Charlotte Cardin, To Life, To Love

Our August cover girl, Charlotte Cardin, has established herself as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary pop. On the eve of her highly anticipated third album, the Quebec artist opens up in an intimate interview about love, creativity, success, self-confidence, and the fierce freedom that guides her every step.

Charlotte Cardin arrived on the electro-pop scene almost unnoticed, and now, standing at a slender 5’10”, she’s basking in a string of successes. Nearly a billion streams, an upbeat hit, ” Feel Good,” a bubble of lightness that has become an anthem, an antidote to the prevailing blues, a Victoire de la Musique award for Female Artist of the Year in 2026, a constantly expanding tour of festivals and venues where sensitive souls gather, moved by her inspired lyrics, sweetened with love and sumptuously set to music the Montreal-born artist is now a force to be reckoned with. There’s a touch of Sade about this sophisticated siren. A voice with abyssal, velvety depth and silky flourishes capable of soaring to the highest heights; an almost intimidating beauty; large, celestial blue eyes; an Ultra Brite smile; and dark brown hair sometimes pulled back in the style of the singer of ” Smooth Operator”; a feverish grace on stage punctuated by classy little hip movements; a talent for melancholy; and, as an aside, a modeling career she abandoned. On the day of the interview, Charlotte Cardin appeared via Zoom from her Montreal studio, where she was putting the finishing touches on her highly anticipated third album, slated for release this fall. Gifted at capturing on music the fleeting nature of life, the trembling of desire, doubts, over-consciousness, the wandering self, budding love, lost love, betrayal… it’s a safe bet that she’ll once again have us swaying to the rhythm of her emotional spasms. The moment she utters a sparkling “hello,” her accent slightly sharp, the charm takes hold. In an era where everyone hides behind a mask, Charlotte Cardin is herself, nothing but herself, and that’s extraordinary.

George V Magazine: Your first EP, Big Boy, was released exactly ten years ago. How do you view this decade?

Charlotte Cardin: A look filled with pride and joy. I see that my career is developing very organically, naturally, and that, in fact, gives me the time to adapt to changes, to projects that are growing in scale, to my increasing fame, to concert venues that are getting bigger and bigger. And from an artistic point of view, I feel I’ve improved as a performer but also as a songwriter and composer. I learn every day. This profession offers a wonderful opportunity to push myself further.

GVM: What was the best day of these ten years?

CC: It’s almost impossible to answer that question, there have been so many… Let’s just say the best day would stretch over three days, three symbolic concerts, each representing a milestone I was reaching in my career. Namely, the Olympia, Bercy, and finally the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, where I played in front of nearly 75,000 people. Beyond realizing that my audience was growing, I experienced such pure, unadulterated joy on stage during those moments, becoming aware of the effect my music had on them. I discovered that it could touch people. Of course, thanks to social media, I’m connected to my fans, I can respond to their comments, but there, I was experiencing raw emotion, transported to a dimension of sharing that was so concrete and powerful, almost visceral. It’s a magical feeling.

GVM: The song “Feel Good” was the trigger for “Charlotte-mania” and literally launched your career. Do you remember the circumstances in which you realized the tidal wave that this song was going to be?

CC: It’s funny because I feel like I experienced the whole thing a bit slower, especially compared to my team, who alerted me pretty early on that something crazy was happening with ” Feel Good,” particularly on TikTok where tons of people were making it their own. The buzz was growing, radio stations were starting to play it on repeat, I could tell the song was popular, but I didn’t really grasp the extent of the hype. And then, one day, I opened my TikTok and finally clicked on ” Feel Good,” and that’s when I saw there were tens of thousands of videos made with my song. Up to 2,000 or 3,000 new videos a day. Finally, I understood. I have a fanbase that’s 80% female, and I have to say that what pleased me most of all was seeing girls and women in these videos who felt incredibly free, beautiful, and strong in the way they projected. That validated my desire to release the song. And I must say that I also feel beautiful when I perform this song on stage.

We have loved since the dawn of time, but no one knows how to love perfectly. It is an infinite source of inspiration.

GVM: Love is at the heart of your lyrics. Why does it inspire you so much?

CC: It’s hard to explain. Even as a little girl, I was a romantic by nature. In my early teens, when I started writing songs, before I’d even experienced romantic love, that’s all I talked about. The dynamics of human relationships, friendships and especially romantic ones, fascinate me. We’ve loved since the dawn of time, but no one knows how to love perfectly. It’s an endless source of inspiration. So I draw on my personal experience, sometimes on the experiences of my loved ones, single or in relationships, sometimes on the feeling I get from two people I pass on the street, a glance exchanged. Each song is sparked by a genuine emotion, and then I build around it. I have a very vivid imagination.

GVM: “Tant pis pour elle” (Too bad for her), a hard-hitting indie pop track that followed ” Feel Good,” is an anthem of revenge within the context of a love triangle. Can a song be a weapon of vengeance?

