ABSTRACT
This critical cultural study juxtaposes Front National (FN) candidate Marine Le Pen’s French Presidential campaign video “Au nom de peuple” from 2017 with France’s Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) submission “Mercy” from 2018 by artists Madame Monsieur. Le Pen’s campaign constructs refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants (RASM) as a threat to France, while she rebrands herself via motherhood, France’s nationalistic icons, and allusions to military-style leadership. Le Pen’s far-right nationalist perspective on RASM, repackaged as populism, is countered by the lyrics, video, and performance of Madame Monsieur’s “Mercy” that redeems the maligned public image of RASM, highlights their socio-historical significance to France and Europe, and promotes their support and social inclusion. This study concludes by connecting this analysis to issues that concern the field of critical race media literacy in Europe and the United States as well as internationally.
