Cissy Street Kick Off Their Upcoming EP with “Yihetuan”
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French funk outfit Cissy Street returns with "Yihetuan", a vibrant new single that combines irresistible grooves with a deeper historical narrative. Known for their explosive blend of instrumental funk, jazz-infused musicianship, and memorable melodies, the band has steadily built an international following, amassing millions of streams and connecting with dancers and funk lovers across the globe.
With "Yihetuan", Cissy Street opens the door to a new EP centered around the theme of revolt, drawing inspiration from uprisings throughout history while staying true to funk's roots in collective energy, expression, and movement. In this conversation with The New Funky, bandleader Francis Larue discusses the story behind the new single, the evolution of Cissy Street's sound, the influence of funk legends such as The Meters, James Brown, and Tower of Power, and why groove remains the band's guiding force both in the studio and on stage.
TNF: "Yihetuan" is your newest single and it has just been released. What story or idea sits at the core of this track?
Francis: The starting point is always musical. For an EP or an album, I generally try to compose a varied set of tracks that reflects what I love about funk; some with more 70s-inspired grooves, a period I'm particularly fond of, some more contemporary things in the vein of Cory Wong, who has brought a whole side of funk back into the spotlight, and somewhere in between, things more inspired by 80s funk. I also try to vary the tempos.
Yihetuan was composed as a central track; very tight, very danceable. I knew when writing it that it would be the first single: a simple, singable theme, a fairly straight groove and a medium-fast tempo, with a virtuosic development in the extended version.
As for the title, I extended a theme already partially present in the previous album, Revolt. Each track on the new EP references a more or less well-known uprising, across the world and through history. Yihetuan evokes the Boxer Rebellion in China.
TNF: The song is already featured in The New Funky. How do you feel about the track reaching audiences through curated playlists like this?
Francis: For an independent band like Cissy Street, this means a great deal and has a real impact. Curator playlists like The New Funky play the same role that radio used to play: they introduce music to an engaged community. For us it's a direct connection with people who genuinely love funk. And it's not an algorithm placing us there, it's a human choice. With The New Funky, you can tell they know funk and they love it. That changes everything, and makes it all the more flattering.
The New Funky reaches an international audience, and for an independent French band, it's the only realistic channel for existing beyond French borders. We're deeply touched to be supported this way, and genuinely surprised by the audience it brings.
TNF: The title "Yihetuan" stands out immediately. What is the meaning behind the name, and why did it feel like the right title for this piece?
Francis: As I was saying, the tracks on the EP are all organised around a common theme: revolt. Yihetuan evokes the Boxer Rebellion; a popular uprising in imperial China at the end of the 19th century, against foreign domination and colonial powers. The word itself means "Militia of Justice and Concord."
I chose this theme because it resonates with me. The history of funk is also marked, alongside dance, by the struggle for African-American rights. I believe this music, while remaining celebratory, carries political commitment, and that's part of what made it so powerful. I find it particularly compelling that this can be expressed in a joyful and optimistic way.
In funk there is something collective, raw and energetic, something that can feel like the energy of people rising up together. Each track on the EP evokes a different rebellion, across the world and through history.
TNF: Cissy Street first burst onto the jazz-funk scene in 2017 with your debut album. Looking back, how do you feel the band has evolved since that first release?
Francis: We've undoubtedly refined our artistic choices. The years and the concerts have meant we know each other better, and have allowed us to test a lot of things. Both on stage and in the studio. That's helped us see more clearly what we're comfortable with, what works well and what doesn't.
At the beginning the direction was less defined and revolved around jazz-funk-fusion. Over time we gradually set aside the fusion element to focus on a more fully committed instrumental funk aesthetic, which ultimately is closer to who I really am.
Looking back, what surprised us most is the audience this music found. Listeners from all over the world, dancers in Japan, Taiwan and the United States who spontaneously made our music their own. We didn't anticipate that at all in 2017. As an aside, the music video for the single actually grew out of a collaboration with Czech dance company VIVAjump, who had created a choreography for the track 'Tric!' from our previous album. We were deeply moved by that, and invited them to create one specially for the release of Yihetuan.
TNF: Your sound is often described as a mix of explosive funk, jazz-funk exploration, and strong melodic focus. How intentional is that blend when you are writing, and how much comes naturally in the studio?
Francis: This blend is above all natural and intuitive. The product of my musical tastes. I've been passionate since childhood about rhythmic music, music that grooves, that makes you dance, but I'm also deeply shaped by jazz and pop.
So when I write, even though groove is always central, I never set aside melody, harmony, or the "song" element. Singable themes that can connect with a broad audience. I'm a great admirer of Stevie Wonder and the Beatles, who I often look to as models for their ability to write things that are both popular and original. Those are two criteria I'm constantly trying to bring together.