CC: Absolutely. Let’s call it a weapon of righteous revenge… I’m a Scorpio, I have a bit of a resentful streak. But beyond revenge, writing or composing music allows me to channel my emotions when, sometimes, I can’t find the right words in a normal conversation. It’s an escape as much as a way to take stock of my feelings.

When things went wrong in my life, I invariably returned to music.

GVM: Does writing make you a better person?

CC: I believe so, yes. Writing allows access to emotions that are sometimes repressed, all kinds of emotions, beautiful or less noble. Exploring them allows me to identify them, to stimulate them, or to release some when they are toxic. When things have gone wrong in my life, I have invariably returned to music. It alone makes me feel at home at times when that isn’t necessarily the case in other areas of my life. Writing songs makes me a better person in the sense that it allows me to refocus, to return to the things that are important to me when I need to.

GVM: Have you ever considered writing socially or politically engaged texts?

CC: It’s difficult. I tried but it results in extremely heavy songs, I didn’t release them.

GVM: I’m asking you this because you revealed in an interview that you assisted your grandfather in his death, a practice that is legal in Canada. I thought that being so close to a burning social issue like assisted dying could have provided material for a song.

CC: That’s a very good question and, to be honest, I hadn’t thought of it. Maybe one day I’ll talk about it, but for now I haven’t found the artistic angle, even though it’s an experience that has profoundly affected me.

GVM: Can you talk about it?

CC: My grandfather was an extraordinary man, full of life, with an exceptional personality. As his illness progressed, I watched him be deprived, one by one, of life’s pleasures, lose parts of his physical integrity, and face unbearable suffering. His passing wasn’t a decision he took lightly; he discussed it for months beforehand with his wife and children. And when the time came, we were all there around him to witness his departure. His wife, his children, his grandchildren, and even his dog, who lay between his legs. I found great beauty in those moments, despite the hardship, because we were all gathered around his bed, able to show him our love. I must say that it’s a moment that didn’t traumatize me, and one that I will always cherish. Because even though saying goodbye to him was incredibly sad, I knew it was his choice and that he was freeing himself from great suffering. I’m aware that it’s a divisive, not to say taboo, social issue, but not for me.

GVM: You are in a relationship with Aliocha Schneider, you sometimes meet on stage during your tour… Is it easy to share the life of an artist when you are one yourself?

CC: It’s incredibly easy because no one understands my lifestyle better than him, since he has the same one. I had relationships with guys before Aliocha who didn’t understand why I was often on tour or traveling, and it was really complicated. Aliocha and I are passionate about what we do, we know the sacrifices it involves, and we make them because we’re pursuing the same artistic quest, we’re looking in the same direction, we support each other, and we respect each other.

GVM: And there’s no room for jealousy?

CC: In the previous relationships I mentioned, I experienced that, and it’s not desirable. Luckily, Aliocha and I trust each other, and that’s essential because we’re often apart, we meet a lot of people, so it would be hell if we got stuck in that dynamic. The same goes for our artistic side; there’s no room for that. We have different musical styles, different careers, and different opportunities, and we’re happy for each other when good things happen. I must say that having such a healthy relationship makes me very happy.

GVM: Is it true that his father, who had the idea of ​​introducing you, told you something that was a great intuition?

CC: Ah, you’re referring to the first thing he said to me? That’s right. Fourteen years ago now, he told me on the phone: “I don’t know if you and Aliocha are going to make an album or have a baby, but in any case, you’re going to do something beautiful.” I loved the pitch! And it didn’t put me off because I immediately felt a sense of connection with Jean-Paul, Aliocha’s father. It happens sometimes; you meet people and you instinctively feel that they’re meant to be a part of your life.

GVM: What appeals to you?

CC: In Aliocha? In men? A sense of humor. And intelligence, but it seems to me that the two go hand in hand. Aliocha is very funny and he stimulates me intellectually. He’s quick-witted and sensitive, which makes him even funnier. He notices the little subtleties around him; it’s irresistible.

GVM: In your opinion, what is the most beautiful love song of all time?

CC: “Pour que tu m’aimes encore” by Céline Dion. For its nostalgic feel, because Céline Dion’s songs evoke my childhood. It’s so well-written, heartbreaking. On par with Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” .

GVM: You’re currently on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar as an artist, but years ago you were a model. What do you remember about that experience?

CC: Overall, it wasn’t a great experience for me, even though it allowed me to travel, earn money, and meet some very inspiring people. I found myself too often in situations where I felt humiliated and disrespected. I always knew I wanted to make music, and modeling allowed me to buy instruments and gave me the freedom to pursue my passion. I never had grand ambitions in fashion; it was never fundamentally what I wanted to do. I wanted to use the opportunity, but not let it use me. I found myself in situations I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

GVM: Was it during a casting call for a major magazine that you decided to throw in the towel?

