Régine Chassagne | |
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_(53843803143)_(cropped).jpg) Chassagne performing withArcade Fire in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Régine Alexandra Chassagne (1976-08-19)19 August 1976 (age 49) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
Spouse | |
Régine Alexandra Chassagne (French pronunciation:[ʁeʒinʃasaɲ]; born 19 August 1976)[1] is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist, and is a member of the bandArcade Fire.
Régine Alexandra Chassagne was born inMontreal,Quebec, Canada, and grew up inSt-Lambert, a suburb south of Montreal.[2][3] Her parents, who were Haitians of mixed French and African descent, moved from Haiti during the dictatorship ofFrançois Duvalier, which is alluded to in the Arcade Fire song "Haïti", in which she sings,Mes cousins jamais nés hantent les nuits de Duvalier ("My unborn cousins haunt Duvalier's nights").[4] The line is in reference to the relatives who were killed during theJérémie Vespers massacre.
Chassagne attendedCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf before earning a B.A. in communication studies atConcordia University[5] in 1998,[6] and went on to study jazz voice briefly atMcGill University.[7] She was singing jazz at an art opening at Concordia in 2000, when Win Butler met her and persuaded her to join his band.
Chassagne has also been involved with a medieval-themed band calledLes Jongleurs de la Mandragore[8] and with Jimmy Rouleau in the jazz duo Azúcar.[9] She also wrote the music for the two-minuteDavid Uloth short film "The Shine", and she contributed to the UNICEF benefit project as part of the North American Hallowe'en Prevention Initiative, performing the song "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?" along with Win Butler.
She plays many instruments on stage, includingaccordion,drums,xylophone,hurdy-gurdy,keyboards,organ andguitar. InArcade Fire, Chassagne performs lead vocals on some songs, including "Haiti", "In the Backseat", "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations", "Empty Room", "Abraham's Daughter", "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", "Creature Comfort", "Electric Blue", and "Unconditional II (Race and Religion)".
In March 2015, Chassagne, along with Win Butler, attended the launch ofmusic streaming serviceTidal, and revealed themselves, along with other notable artists, asshareholders in the company.[10]
Chassagne married fellow Arcade Fire member Win Butler in 2003. They have a son, born in April 2013.[11] The couple announced their separation in October 2025.[12]
| International | |
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| National | |
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