Héloïse Letissier, better known by her stage name Christine and The Queens, embarked on her first major headlining tour in North-America this month—stopping by New York City’s (sold-out) Terminal 5 on Monday night. The 28-year-old French native brings stateside her cool electronic pop with a powerful message; TIME Magazine having just named her one of nine “Next Generation Leaders” who “are remaking the world”. Letissier’s message is one of independence, acceptance, equality, and empowerment.

Onstage, Letissier adopts her alter ego Christine with the help of her Queens (whose image was born out of Letissier’s days frequenting drag night’s in London on her own journey to find solace and escape). Her debut album, Chaleur Humaine (later rerecorded and rereleased through Neon Gold/Atlantic Records under the title Christine and the Queens in 2015)—was produced, written, and composed by Letissier and carries with it a total sense of wholeness (a harmonious idea of what it means to be complete, something that Christine seems to have found through/with her Queens). Songs like “iT” and “Tilted” bring with them resolution and redefinition. Playing together her stage persona, music, and backup dancers make for a truly artistic and all-encapsulating ensemble.

In New York City on Monday night, Christine shined in a tour de force of creative energy.  There is a raw talent that Christine finds on stage by acting out her music (in both her creative choreography and emotionally charged lyrics). Christine’s charisma is contagious as is sweeps across her audience, embracing them in the most charming of fashion—making them feel welcome, warm, and one with the show. There are times when it feels like Christine is so powerful in her musing that nothing else even exists. In what has now almost become as synonymous as her Queens themselves, Christine brought the evening to a gracious high with a speech—aided along with a flower and a beautiful metaphor—about our own ability to stand strong and remain powerful in the face of adversity. There is, throughout the evening, a total sense of humility and an understanding that Christine may just be on the beginning of an incredibly long and well-deserved journey to greatness.

Be sure to check out Christine and The Queens at christineandthequeens.com and on iTunes.