CC: That casting call was the final nail in the coffin. I couldn’t even remember all the times during a photoshoot, when I was only 15, that I was asked to get naked. I said no, and yet they insisted. It’s unacceptable. And this time again, I was asked to take off my sweater even though I wasn’t wearing anything underneath, and I was subjected to awful comments about my appearance, as if I wasn’t even in the room. It was the final straw. I told myself I had no reason to put myself through that. It triggered a realization. Paradoxically, modeling is what made me doubt myself the most, and I met more insecure people in that industry than anywhere else. I felt the comparison, the competition, a lot. In short, it wasn’t the industry for me. And because I know how tough this profession is, I have immense respect for models. In retrospect, it taught me a lot about my limits, about what I was willing to accept and what I wasn’t, and about trusting my instincts, which turned out to be incredibly good. In fact, I’m grateful to have had this experience.

GVM: What is your relationship with your physical appearance?

CC: I’m lucky, I have pretty good self-confidence. I know deep down that I have things to say, things to share, that are much deeper than my appearance, and that allows me to see myself as beautiful in general. I’m very grateful to my parents, who have always valued my passions, my instincts, and my desires. I wanted to make music, and I knew that in their eyes, I would be the best singer. The same goes if I had wanted to be President, even though that doesn’t exist in Canada; they would have encouraged me. They instilled in me the “sky’s the limit” mentality, and there’s nothing like it to boost self-confidence. It’s a gift. So, when I read online comments that tear down my appearance, especially about my weight, sometimes even in a hurtful way, it just tends to make me laugh. I’ve noticed that there are people who are very creative in their way of insulting, to the point that it almost makes me want to congratulate them for coming up with something so offbeat.

GVM: Your new album will be released in the fall, what can you tell us about it?

CC: Too bad for her, The Way We Touch and Take Me Back, the three singles I’ve released bit by bit since September, set the tone. I’m still fine-tuning it in the studio in Montreal, where I’m writing and recording. Unlike my previous album, 99 Nights, which I recorded over the course of a summer during which I experienced a lot, this one is taking place over several years, giving me the opportunity to revisit sounds and delve deeper into certain lyrics. I don’t want to say too much, except that I’ve decided to take my time.

GVM: Will it still be about love?

CC: Obviously, I will never disappoint you in that regard.

GVM: Now that you are enjoying success, are you not afraid of repeating yourself artistically?

CC: That’s the trap you have to avoid falling into. That’s why, after Feel Good, I chose to release Tant pis pour elle, which is the complete opposite in terms of emotional intensity and sound. Feel Good is the wild card in my discography; it’s a real departure from the rest of my repertoire, lighter, more pop—I don’t even know how I managed to compose it. And it resonated with the public. That’s encouraging. It gives me confidence in experimentation, in the artistic quest, in the little detour that turns out to be worthwhile. So I’m going to continue to follow my instincts, to dare to do different things, and above all, avoid the comfort zone.

GVM: On tour all summer, what’s your secret to keeping up physically?

CC: I go to bed as soon as possible after leaving the stage. Usually, fifteen minutes later, I’m under my duvet, in the tour bus or my hotel room with my book. Unfortunately, my voice is very fragile; I lose it easily, so after concerts I have no choice but to speak as little as possible and sleep. No cigarettes on tour, and, exceptionally, I love a nice, chilled glass of Chablis.

If Thom Yorke from Radiohead called me, I’d die on the spot. It would be the collaboration of my dreams. And if Céline Dion called me, the child in me would be overjoyed.

GVM: Is there an object that you never leave home without?

CC: My comfort blanket. I know that in France we say “un” doudou, but in Quebec, it’s “une” doudou, meaning a small blanket shaped like a pillow that I’ve had since I was born and that travels everywhere with me. And, miraculously, I’ve never lost it! I’m 31 years old and I sleep with my comfort blanket. It might seem absurd, but it’s the ultimate comfort.

GVM: Imagine your phone rings and an artist offers you a collaboration out of the blue. Who would you dream of having on the other end of the line?

CC: I think if Thom Yorke from Radiohead called me, I’d die on the spot. I’ve listened to House of Cards, No Surprises on repeat; it would be my dream collaboration. And for sentimental reasons, if Céline Dion called me, it would mean something. The child in me would be overjoyed. I started singing by admiring her and trying to imitate her voice. But if I had to choose, I’d say Thom Yorke.

GVM: Is there a question, Charlotte, that you have never been asked that you would like to be asked?

CC: Good question. Generally, I prefer lighthearted, somewhat ordinary and fun questions that don’t necessarily have anything to do with what I’m supposed to be defending artistically. The one you just asked me, for example, is one I’ve never been asked like that before. The angle of the phone call excited me! I sometimes like to answer off the cuff, without thinking too much.

GVM: OK, so one last one before we go. What’s the last song you hummed in the shower?

CC: Ah, that’s exactly the kind of question I love! Say My Name by Destiny’s Child, this very morning.