Canadian rock band Les Shirley released their third album, Hail Mary, on September 25. We had a chat with Raphaëlle Chouinard and Lisandre Bourdages, who make up the band alongside Sarah Dion, to talk about the new record, the political messages behind their music, their evolution over the years, and their experiences performing on international stages.

Reuel

Hello! It’s a pleasure to connect with you. How is the energy in the Les Shirley camp right now?

Raphaëlle

Hey Hey! Likewise :))) The energy is high right now! We just came back from a quick Germany promo tour last month, released the album on September 25th and are still surfing the PR wave so we’re crazy busy. The hard part is to still take time to rest and set boundaries to keep that energy (because we got a tour coming up!).

Reuel

This sounds very exciting! Your third album, Hail Mary, was released earlier. How are you feeling about the reaction it received from fans so far?

Raphaëlle

We’re super stoked!! You never know how it’s going turn out when you start writing songs for a new album. How is it going sound? What’s it going be about? Will the public still be there? At the end of the day, if you make music that you love and that speaks to your heart and soul it will translate to people. We really feel we found our true sound with this album, it’s everything we wanted it to be and more and we’re glad it resonates with so many people. This one person came to see us after a show in Hamburg to tell us the show brought them to tears. Tears of anger but also of joy. They felt seen and understood. That for us was the ultimate compliment.

Reuel

You cover topics like societal pressure, identity, and standing up for women’s rights on this album. How do you approach writing about those issues without losing your signature fast, heavy rock sound?

Raphaëlle

It’s easy to sing about these subjects on top of heavy, fast paced music. You just want to scream because you’ve had enough of this crap. The writing process of this album was mainly fueled by all the anger we feel right now about our rights being challenged, the patriarchy, the inequalities and such. We feel like silence is not an option anymore, we have a stage and mics and we’re going use them. A fun fact is a media mentioned in an article that basically all the choruses on the album were anthems with multiples vocal layers. ”Almost as is they needed to be heard on top of all that noise nowadays, to tell everyone “HEY! Wake up!”. Without even realizing it, we recorded gang vocals on every tracks. It was kind of a lightbulb moment for us.

Reuel

Brilliant! Every band undergoes a shift between their early releases and their latest work. Looking back at where you started, what core elements of your original sound have stayed with you, and where have you allowed yourselves to push into new territory?

Lisandre

I would say that one of the core elements of our identity since day one has been a three-piece band. It’s a statement in itself. It pushes us creatively and technically to find ways to create the biggest sound possible with just the three of us. In the studio, we often have lots of ideas to bring to a song, but making them work live as a three-piece can be challenging. It forces us to be intentional with every note and to use silence almost as a fourth member. Sometimes, the best thing you can play is nothing at all.
The bass sound and the space it occupies are also a big part of our identity. Sarah has a unique way of playing bass, sometimes almost like a second guitar, which allows Raph to be more melodic — or the other way around. Another key element is that all three of us sing on every song, allowing us to create rich harmonies and fill out our sound even further.
On the other hand, what has changed throughout the years is that we’ve allowed ourselves to become much more politically engaged in our lyrics. We used to write songs about all kinds of random things and keep things on the lighter side. Now, we feel the urge to sing — or scream — about inequality and injustice. It’s becoming harder to write about lighthearted subjects when the world feels like it’s literally burning before our eyes. And honestly, it feels good to let it all out!

Reuel

You’ve shared stages with massive acts like Foo Fighters, Green Day, and Avril Lavigne. What is something you’ve learned from watching those huge stadium productions that you bring into your own headline shows?

Lisandre

Watching Foo Fighters live was a real rock ’n’ roll lesson. They played for three hours straight, without drinking a single sip of water — just champagne — and looked like they were having the time of their lives. After all these years, and after pretty much seeing and doing it all, they still genuinely enjoy being on stage together. And that’s so cool to see. We often hear about bandmates getting sick of each other after a while or losing that excitement of playing in front of a crowd. Honestly, that scares us a little. We want to keep that spark alive and enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts.

Reuel

You’ve spent a lot of time on the road taking your music to new places. Is there a tour story, venue, or crowd energy from your recent travels that has stuck with you?

Yes! Last September, we had the chance to play the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg. We spent a week there, playing different venues and discovering bands from all over the world. Our last show was on the final day of the festival, and we weren’t sure what to expect since we were playing in the middle of the afternoon in a pretty big venue. But it turned out amazing! The 500-capacity venue was completely packed, with a huge line outside. The crowd got super stoked during our set, and we sold a ton of merch! It is so cool to see people show up just because they love music, even when they don’t know the band. It gives us hope!

Reuel

This is indeed amazing! Which musicians would you say have inspired you personally throughout your life and career?

Lisandre

100% Hailey Williams (with and without Paramore). She has such a presence on stage, her vocals are amazing and she was one of the defining artists of the early 00’s. She really inspired us as a front woman and a band leader, breaking the mold of all male bands that dominated the scene. More recently we’d say Remi Wolfe, Lola Young, Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek and Chappell Roan. They’re all fierce women that make amazing music. And of course, our one and only, Céline Dion. For her incredible voice, her character, her persona and for her devotion to representing Quebec all over the world (all her team and musicians are also Quebecers). Shout out to Angine de Poitrine 🙂

Reuel

Thank you for your time! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Raphaëlle

Thank you! It was a pleasure to chat with you guys. I’d only add that people can follow us online (Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok) to get all the latest news, nonsense and tour dates. We are launching the album on November 13th in Quebec City at Le Pantoum and in Montreal on November 19th for M for Montreal at Plaza Theatre. Come hang out and Moshpit!