L'Emprise

'''''L'Emprise''' (English: Influence/ The Grip) is the twelfth studio album by French recording artist Mylène Farmer, released on 25 November 2022 by Stuffed Monkey. The album was produced by Yoann Lemoine, AaRON and Moby, among others. Described as a return to the darker instrumentation of her earlier records, L'Emprise'' is a concept album which deals with a person who is under psychological manipulation and breaks free from it. In Farmer's words: "Who has not crossed the path of a so-called narcissistic pervert? Who has not one day been under the influence ("''l'emprise''") of such a person? Feminine or masculine, it doesn't matter. Ultrasensitive beings inhabited by doubts that gnaw at them are ideal prey. The important thing is to identify it and try to combat this grip. It's a theme that upsets me and often puts me in a black rage."

''L'Emprise'' received positive reviews from music critics, with many noting it as a return to form for Farmer. Reviewers generally praised the album's cohesiveness and melancholic atmosphere, but some lamented the absence of radio-friendly songs.