There was a time, long ago when musical acts gained attention via a well-made or clever video. Before that, airplay on a radio station in a big market got the ball rolling. Nowadays, of course, its social media, YouTube, or, occasionally, a commercial or TV show using a particular song that got listeners’ attention.
Join the club
For Videoclub, and the duo’s former lead singer Adèle Castillon, it was the first two. Before meeting Matthieu Reynaud, Castillon was racking up YouTube views with a channel that showcased her theatrical abilities.
The meeting with Reynaud resulted in the formation of a band and a romance. Thanks in part to her name recognition, their YouTube channel received thousands of views, which led to attention from the Tik-Tok-sphere as well as Spotify.
While none of their nine singles cracked the top 40 in their native France, the tunes “Amour Plastique” and “Roi” became widely known around the globe thanks to the aforementioned Internet and social media platforms.
Adèle Castillon and Matthieu Reynaud gained the world’s ear in their band Videoclub
The breakup song
Alas, young love is fleeting. Castillon and Reynaud were so cute you could just eat them up. However, they decided to end their personal relationship as well as their professional partnership. Castillon released a solo album in 2023 called Plaisir Risque Dépendance. Reynaud, working under the name Mattyeux, released Mirages in 2024. Both were released by Videoclub’s former label, Sony Music France (SMF). Apparently, SMF didn’t have a lot of confidence in either of them, adding “Videoclub” to each of their names for their solo efforts, at least outside of France.
Castillon’s second album, Crèvecoeur, was released in spring, of 2025, and this time “Videoclub” was not added to her name. The album was preceded by an EP that was later folded into the complete album. The project’s first single, “Ce Soir,” a collaboration with French rapper Gazo, only managed to reach #76 in the French charts but, as of posting, had pulled in 10 million plays on Spotify, in line with her and Videoclub’s previous efforts.
Back to the future
Crèvecoeur is a much more modern sounding album, whereas Videoclub and the first solo works of Castillon and Reynaud were very 80s new wave focused. Indeed, the love of that sound is what first brought the couple together. Her new album is very electronic but firmly in the 21st century.
The title track, which is also the power cut, offers the only connection to Castillon’s previous work. Its very Moog-ey keyboards roll along as she sings (in French) “I leave, and I fear, doubt, I will hide your doubts,” as if to suggest this new direction might be a little scary.
Adèle Castillon enters the 21st century
The tune that follows, “À la folie,” keeps it simple and doesn’t give a clear indication of where things are headed. It’s not until the third track, the single “Ce Soir (feat. Gazo),” that the listener gets a sense of direction. Like many modern collabs, “Ce Soir” follows a familiar modern pattern. A little singing, a little rapping. Thankfully, Gazo sings more than he raps. Not there’s anything wrong with rapping, certainly, but that formula has become a bit stale.
Everybody needs friends
Half of the album’s tracks feature a different collaborator/featured artist. Most are French, with the exception of Spain’s pablopablo and PCB-fave, Britain’s own, Declan McKenna. For that track, weirdly, Videoclub is credited along with Castillon and McKenna. Again, likely a deliberate move to help get the song traction with English language fans already familiar with her previous work.
As good as Videoclub (and the two principles separately) was at honoring ‘80s synthpop, Castillon’s decision to move forward in time is a smart move. Honoring and respecting the past is great and can help expand your audience, but there comes a time when you have to find your own sound. Castillon seems to be moving in the right direction.
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.