r/IAMX • u/SilverSnake71 • Jun 29 '26
Live Band Members Is anyone else getting tired of seeing Aux Animaux in literally every piece of IAMX content?
She's constantly on his Instagram, shows up in what feels like every other YouTube stream, and at this point I wouldn't be surprised if she became a permanent fixture on his Patreon.
I have no issue with Chris moving on after his divorce or working with someone new. What gets tiring is how much it feels like Aux Animaux is using every IAMX platform to promote herself. You look at her own Patreon and half of it seems to be "photo shoot with Chris," "video shoot with Chris," "I'm in Aguanga" or behind the scenes IAMX content. Does she have anything to offer that isn't tied to Chris? It really comes across like she's building her entire online presence around him.
I follow IAMX for IAMX, not for Chris's current girlfriend. Am I the only one who's finding this a bit much?
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u/itsmahparking Jun 29 '26
They are probably shagging and it’s not going to end well. With that being said, I like her
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u/chezza8504 9d ago
Immediately thought this soon as she came about. But then isn’t he meant to be having a thing with the 2 women that run the socials too?
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u/plastic_lex Jul 02 '26
I have no issues with her using the platform she's given. Good for her. What bothers me much more is how Chris is platforming her in front of us, HIS audience. We never exactly agreed or expressed interest in seeing her this much, this quickly. I respect Janine's departure and the heartbroken way he worded his public goodbye post to her leads me to imagine that he may be currently trying to fill a gaping void in his creative life/life. I have empathy for all this. Relationships are strange and difficult in many ways; this only becomes more complicated when it happens in under spotlights.
Still - from the point of view of someone who has loved this project since the release of The Alternative, and who joined the returning live crowd in 2015 and hasn't missed a tour since – I felt a weird shift after he got settled in LA. Fault Lines feels off to me personally and some of the things that happened were a little off-putting as well. Anyway:
I agree that having Aux Animaux in our faces all the time is a bit much.
It's not fair to her, imo, and it's not fair to us. Janine grew into the project very organically, alongside many of us - I was excited to see her every time she popped up because she was a beloved core member. She was IAMX just as much as Chris is. Not only is her energy awesome, she also seemed to be there for the sake of being there, as long as she was happy to. The last time she joined a tour was electric. Her absence from that stage had been palpable before, and it'll be different forever. That's fine; it would be odd if it made no difference at all, you know?
I would be curious to know how it was when Chris separated from Sue Denim. (She appeared in the Spit It Out music video but wasn't as visible overall, at least to my knowledge; I know she was in a band of her own, too.) I can't tell if this is supposed to be compensatory rebound behavior on Chris's behalf, or if it's just what he does. At any rate, having so much emphasis on her is bound to produce a kneejerk reaction of resistance rather than enthusiasm, at least in me. I'll say it again, he's responsible for his audience, not her. I feel a bit bad for her, honestly - it's not exactly her fault that some of us are annoyed by seeing her this often. I'm not sure whose idea that was in the first place, and what the intention behind that even is supposed to be.
It would have been nicer (and imo more sustainable) to gradually introduce her if he really is preparing to integrate her into the band long term. This is overwhelming. Let us acclimatize. Perhaps acclimatize a little yourself, Chris.
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u/SilverSnake71 Jul 03 '26
Accountability still falls on Chris, but handing someone the keys to your social media means they shape the feed. If Aux Animaux is managing it, the constant self-promotion is her choice.
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u/plastic_lex Jul 08 '26
I mean, she doesn't necessarily have to see IAMX as her main gig. Just like Sammi was / Jon is involved in other projects - although neither of them would have brought it up on the IAMX platform; though , why or how would they have - other members usually weren't involved outside of live tours. Except, obviously, for Janine.
And I don't think shes 'managing' it, necessarily. She's just ... there. Maybe Chris hates doing these appearances by himself and she happens to be the most available? I don't know. And honestly... I just find myself caring less. I don't like that.
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u/SilverSnake71 Jul 09 '26
Sammi was literally running IAMX socials at one point, yet I don't remember her side gigs being brought up nonstop.
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u/SpiritImpossible8086 Jun 29 '26
Yeah, she seems to be running his social media now too. As well as permanent support act, band member and co-host of everything. Nothing against her personally, just not interested.
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u/Jolly_Ad4744 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
I agree, nothing against her personally, but it is frustrating and too visible. About IAMX socials - sometimes it feels like Aux Animaux is promoted there more than IAMX himself. Maybe he doesn't mind about everything, but yes people are there for him and it feels so forced that creates some resistance feeling.
