Chantal Claret

Hosted in the Barfly in Camden, and tucked away in the dimly-lit top room of the venue with her closest fans in attendance, Chantal Claret gave a performance as full-bodied and atmospherically intoxicating as her tipple of a namesake.

Playful and sassy, her stage presence was either genuinely kooky and at easeLeon of Athens at Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, or that of a extremely skilled entertainer. Probably both, but either way, she had the audience in the palm of her hand right from the beginning of her set with Secret War, where she sat on the floor in the middle of the crowd.

Audience involvement was a large part of the set, lending the already intimate room familiarity – Thee Headcoatees song Davy Crockett was given a worthy cover with half the lyrics roared out by the entire room, and the “filler chat” seeming improvised and breathless with adrenaline. She performed Jailbait and I Look Good to whistles and cheers, with several characteristically quirky stage props, including a furry-tailed hat and a polaroid camera, with which she took a portrait of the audience and several individual photographs after the set as she sat on the edge of the stage seeming no worse the wear from her energetic hour-long performance.

A healthy blend of old releases, new material and covers, her skills as a songwriter and lyricist are a little satirical and jam-packed with references to other artists – notably the Stones song Brown Sugar being referenced in Jailbait among others. Her assurance to the audience that the “new song that has never, ever been played before” was going to be word perfect was bolstered with a throwaway reference to quantum physics, which won her several slow nods from the beer holding blokes sticking to the back of the room away from the gaggle of lovestruck girls hugging the stage.

Intelligent, funny, undeniably sexy with the rarest of all qualities in many current musicians of her genre thrown in for good measure, Claret a beautiful voice that sounds, if possible, even better live than it does on her recorded albums. As she sang herself, with just the right balance of attitude and irony thrown in, “you want to get with me, … ’cause hey, I look good”. And sounds good, more’s the better. - The Upcoming

Personal space was not going to be an option at Chantal Claret‘s (★★★★) one-off headliner – and the fans loved it. She entered the stage through the intimate crowd, creating a response loud enough to reverberate the whole venue. It was already clear that this was going to be a very special concert and a rare experience for Chantal’s UK fans, and it didn’t take long for everyone to feel like they were part of a family.

A highlight of the night was during Pleasure Seeker, where she destroyed all barriers between her and her fans. She jumped off the stage and sat in the middle of the venue floor whilst ordering her fans to sit down and surround her. She then performed one of the crowds favorites, screaming lyrics into their faces as they screamed them back. A special moment for both newcomers and those who had waited to be reunited since her December show.

The perfect mix of her classics and yet to be released material went down extremely well with the eager crowd. A new song, which seemed to be entitled I Look Good, offered an immediately catchy beat and lyrics that not only showcased her seemingly limitless talent but also allowed her backing singers to really shine.

Chantal flaunted her infamous crazy and sleazy side during Real Girls showing the crowd not only her crazed dance moves but also that women can let loose, sweat and go wild on stage. This is what her fans love about her and why she has such a strong positive female following.

The hour ended with fan favourite, Light it Up, bringing the biggest vocal response from the crowd so far, everyone was heartily singing along. Everyone in the venue was sweaty and messy, getting lost in her music for one last time and the grin on Chantal’s face proved that tonight had been just as special to her as it was for her UK fans and London really had become a second home to her. - Indulge Sound

It only takes a few moments of chatting with the eccentrically sweet Chantal Claret to realize she is one of those rare musicians who puts distinctive soul into every lyric, beat and note she creates. The former Morningwood singer, now being described as a “badass Adele,” decided to spread her musical wings and fly solo into a fabulous new chapter of her musical career. That chapter starts in Vegas, right on the heels of a new album.


"Whose dream is it not to perform in Vegas?" Chantal Claret asked, still stunned by her career's quick progression. "I thought I had to have some crazy, lustrous career behind me [to perform in Vegas], but apparently not."

Claret officially began her residency at the Hard Rock Hotel's new Vinyl club in September; the shows will go on until Nov. 30. In the city of glitter, lights and long nights, it's hard to imagine a better fit for this boldly bright, rising female artist, especially since the city's influence has already left its stamp of timeless inspiration on her.

