In 2021, it’ll be 40 years since Indochine formed in Paris. In the beginning, they were mainly successful with an emerging new wave audience. Ultimately however, they crossed over to the general public. So far, they sold over 13 million albums and singles, making them the best-selling French band.

One of their first songs to reach a large audience, in 1985, was the single 3ème Sexe (‘third sex’). It was a hymn to sexual tolerance. Still one of their most popular songs, it continues to be played at radio. Also, the band regularly play it live at concerts, often in new versions.

Strange enough, the song is missing from Indochine’s recent ‘best of’ Singles Collection (1981-2021). But in good news: the band reprised the song (now titled 3Sex) with Héloïse Letissier of Christine & The Queens. They couldn’t have found a better (and more fitting) artist to perform it with. Where the original version was sung in a pretty aggressive, activist way, this version sounds softer. This is not only helped by the addition of a female voice, but also by a more electronic musical approach.

Let’s hope this song will get humanity one step closer to understanding, for there is still much to gain as far as sexual tolerance is concerned…

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Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.