
L'Espiral Honors Sinead O'Connor With 'Troy'
By Joan Summers
Jul 26, 2024On the first anniversary of Sinead O’Connor’s death, Zoe Bleu’s new music project, L’Espiral, covers “Troy.”
The song was O’Connor’s first single and set her on the path to becoming one of the most groundbreaking artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Her passing in 2023 sent ripples through the world and in the lives of her fans and devotees — Bleu amongst them. “Sinead O'Connor is a hero to people like me and many others because she stood up publicly and denounced the unjust behavior of men who misused their religious power to exploit young children sexually,” she tells PAPER. The cover was originally a gift for her mother and not intended for official release. “It was raining, with thunder and lightning during the recording session, and when I finished singing, the sun came out, and there was a rainbow outside. It felt magical.”
It was her mother’s reaction and insistence that changed that. “She encouraged us to share it with more than just her, so I decided to design a dress inspired by Joan of Arc (one of Sinéad’s heroes).” Watch the video below.
L’Espiral, Bleu’s new musical project, started after she was cast in a movie last year in which she played a musician. “I spent the past year exploring the process of making music, turning my poetry into songs, and strengthening my voice.” Bleu says she collaborated with her best friend Reggie Debris, who “championed me and has been there for me throughout the years,” and together they recorded 20 songs with “tons more in the works,” even working with other musicians who ended up in the band, including Nick Hinman and Oscar Sholto Robertson.
Bleu, also a designer, says that pairing music and fashion felt natural. “When I'm writing songs, I usually sketch as well, and I began creating garments that pair with each song.” The rhythm of this seems to have created a harmonious creative process for Bleu, one that deepened her relationship to her burgeoning musical craft. “Any work I create has a domino effect on my other projects, whether it's a film, music, poetry, stories, or clothes.”
You can read PAPER’s entire conversation with Zoe Bleu below.
How did L’ESPIRAL come together?
This collaboration really came to fruition when I was cast in a film a year ago. The film follows the love story of a Jewish-American junkie musician who falls in love with a Palestinian journalist in Israeli-occupied Palestine. I had never considered myself a singer, but since being cast for the role, I spent the past year exploring the process of making music, turning my poetry into songs, and strengthening my voice. Reggie Debris, one of my best friends for years, is someone I respect deeply as an artist, musician and a human being. He has championed me and been there for me throughout the years when many did not and encouraged me to pursue my work more vigorously and in more innovative ways.
We had discussed the idea of collaborating on songwriting for years. When this opportunity arose for me to play a musician in this film, I approached him and said, “I’m ready to explore this. Are you still down to make some music together?” He replied, “Of course,” and thus, L’ESPIRAL began! It is an absolute honor and pleasure to work with someone as kind, patient and talented as Reggie. We also have some other incredible musicians in the band now, Nick Hinman and Oscar Sholto Robertson. We started by sorting through some of my poetry and adapting it into songs, ultimately writing about 20 songs with tons more in the works.
Is this what drew L’ESPIRAL to "Troy" as the song to cover?
During this process, my mom and stepfather of 15 years were going through a heavy divorce. My mom played “Troy” by Sinéad O’Connor on repeat during this turbulent period. Interestingly enough, my mom and Sinéad both shared an ex, Peter Gabriel and had some very powerful exchanges between them at different points in time. One of these times included sharing a goblet of wine together when I was in my mom’s belly. My mom always loved and respected Sinéad’s work and thought of her as a true warrior and survivor, something they both have in common, having come from extremely abusive childhoods.
As my mom’s birthday was coming up in August last year, I decided to cover “Troy” for her during our L’ESPIRAL recording sessions for our LP at Château d'Hérouville exactly a year ago in July. The song was never meant to be released; it was a gift for my mom. However, when we were in the studio and received the news of Sinéad’s passing, the decision to record it became even more significant. I sang it the morning after her death. It was raining, with thunder and lightning during the recording session, and when I finished singing, the sun came out, and there was a rainbow outside. It felt magical. When my mom heard it, she burst into tears. She was so excited, and it meant the world to her.
She encouraged us to share it with more than just her, so I decided to design a dress inspired by Joan of Arc (one of Sinéad’s heroes). I reached out to my dear friend and collaborator Jason Renaud to shoot the cover art, and we decided to make a video for it in the beautiful and harsh winter landscapes of Iceland.
What is your personal connection to Sinead's music, and how has it impacted your own art and music?
I am a woman who has experienced sexual abuse as a child. I am the daughter, niece and granddaughter of women who have also been sexually abused, and I have many friends who have endured similar traumas. Sinead O'Connor is a hero to people like me and many others because she stood up publicly and denounced the unjust behavior of men who misused their religious power to exploit young children sexually. Sinead was brave for those who felt voiceless, making a powerful public statement that such abuse was inexcusable and should not be ignored. She stood for the justice of these children and was metaphorically burned at the stake for her courage. She was disgracefully destroyed in the media for this stance. It's clear to me that she sacrificed herself to speak up for the innocents who were hurt and left without peace.
Sinead O'Connor is a hero for this reason—not to mention that her music is unbelievably beautiful. Her lyrics are filled with a rare, raw power and passion. She transmuted her pain into her art in a special way. Her body of work shows a beautiful tapestry of strength and love. I aspire to be as vulnerable and open in my own work as she was.
Zoe, as a designer, how has making music coincided with fashion design in your songwriting process? Any shared lessons, inspirations, or creative exchanges between the two?
I make my own clothes and am always obsessively sketching, so it was natural for me to integrate these two passions. When I'm writing songs, I usually sketch as well, and I began creating garments that pair with each song. You'll see me wearing these pieces when we start promoting our LP at the beginning of next year. Any work I create has a domino effect on my other projects, whether it's a film, music, poetry, stories or clothes. For our 'Troy' cover video, I designed a dress inspired by a famous gown by Azzedine Alaia and the character of Joan of Arc.
Sinead O'Connor feels like a modern-day Joan of Arc to me—a woman too powerful for her own good who challenged powerful men and was punished for it. The dress is a heavy, black, fishnet-covered, hooded gown with a train and hand-sewn oxidized metal disks, resembling chain mail. It weighs about 10 pounds! There are probably hundreds of metal coins still on the stretch of land where we shot the video. Today, in Paris, I left a bouquet of flowers at a statue of Joan of Arc in honor of Joan and Sinead. The running theme for all of my work is always REBIRTH. ‘Troy’ is a song about rising from the ashes of a destructive relationship like a phoenix, symbolizing rebirth. In the clothes, you’ll see a lot of egg motifs and winged sleeves, emphasizing this theme.
Photography: Jason Renaud
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