After releasing his 2018 debut Darlène, the Quebecois musician Hubert Lenoir made a name for himself by ruffling a few feathers. The breakout album earned Lenoir icon status in his native Quebec, and was the rare French-language Quebec album to find international acclaim, landing Lenoir in publications like i-D, VICE, SSENSE and FADER who declared him “a pop star in any language,” on late night shows in France, where he also landed on the front page of the national newspaper Le Monde, a spot on the Polaris Prize shortlist (the first French-language record to get the nod in seven years), and even, in a bizarre turn of events, on stage at the Barclay Center opening for The Strokes at their New Years Eve show in 2019. Lenoir has returned with his second album, PICTURA DE IPSE: Musique directe, a sharp left turn from his debut that features contributions from artists like Kirin J Callinan, The Weeknd and Future producer High Klassified, Mac Demarco and experimental punk band CRABE, but ultimately feels like an incredibly individual expression from one of the more unique creative minds in music today.