I also try to take into account the individual qualities of the musicians. Simon and Vincent (trombone and saxophone) are excellent jazz players, and their place in the arrangements needs to reflect that.
TNF: Your influences include artists like Tower of Power, James Brown, The Meters, Herbie Hancock, and Roy Hargrove. How do these artists still shape your writing today?
Francis: The world of funk is an inexhaustible treasure that I keep exploring, even though I grew up with it. Not a week goes by without me discovering an old funk album I'd missed. It's an endless source of inspiration.
I regularly pick up ideas here and there. Or I'll listen to a track and think: "I haven't tried writing something in that spirit yet, on that groove." Sometimes I want to pay direct tribute to certain artists. For example, 'Maitreya' on the previous album, which is a reinterpretation of 'Shake Everything You've Got' by Maceo Parker. Or 'Jabo and Clyde', built around James Brown rhythms. Or 'La Tour du Pouvoir', a direct homage to Tower of Power, whose highly syncopated, interlocking writing between the rhythm section and the horns I love.
But ultimately I think a lot of it is unconscious. I've listened to and absorbed these artists so deeply that I don't always think of them when I'm writing.
TNF: Your music has reached nearly 6 million streams on Spotify and built a global audience. Has that level of reach changed how you think about composing or releasing music?
Francis: I think it does influence my composing a little, yes. Not in the sense that it pushes me in one direction over another or limits my freedom, more that it makes me question what I do well and less well. When I see that a track resonates, I naturally wonder why it connects more than others. And I think that feeds into telling myself: "Ok, apparently you're not too bad at this style, you should dig a little deeper in that direction."
It also often confirms things I already sensed, because the tracks that connect are often the ones composed quickly.
That said, I'm convinced that the best engine for composing is the enjoyment you get from it. So I try to stay mindful of that and compose primarily things that I myself enjoy. The rest follows.
TNF: Live performance seems central to Cissy Street's identity, especially with your focus on groove, improvisation, and virtuosity. How do your songs transform once they hit the stage?
Francis: Live shows probably influence the direction of the band more than streaming results do. It's a real laboratory. Once on stage, you see in real time how the audience reacts, and how we ourselves feel on any given track. What works in the studio can fall flat on stage, and vice versa.
Generally speaking, there's more room for improvisation on stage. The tracks are longer, more elastic, and every concert is different. We actually recorded a live album last year that we'll probably release, because it represents a very important side of the band — and a very different one from the studio.
Some tracks are played very differently from their studio versions. Arrangements evolve, adapt, sometimes simplify and sometimes expand. It's another life for the music.
TNF: Can you already share a release window or timeline for the new EP, and where you are currently in the production process?
Francis: The EP is fully recorded, mixed and mastered. It's ready! We chose to precede it with three singles to build anticipation and let each track exist on its own before the full release.
"Yihetuan" is the first. Two more singles will follow before the end of the year, ahead of the full EP release, probably between November 2026 and January 2027.
TNF: Where does the name Cissy Street come from, and does it still represent the same idea or feeling for you today as when the band started?
Francis: Cissy Street is a blend of "Cissy Strut" (the Meters' signature track) and my name "Francis Larue". "La rue" means "the street" in French. It's a bilingual play on words and a quiet nod to my funk roots.
I later realised that the word "Cissy" can carry several meanings. Sometimes pejorative, sometimes affectionate, roughly translating as "effeminate." And in the end I've come to embrace that too, because I think Cissy Street's music, far from being an overly macho and heavy-handed funk, carries a certain femininity. As does funk in general, for that matter. Isn't it enough to look at Prince?
Does the name still represent the same thing? Yes! The Meters remain a central reference, and that element of femininity I mentioned is still fully embraced in our music.
TNF: Looking ahead, what are your plans for touring this new material? Are there specific regions or stages you are hoping to reach this time?
Francis: We have a solid base in France where we've played in close to a hundred venues and festivals. A release tour there is a natural next step.
Internationally it's more complex, but the 6 million streams point to a global audience that strongly motivates us to develop our network beyond French borders. Opportunities are starting to take shape and we're structured enough to seize them. We're very motivated to make it happen.
And if any international bookers are reading this: we're very much open for business!
If you're enjoying the sound of Cissy Street, you'll be pleased to know that you can discover many more of their tracks across The New Funky's curated playlists. From deep-cut funk gems to the latest releases from today's most exciting artists, our playlists are designed to help you explore the full spectrum of modern and classic funk music.
And there's more. The New Funky has recently launched its very own online record store, featuring a growing selection of funk, soul, jazz-funk, and rare groove vinyl. Many of the records available in the shop can also be heard throughout our playlists, making it easier than ever to take your favourite discoveries from streaming to your turntable. As a special offer for our readers, use the promo code TNF26 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.