She recalls attending a Vegas concert by her idol, Bette Midler, and being roused to tears of excitement. Claret was empowered when Midler proudly proclaimed on stage, "I opened the door for trashy singers with big tits." It stuck with her.

Now, only a couple years later, the one-and-only Claret is incidentally following in her favorite songstress' footsteps, all on her own. But it wasn't easy to move the first foot forward.

"It was a struggle for a long time,” Claret said on deciding to break away from Morningwood and go solo. "It was emotionally intense. If you're not happy emotionally or professionally, you want to try something new."

Claret was delicately dancing on the line of quitting music altogether, even applying for jobs at Target and sending explanatory e-mails to family and friends in the process. But fate slapped her, and she realized that a solo career wasn't something she wanted — it was something she needed.

"I realized if I didn't do this now, I would regret it for the rest of my life," Claret recalls.

Regret wasn't in her lineup.

Her first solo record, The One, The Only... (a name inspired by the words of a loyal fan), was released this past June, and all eyes have been turning to Claret since. Perez Hilton featured her catchy jazz-meets-retro song, "Pop Pop Bang Bang," on his first music compilation, which was released Aug. 7.

Her album, a two-year-long labor of love, is for once true to the music she adores and has wanted to incorporate into her style for as long as she remembers. Her songs are distinctly 50s- and 60s-inspired, with a modern approach.

"It has a place in my heart," she said. "If that's what you sing in the shower, that's what you like to sing."

Her first solo show at the Troubadour was electrifyingly eye-opening to her growing fan base. Fans flew and drove in from all across the nation and the world — including New York City, San Francisco and Austria — and faithfully waited in line that early morning. The line of Claret fans wound around several corners, all waiting to see Claret's next big move. - She Knows

Things are heating up inside Vinyl, and some of the credit has to go to the new Hard Rock Hotel music room’s first resident act, Chantal Claret. The 30-year-old singer is partway through her two-month commitment, with free shows scheduled the next four Thursdays—October 18 and 25 and November 1 and 8—before she wraps up with three weekend performances toward the end of November (16, 24 and 30).

For her visit, Claret has exchanged a portion of the indie-rock edge associated with her previous act, New York City band Morningwood, for a solid brass section topped with choreographed soul-sisters carrying the harmonies. The night I attended, the all-ages crowd’s footwear ranged from sneakers to stilettos, with a slew of high-school attendees front and center. Tables sat mostly vacant on either side of the stage, but elbow room on the dancefloor was a hot commodity.

Claret’s husband, Jimmy Urine (frontman for Mindless Self Indulgence), played the role of hype man, stopping the set mid-stride to reintroduce his wife, James-Brown-style. The band’s upbeat rhythm, blaring horns and grooving bass, combined with Claret’s feisty demeanor, make for a good time, while her songs reaffirm timeless themes of soul music: backstabbing, breaking chains of love, time as money, etc. It’s an entertaining night on the town, especially if you come ready to dance.

The show really hit its stride when Chantal returned to her empowered-punk vixen wheelhouse with a cover of Thee Headcoatees’ “Davy Crockett.” Claret excels at the loose, intentionally imperfect delivery originally conceived for the song by lead Headcoatee Holly Golightly, and Claret bantered with the crowd and encouraged sing-alongs despite the presence of one particularly rowdy fan. “I’m a very nice lady if you’re not a piece of sh*t,” she said. “So let me continue.” - Las Vegas Weekly

This is fly!!!
If you like Cee Lo or Gin Wigmore, then you will really dig this!
Check out the super dope Pop Pop Bang Bang by Chantal Claret - Perez Hilton

A nightly listen to Adele may end with a big glass of Merlot. A little Amy Winehouse may corrupt your evening a bit more. But Chantal Claret’s brand of seductive soul-inspired pop goes a bit further than that. Claret’s boisterous and busty vocals give even simple and sweet tracks an underlying tone of 1960s over-sexed rowdiness (think after-hours office romps on Mad Men). And that just plain makes me want to dance. - LA Music Blog