If there’s one thing Héloïse Letissier knows, it’s how to kick off a new chapter with a bang. The French singer, better known under her musical nom de plume Christine and the Queens, may be celebrated for her cerebral brand of offbeat pop and fiery, stirring vocals—not to mention her extraordinary talents as a dancer—but her striking aesthetic sensibility is a key piece of the puzzle too. Just look back to the Querelle meets West Side Story fantasy of her “Girlfriend” video, the funk-inspired first single from her sophomore album Chris, that masterfully introduced the cropped haircut and boyish stylings that would color the visuals all throughout that album’s campaign and tour.

Photo courtesy of Christine and the Queens Photo courtesy of Christine and the Queens

And today, she’s introducing a new side of Christine in her most epic form yet. Her new EP “La Vita Nuova” is a surprise release with an accompanying 13-minute short film, directed by Colin Solal Cardo, shot in and around Paris’s historic Palais Garnier. It’s a visual banquet that pays tribute to French literary classics, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera—the title itself, meaning “new life,” also references a work by the Italian medieval poet Dante—while bringing them firmly into the present day with its nods to ballroom culture and the illustrious roster of queer talent involved both on and off the screen. Choreographed by Ryan Heffington (of Sia’s “Chandelier” video fame) along with voguing specialist Benjamin Milan, the saga also features French actor Félix Marituad, who has spent the last few years lighting up screens with unforgettable performances as queer characters in films such as BPM (Beats per Minute) and Sauvage.

But for all its gothic trappings (just look at that gorgeous curlicued typography) Letissier’s stylist for the project, Jonathan Huguet, tells Vogue that the inspiration for her wardrobe came from a handful of less likely sources. “What I like is that she had a really clear idea of this new character in her mind,” he says. “She wanted to have this dandy-ish look, but with bright colors, something fresh and playing with that line between masculinity and femininity. A little bit of Bowie, a little bit of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. We were also looking at a lot of Bob Fosse movies, those ’70s shapes and that sense of movement.” Though Huguet had worked with Letissier on a few editorial features in the past, this was his first time collaborating with her fully. “We had a great energy together on the last shoot we did, and so she asked me to style the imagery for the album, and then the video itself,” explains Huguet.

Photo courtesy of Christine and the Queens Photo courtesy of Christine and the Queens

The end product is a veritable feast of high fashion looks. The opening scene sees Letissier stalk the ramparts of the opera house to her song “People I’ve Been Sad,” wearing a shiny green suit by Amiri, a silk shirt from Acne Studios, and a Dries Van Noten tie. The look, Huguet explains, was inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio’s iconic costuming for Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet—“where he’s dressed up in a suit and tie, but it’s a little bit loose, a little bit of bad boy energy.” Later looks include a glitzy, colorful bodysuit by Roberto Cavalli worn under black high-waisted trousers by the emerging Spanish designer Arturo Obegero as Letissier dances across the stage, and a billowing white gown from the Russian label Yanina Couture as she runs barefoot through the opulent surroundings of the building’s grand foyer.

It’s the final scene, however, that carries the most impact. In the bowels of the theater, Letissier—now reaching her final vampiric form—wears a fabulously shiny, ’70s-style purple suit by Palomo Spain over a ruffled shirt by The Vampire’s Wife as she dances with her gang to the EP’s title track “La Vita Nuova”; think the “Thriller” music video meets Paris Is Burning. So too does this mark a surprise feature from Caroline Polachek in a slinky Mugler bodysuit. The pair eye each other up from across the room, and as they sing to each other, draw closer and closer. Finally, they writhe together before Letissier sinks her fangs into Polachek’s neck, and Polachek succumbs to her erotic spell. It’s a deliciously campy ending to the EP’s eerie brand of lovelorn pining—and a thrilling new chapter for Letissier and her restless creative spirit.