just [that] people in France are gonna understand the lyrics. It’s like we can actually all sing. I feel like there’s always the same vibe when I’m performing. Wherever I am. People in America, they’re not necessarily gonna know the lyrics, but they’re still gonna turn up.
Your music, “CLOVER” especially, is so catchy. What’s your writing process like?
I try to find a cute theme. When we made “CLOVER” with Chickenmuch, he made the beat and I was like, “This song, it’s so pretty” and it’s so visual. Every time I hear it I think of a clover or something pretty that brings me happiness. I wanted to write a song that felt really warm and sweet and cute. I started off with the idea and theme and then I connect it to real-life events, like my love life or some memories. I try to make a story.
The music video for your latest single, “Stereo,” is amazing. What was your idea behind the creative direction?
Oh my god, yeah. I made that video with Mathias Adam. He’s literally the best director ever. We met in Paris at a show and he comes to me after my show and he said, ‘I’m this director. I really want to work with you.’ I miss those kinds of interactions that are not DMs or texts. He just went up to me in real life and asked to make a video. He sent me a mood board, and he had already cooked up the mood board, and his idea was to do a vampire-themed video. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is crazy, I really fuck with that.’ Then, we just met in real life again and we cooked up the idea of the colors and setup and outfits.
We’ve been working on that video since December or January and it just came out. It’s probably one of my favorite videos ever. Honestly, I love the story and it’s just so me. I kind of love being a character. I had to act as well for this video which is really funny. I had my two best friends in it. It was just a full circle moment. And, the hairstylist—Oshushka—is one of my close friends. Everybody that was on set was my close friend. We just had so much fun during that video. I love this video, it’s so fun.
It reminded me of Monster High.
Yeah!
Since you did have an Ariana Grande fanpage, what are some of your favorite Ari songs?
My favorite Ari song is “Borderline.” I don’t hate saying that, but the OG Ariana fans are like, “Oh, that’s not her best song.” They think I’m stupid, but I know what I’m talking about when I say this is my favorite song. “Borderline” is her best song, like, I don’t care.
I love “Only 1,” I love “Right There,” I love “R.E.M.,” there’s too many favorite songs. I think my top three would be “Borderline,” “Only 1,” and probably “Be My Baby.” There’s so many good songs. She’s amazing. “Borderline” is the songs that I’ve probably most streamed in my life, like, it’s too good.
It’s hard to pick.
It’s really hard to pick.