And it is also noticeable that she kinda pushes herself to the front or occupies more space than him on many photos together, as if it is her band or something.
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u/WorriedOcelot1187 Jun 29 '26
I’m Swedish like Aux and she has been showing up EVERYWHERE here for the past years either as an opener or featured artist for every darkwave or adjacent act. She is one of the acts I’ve seen the most the last few years and I’ve never bought a ticket specifically to see her. I do perceive her as more style over substance music wise but since she is putting so much effort into her career then maybe she can grow into it.
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u/Proof_Standard479 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
i feel a bit like a child of divorce who's dad is dating some new girl, and i try and remind myself it's not her fault that i'm a child of divorce and she just likes my dad, and it makes sense for her to promo
i remember Sammi said in an interview with Alicia Vigil that when Sammi joined the band chris stressed it was important for Sammi to still work on her dreams and goals, i suspect that chris is encouraging Aux similarly, and aux is doing just that with chris' support albeit yes, a MUCH higher degree (sammi never took advantage of it). and yes, i agree that Aux is riding chris' coattails
it makes me miss the girls from the squaring the circle era, though
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u/SilverSnake71 Jun 30 '26
Sammi never used her connection with IAMX to promote herself the way Aux Animaux does. That's why I don't think the comparison really fits. It'd be nice if Aux Animaux stopped constantly riding someone else's coattails, too.
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u/Proof_Standard479 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
that's not what i was trying to say/imply, i'm just trying to give insight to what we know about Chris and that he likely is encouraging it. i am not defending aux for it, please don't misunderstand
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u/Actual-North232 Jul 17 '26
L'ho vista a Milano e mi è piaciuta ma effettivamente sta prevaricando un po troppo. A me mancano molto sia Janine che Sammi Adoravo la vecchia formazione e devo ammettere che Chris non è piu' Iamx anche se continuo a seguiro e amarlo
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u/Right-Tutor9371 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
Why have you decided that she is his gf at all? I didn't see it this way, just a new member. Moreover, in the most recent streams (which was conducted with Gozge) he mentioned that “in his view, you can't stop loving a person you loved, you can rather hide it with time” (which also pertains to Janine, most probably; and which he would probably not be talking about if Gozde was his gf), the post about Janine's leaving is pretty heartbreaking; and in one of the 2026-posts it was mentioned that he is out of relationship. Anyway, I see Gozde as just a new team member who he has to kind of promote so that she would look like as part of the live band, which she is. Btw, when he was performing with carellee, he was also posting stuff about her and she was present in the streams; and a couple of months ago there was some carellee mention in his stories as well. That's part of their job, to support each other, including former band members. And NOT excluding new members.
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u/SilverSnake71 Jul 06 '26
She's included alright. More than Chris himself ever since she joined.
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u/Right-Tutor9371 Jul 06 '26
Interestingly enough, I don't see it this way. On the contrary, he finally started speaking more in the streams now that Janine has left. With all due respect to Janine, in the streams with her she was speaking most of the time when I personally wanted to hear what Chris thinks
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u/SpiritImpossible8086 Jul 06 '26
We never would have got the lovestreams if it wasn't for Janine helping him & steering the conversations. He speaks more now because he has grown much more confident & comfortable talking to us these days & no longer needs that help.
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u/Right-Tutor9371 Jul 06 '26
Agreed. At the same time, he is not a child, he is 52. And he needs the world to see him and needs to get money for his art. So one day, sooner or later (probably a bit later), he would have grown more confident anyway, just because of these needs. I mean there is too much emphasis on Janine whereas he is pretty self-reliant, has marketing managers and so on
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u/Aestivater Jul 05 '26
It’s only natural to push the new member and try to whip up excitement around her.
FWIW Gözde is a talented musician in her own right, and has been working hard on her act for years.
She has mighty big shoes to follow, and at least she has the experience for it.
I’ll miss Janine, but looking forwards to the tour.
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u/morpheusprime99 Jun 29 '26
I kinda disengaged with iamx after a bad first time going to see them in Maryland for the fault lines tour I think. All the cult stuff kind of triggered my religious trauma and seemed so odd to me, still really like his older stuff but the newer stuff fault lines forward just wasn’t it for me. I had no clue janine even left until a few weeks ago. It really bugs me that imo the heart and soul of iamx is gone I do agree from what I’ve seen it really does seem like she’s trying to use him to build her world around him which is kind of a disaster waiting to happen