Daughter of Laurence Bibot, actor and comedian, and Marka, singer for the 1980s group Allez Allez, Angèle is a Belgian singer/songwriter. She began as a pianist and vocalist, but has now switched to working in eccentric pop, using both English and French in her music (Europavox, Roisin 2018).
“Balance Ton Quoi”
The music video for Angèle’s 2019 “Balance Ton Quoi
Similar to Pat Benatar, Angèle directly begins her message with the title of her song. “Balance Ton Quoi” is a more polite phrase for “Balance ton porc” which is the French equivalent of #MeToo. It is an expression that references to the “pig” like actions of those that take advantage of others, and denounces sexism. The lyrics of the song are more direct in terms of their deliverance of the messages of feminism with phrases like “Bah faudrait p’t’être casser les codes (Hey it’s time we break the codes) / Une fille qui l’ouvre ça serait normal (A girl should speak her mind) (Video, 0:14). The addition of more vulgarity and directly calling out types of cat-calls is due to the fact that Angèle’s music is being released in a world where directness equals action, and where fourth wave feminism dominates. The embrace of pop elements such as a simple back beat, synthesizers, and sweet vocals along with strong messages of celebrating femininity help Angèle to reclaim the musical genre that was once one of the only genres acceptable for women to occupy. Instead of being seen as an oppressive box to be forced into, fourth wave feminist artists work to take back the title on pop as a liberating genre. Instead of fighting to not be feminine, it accentuates ‘feminine’ qualities that serves as a way of reclaiming the feminine identity as her own.
The main themes of the video are directly related to the main themes of fourth wave feminism, consent and intersectionality. The video is a performance and narrative type video, showing Angèle singing, and following the storyline of a court room and an anti-sexism academy. The academy is where students are taught about consent, respecting personal space, pay equality, and spotting sexism through empathy and communication. The video follows students through the lectures and group discussions as they learn about equality. The make-up of the groups is diverse, sending the message that this is an issue for everyone to learn.
The courtroom is a space that promotes the fourth wave feminism idea of holding people accountable for their actions. On the prosecutor side of the courtroom is a diverse group fighting for equality. The diversity of the group champions the upholding value of intersectionality. This is the idea that people are made up of different identities, therefore everyone presents unique differences that should be embraced instead of discriminated against.