Two days before the release of Astral 2000, her second album due out this Friday, September 20th, Virginie B unveils its title track as a final preview, accompanied by a music video directed by Rosalie Bordeleau. To celebrate this new record, launch shows will be held in Montreal on September 26th, and in Rimouski and Quebec City on October 11th and 12th respectively.
Pre-order / pre-save Astral 2000 on vinyl, CD or in digital format.
As the opener and title track of Virginie B’s sophomore album, Astral 2000 encapsulates its themes and musical direction with gripping intensity. Set during an escapist karaoke night out, this hyperpop song’s high BPM, thumping kicks and creative sound design keep us on the edge of our seats while its lyrics evoke an endless cycle of partying, pressure to perform and search for authenticity through the perception of others. Virginie’s cute, melodic vocal delivery offers a sharp contrast to the music’s urgency, enhancing its addictive nature and that of the lifestyle it describes.
Astral 2000 is available now on all music services.
Directed by Rosalie Bordeleau, Astral 2000's video is a nod to the spellbinding style of Wong Kar Wai and the poetic universe of Sofia Coppola, combining these two influences to evoke a dizzying solitude. Between an intimate karaoke session with friends, a motorcycle race through an endless tunnel and a disorienting nocturnal wander through the city, Virginie B finds herself both isolated and connected to the world around her.
Watch and share the music video for Astral 2000 via YouTube.
Following the album's release, Virginie B will present launch shows at Le Belmont in Montreal (as part of POP Montreal) on September 26th, Bains Publics in Rimouski on October 11th and Le Pantoum in Quebec City on October 12th. She will then head off to France for a series of dates. See the list below for more details.
About Astral 2000
The irreverent Virginie B reveals her extravagance on Astral 2000, her second album and first to be released on Bonsound. At once quirky and accessible, visceral and sophisticated, synthetic and deeply human, its songs explore conflicting personal themes: Virginie goes back and forth between her love of nature and fascination with new technologies, her longing for lazy days and the urgency of her mortality, her desire for simple pleasures and need to perform in the spotlight, her relationship with her femininity, her desires and the excesses they often result in.
Conceived alongside producer and multi-instrumentalist Louis Jeay-Beaulieu, Astral 2000 is one of the first hyperpop albums to come out of Quebec, and its originality makes it stand out from the genre’s leading acts. On this second album, she presents herself as a carefree queen, a digital nymph, a timeless creature.
About Virginie B
Virginie B's irresistible quirkiness is matched only by her boundless creativity. The singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist offers a unique reappropriation of hyperpop that incorporates touches of nu-jazz, funk and R&B, complemented with a sophisticated conceptual approach inherited from art pop and a pronounced taste for maximalism and glamour.
INSULA, Virginie B's debut album, quickly attracted attention upon its independent release in 2022, garnering praise from ICI Première, Le Devoir, La Presse, Montreal Rocks! and PAN M 360. This recognition culminated in a nomination for Pop Album of the Year at GAMIQ 2022. In September 2024, Virginie B presents Astral 2000, a second album that combines catchy melodies, stylistic experimentation and intricate textures with poetry that is at once introspective, profound and accessible.
Tour Dates
26/09/2024 - Montreal, QC - Le Belmont (POP Montreal - Album launch show)
11/10/2024 - Rimouski, QC - Bains Publics (Album launch show)
12/10/2024 - Quebec City, QC - Le Pantoum (Album launch show)
16/10/2024 - Paris, FR - MaMa (Ma Cabane à Paname)
22/10/2024 - Reims, FR - La Cartonnerie
23/10/2024 -Troyes, FR - «Les Nuits Transatlantiques» Showcase (Nuits de Champagne Festival)
24/10/2024 - Saint-Quentin, FR - La Manufacture
25/10/2024 - Migennes, FR - L'Escale
26/10/2024 - Nancy, FR - L'Autre Canal
13/11/2024 - Paris, FR - Les Trois Baudets (La Traversée)