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Rock

Angine de Poitrine Make Their U.S. TV Debut on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' With New Song 'Zugzegk'

The Quebec duo's viral rise continues. The breezy math rock tune is the first taste of new music from the costumed Billboard Canada cover stars since their Billboard-charting album Vol. II, released in April.

Angine de Poitrine perform 'Zugzegk' on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.'

Angine de Poitrine perform 'Zugzegk' on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.'

Todd Owyoung / NBC

The first taste of new Angine de Poitrine music is here, and it came on a a major stage.

The Quebec math rock duo made a high-profile appearance as the musical guests on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night (Sept. 15), where they surprised the late night crowd by premiering a brand new song titled "Zugzegk."


Their Tonight Show appearance checks off a major milestone for the band, serving as their official TV debut in the United States just days after they gave their first concert in New York City at Le Poisson Rouge on Sept. 9.

The track's title, which Fallon jokingly pronounced by pretending to cough something up, is a play on the French word succès, which perfectly describes the whirlwind year the band has been having, as captured in this Billboard Canada cover story.

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The duo bellowed their name in their unique alien language and warbly voice before launching into the new track, which features a light-hearted and summery feel and includes all of their music's usual quirks, from dynamic time signatures to fun pauses and warm guitars. Klek de Poitrine delivers a fast-paced drumming performance on the track, while some of Khn's guitar notes give it a particularly vintage sound. The duo brought their signature stage design to the Fallon stage, playing in front of polka-dotted bedsheets as the eyes and triangles on their own costumes glowed throughout the song.

It's another high-profile appearance for the band, who guested on BBC's Later... with Jools Holland in the U.K. alongside Shania Twain back in June, where they delivered high-energy renditions of "Fabienk" and "Sarniezz."

With Angine de Poitrine currently on tour, "Zugzegk" could simultaneously become a new addition to the band's setlist and an unreleased treat for fans in North America and Europe to experience live. It's the first new music they've teased since their acclaimed Vol. II album quickly dropped in April amid their viral rise. The LP reached No. 11 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and was later propelled to No. 44 on the Billboard 200 after it was released on CD and vinyl along with its predecessor, Vol. I, which reached No. 53.

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The band are circling back home in November for a pair of Canadian shows at Toronto's History and Montreal's Club Soda, both cities that were part of their monumental year. After launching Vol. II at Club Soda in April, the group headed over to Toronto's Mod Club for their debut in the city with three-sold out shows, the first of which was preceded by an opening stint for Jack White at RBC Amphitheatre. By the end of the month, the polka-dotted aliens ascended to festival headliner status after drawing an outstanding, record-sized audience at the Montreal Jazz Fest, and they played a surprise set on the main stage at Osheaga festival just two months later. They're sticking to tradition in Montreal by returning to Club Soda once more, whereas Toronto's History reflects an upgrade for the band as their global breakthrough continues to scale.

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Watch Angine de Poitrine's full performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon below.

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Macklemore performs at Rolling Stone Future of Music held at ACL Live at the Moody Theater on March 17, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Samantha Tellez/Rolling Stone

Macklemore performs at Rolling Stone Future of Music held at ACL Live at the Moody Theater on March 17, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

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Robert Kraft Calls Macklemore’s ‘Free Palestine’ Statements ‘Deeply Offensive’: ‘A Line Had Been Crossed’

The Gillette Stadium owner released a statement explaining why he helped lead the call for the rapper's removal from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour.

Robert Kraft, the powerhouse businessman who owns and operates Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., has released a statement regarding the ouster of Macklemore from Ed Sheeran‘s tour over what he calls Macklemore’s “deeply offensive and hurtful” statements “to the Jewish community.”

On Monday (Sept. 14), Messina Touring Group, the promoter for Sheeran’s Loop Tour, reported that Macklemore had been booted from his role on the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s current tour after a group of NFL venues, including Kraft’s Gillette Stadium, informed the company that they would not allow the concerts to take place due to Macklemore’s “free Palestine” comments during a show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

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