New look, new sound. The Quebecer Lennikim is celebrating his comeback to music Things I wantfirst excerpt from an EP in English, expected in 2024.
Lennikim fans have been waiting for this big comeback for a long time; Her idol’s last release – an EP titled 18 – dates back to September 2019. But the months following that release were particularly difficult for the young singer, who experienced a major depressive episode coupled with severe anxiety, two disorders that plague her were diagnosed in spring 2020.
So he has come a long way. And writing was his lifeline during this ordeal, and his pen helped him get back on his feet.
“I’m fine today, but it’s been a very difficult time. That’s the amazing thing about music; “We can take all of our pain and turn it into art,” Lennikim said in an interview with the Journal.
The desire to “go somewhere else”
Now freed from the demons of his past – and the hyphen that once separated his first name – Lennikim is ready for a return to the spotlight… on his own terms. He recently regained control of his career and parted ways with the Warner brand, under which he operated for several years. A joint decision, he explains, which now gives him complete creative freedom.
You can already feel this in “Things I Want”, a new excerpt that follows in the footsteps of her contemporaries Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. The song’s music video, which has already been viewed nearly 50,000 times less than a week after its release, also marks an important transition in Lennikim’s visual aesthetic.
“I grew up listening to the songs of Prince, Björk, Lady Gaga… I wanted to offer clips with more visually impressive content. I want to go somewhere completely different, surprise,” says the singer.
The images captured by filmmaker Marianne Farley actually show a transformed Lennikim, both physically and in his words. Not only is his brown hair dyed blonde, the singer also bares his teeth and uses a few swear words in English (“the F-word,” as the Americans say).
Assumed contrast
The contrast is striking, he admits. It is also entirely desired and expected. Today, Lennikim is trying to project a more mature image and get closer to his own identity. And this has nothing to do with the young teenager with the clean look who was revealed at the age of 13 on The Voice Kids in France.
“I see comments from people who had lost sight of me a little and didn’t recognize me. It is normal. I am an adult, I am 22 years old. I have to show that who I really am is somewhere else,” he advises.
“Things I Want” lays the foundation for the next EP, which is expected in March 2024. If he wants to keep the title a secret, Lennikim promises that the six songs will cover topics as intimate as this first excerpt. He himself contributed to the writing and composing of each piece.
“I wrote so many songs during the pandemic. I’m talking about heartbreak, sexuality, depression… I don’t want to hold back any longer. The songs are all unique and different, but they form a very coherent whole,” he says.
Soon on TV
Until then, we can find Lennikim on our televisions thanks to FEM, a new series from Marianne Farley that will air on Unis TV from February. He will lend his facial features to the character of Zav, a teenager exploring his femininity and gender identity through music.
A project that of course allows him to perform comedy, but also to set the tone in several scenes.
“Zav wants to go to the Montreal Conservatory of Music, so music is a big part of the show. It gives me the opportunity to do original songs by Emmanuel Alias and Camille Poliquin, Milk & Bone and Kroy, but also covers,” explains Lennikim.
- The song Things I Want is available on all platforms.