Debbie Christ Makes a Gloriously Imperfect Statement With “MESSY WOMAN”

Montreal indie maverick Debbie Christ is done playing small. On “MESSY WOMAN,” the glam and post-punk project of singer-songwriter and guitarist Clara O’Page turns shame, self-doubt, and a complicated past into a loud declaration of self-acceptance, arriving ahead of sophomore album NO GOOD BEING STONE this October.

Created as a love letter to herself, “MESSY WOMAN” confronts O’Page’s fear that past struggles and mistakes could somehow make her less deserving of love. Growing up in an evangelical Christian environment further complicated that relationship with shame, but rather than letting those experiences dictate the present, Debbie Christ flips the narrative. Messiness isn't something to conceal here. It's evidence of having lived, changed, and survived.

That attitude spills brilliantly into the track's accompanying music video. Inspired by the transgressive camp of John Waters' Pink Flamingos and directed by Rachel Moghrabi, the visual follows Debbie Christ through what could be described as the ultimate walk of shame, except its protagonist couldn't care less about anyone's judgment. Moving through recognizable Montreal locations, Debbie is pursued by a group of WASP women representing both religious shame and O'Page's critique of certain strains of second-wave feminism. The absurdity gives the video's heavier ideas room to breathe. Debbie Christ isn't delivering a solemn lesson about healing. She's laughing, causing trouble, and refusing to make herself smaller for other people's comfort.

“I hope that people give themselves some grace, shut up their inner critic for just a moment, and can find the power to love themselves unconditionally,” O'Page shares.

Following July's “TIME & TIME AGAIN,” “MESSY WOMAN” offers another glimpse into NO GOOD BEING STONE and the beautifully unruly world Debbie Christ is building around it. If imperfection is inevitable, you might as well own the hell out of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haYDxNltaIE

“MESSY WOMAN” feels like a rejection of the idea that you need to become perfectly healed before you deserve love. When did you start genuinely believing that for yourself rather than just wanting to believe it?

Oh god, I feel like it's been an ongoing nonlinear process for me over the last few years. Sometimes I'm empowered, sometimes I forget, and I have to remind myself again and again that I am worthy of good things. I think, though, that over the last year I have made some major steps forward since I've been fully sober. The clarity that comes with sobriety has given me the ability to choose better friends, better partners, and to have better boundaries in my relationships. Not to mention asking myself "what do I need" over "what do I want". While I've been learning to be more open to vulnerability and love, I've also been learning to choose people and situations that allow me to move forward in a better direction. 

You’ve spoken about growing up in an evangelical Christian environment where shame played a significant role. How has unlearning that shame influenced Debbie Christ, both as a character and as a creative outlet?

Well, Debbie Christ has always been my outlet for being my most full, actualized self. Through Debbie Christ, I can be brave, outspoken, fierce, and just an overall untamable force. Growing up evangelical throughout my childhood, it was taught that women are meant to play small, be meek, and that their primary role is to serve their husband. Debbie Christ doesn't do any of that! If she had a husband, he'd be on his knees serving her. I'm kidding... mostly. I think, though, as I continue to unlearn the shame, the more fun I have with this project, I just feel more free to push boundaries and experiment. For instance for the music video I was at a point where I was like "I don't care if I make people uncomfortable, especially men. I am going to be unhinged, and wild, and say what I want to say. No apologies". I think that it serves the project too because for the people who get what I'm trying to do, they are also having fun with me.

The “MESSY WOMAN” video takes some heavy ideas and filters them through camp, chaos, and humor. Why was making people laugh important when telling such a personal story?

I am such a clown all day, every day. One of my favorite quotes that I feel so seen by is by Jim Morrison, and he says, "I think of myself as an intelligent, sensitive human being with the soul of a clown which forces me to blow it at the most important moments."  

Making people laugh is important to me because my music has a lot of heaviness to it when you look at the lyrics up close, so I wanted to show my multitudes because as much as I can feel things so heavily, I probably have one of the loudest and most obnoxious laughs you will ever hear. Laughing is how I get through this world, and I think that it helps others to get through the absurdities of life too. 

Montreal almost becomes another character in the video. What has the city given you creatively, and how has getting “lost in its chaos” helped shape the artist you are today?

Well, Montreal is the kind of city that will chew you up and spit you right back out if you're too naive. I have been here for almost 8 years, so it has definitely given me a lot of experiences, full of an assortment of failures and triumphs. I think that ultimately Montreal has shown me how resilient I can be when needed. I've gotten sober here a few times, I've had to start my band from scratch a few times, and I have had to walk away from many relationships. All of this has given me a lot of perspective, giving me a lot to write about. I'm making Montreal sound challenging, which it is, but honestly the music scene here is so inspiring with so many great acts. In one night I can go to an italo synthwave show, with the bar next to it hosting some freak folk Acadian band. It's just endless what you can find here, and I am so blessed to have so many friends here making amazing music and art. If you can, check out bands like Antenna93, Noo Jii, G-String, and Kevin O'Meara

With “MESSY WOMAN” and “TIME & TIME AGAIN” leading toward NO GOOD BEING STONE this October, what are these songs revealing about the album, and where does this next chapter take Debbie Christ that TOWER didn’t?

I'm saying goodbye to folk and saying yes to post-punk baby! I am so excited for this especially, I have been wanting to break away from folk influences forever now and to start playing more heavy sounds that feel more aligned with who i am and what I love listening to. I think that the songs, on a musicality level, are way more danceable, loud, and unapologetic. The album is not entirely post-punk though, I mean i still can't seem to stick to one genre or two even but there's definitely no folk. I think that the songs on the album are saying that matters of the heart are a big focus, but it's not just about romantic relationships, but also about being vulnerable again after painful experiences and being open to new possibilities. Tower was about things falling apart, and No Good Being Stone is about stepping back out into the world fearlessly.