Post by davidhr on Dec 31, 2018 9:42:39 GMT -5
YEAR IN REVIEW 2018
At the end of 2017, we speculated that the coming year might well “continue the tension between Lara’s francophone and international careers/languages”. This we imagined might materialize via the need for publicity and concerts for her English language album, Camouflage, versus her obligations to La Voix in Quebec, as well as time devoted to a promised new French album. And, indeed, that is what did come to pass in 2018, with La Voix, helped by the overwhelming backing of the French language television network TVA and the broader company Quebecor Media, being the clear winner. The year could easily be called “Lara’s Complete Return to Quebec”.
Taking a step back: In 2017, Lara had worked most of the year on her first new large-scale English language album release in more than a decade (‘Camouflage’). Preparations were made for a world tour exploring countries for which, as she said, the English language album would be a passport, those for whom English was much more familiar than French. It would also serve to re-engage the interest of her English language fans, for whom her first album at the turn of the century was such a big hit. Everything was in place, although there was one big difference: the album would be ‘current’, which to Lara and her team of writers (Moh Denebi and Sharon Vaughn) meant a predominantly electro-pop sound, i.e., none of the big, intense ballads for which Lara was known. It was uncertain how well that would be received, although in various interviews Lara indicated this was her all-time favorite album.
Then, as we know by now, in the late summer/early fall of 2017, shortly before the promotional campaign was scheduled to start, Lara received an invitation to return to Montreal and be a judge on La Voix. Given her love for Quebec, and her interest in ‘transmitting’ her knowledge to young singers, this was an invitation she couldn’t refuse. Its implications for ‘Camouflage’ were apparently not really considered, or if they were, they were deemed secondary. But even in the fall of 2017 we saw them begin to play out – the large-scale promotional campaign originally set for October 2017 to publicize her five U.S. concerts never got off the ground, as Lara was moving back to Quebec. Lara’s people indicated she would only be available for “nation-wide” promotional campaigns, rather than more local shows. And there were very few of those.
Still, as 2018 began, it was not clear how it would all play out. The press release dated January 2018 contained the following:
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“PRESS RELEASE UPDATED: JAN 2, 2018
Lara Fabian Camouflage World Tour
NEW YORK, January 2, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Get ready for more LARA FABIAN! Her highly-anticipated world tour kicks off in North America beginning February 2018. After selling more than 20 million albums worldwide, Fabian is returning to the international scene with her 13th studio album, CAMOUFLAGE, consisting of 12 songs, written and composed by Fabian together with Sharon Vaughn (USA) and Moh Denebi (Sweden). THE CAMOUFLAGE WORLD TOUR launches in the USA on Feb. 2 in Miami, Florida, and spans 40 dates worldwide, culminating in a Paris show in June of 2018…
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Subsequently five shows were added for Germany in September, and one for Brazil following those. Had all these events come to pass, the rationale for the English album release, and the possibility of entraining in new listeners, would have been fulfilled.
Unfortunately, what did happen was a greatly abbreviated tour, due both to Lara’s reduced availability, the (related) lack of promotion, and subsequent poor ticket sales. Only about ½ of those intended concerts took place (21 as listed on the Events page of Lara’s FB site). All the concerts in Germany were cancelled, as was her attempt to go to Brazil. [So as it turned out, Paris was indeed the last full Camouflage concert]. Album sales were by far the worst of her career for a large-scale release; world-wide, the album has sold 32,000 copies (CD and digital download), of which approximately 11,000 were in France, 5,000 in Canada and 5,000 in Belgium, with the rest coming from a mixture of different countries (information from Odacity).
Lara later complained that not enough people got to hear that album (or in fact to see the tour), and this really was a shame. The album was quite excellent: musical, with fine singing and instrumentation, meaningful songs and modern rhythms. It did lack the ‘big ballad’ that could have gained it the spotlight despite everything else. And as it was her first English language album in so many years, it did not have a built-in English audience ready for its release, while the Francophile world largely ignored it, even in Belgium.
The tour also was fantastic – with wonderfully creative background scenes shown on the screen behind her and Lara in full vocal command. Lara’s promotional material called it “visually stunning and innovative”, and indeed it was. At one point, there seemed to be the possibility of having a DVD recorded of it, but as the momentum behind this album faded, so did that motivation. However, we are fortunate to have several audience videos of the more or less complete show, (e.g., from Moscow, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A4myir-oy0&t=521s).
If this turns out to be Lara’s last attempt at an English language recording, it will, in effect, continue her history of missed opportunities in that language, and deprive her of what many believe could have been a much more massive audience. In commenting on this possibility, Lara’s people have denied it, saying that Lara is “in it for the long haul”, implying, perhaps, future English language albums, U.S. tours, etc. We’ll see.
Instead of promoting Camouflage, Lara settled fully into the life in Quebec, and her reward for that has been as she herself indicated, the happiest of times. Her popularity soared with her appearances as a judge and mentor on La Voix and with the backing promotional power of TVA, which included placing her on their numerous TV programs. (Becoming a Canadian citizen, those many years ago, turned out to be a great advantage, as there are laws mandating the percentage of time given to Canadian artists on the airwaves, so Lara qualified). Even she was amazed by how quickly she regained her ‘lost’ popularity; as Lara said, “it was as if you knocked on the door of a relative you hadn’t seen in many years, and they welcomed you with open arms”. Her family (husband Gabriel and daughter Lou) seem to have adapted quickly to the culture in Quebec, and Lara now has obvious future plans for herself there, where she will most likely now be living full time.
Continuing with the French language/Quebec theme, the other major event of the year (which took place largely out of sight) was Lara’s production of a new French language album. This was recorded, quickly – Lara said in 10 days - and without much fanfare, at her Quebec home, with all the contributing talents (except for her co-writers) being local people. It has made a minor splash with the release of several singles and associated videos, and a bit of promotion, but it will come to fruition in 2019, when it will be released.
So 2018 was a year of choices; it turns out she couldn’t have everything, but what she has chosen has made her very happy. Below is a summary of the outstanding events in each month.
January:
*Promotion started for La Voix, highlighted by Lara’s appearance on the show “Ca commence bien l’annee”.
*There was some promotion for Lara’s U.S. Camouflage concerts, e.g., on taxis in New York City.
*Band rehearsals took place in Stockholm before moving to Quebec, where Lara joined them late in the month.
*‘Chameleon’ was released as the third single, and it temporarily reached the top of the charts in Quebec, though it had little impact elsewhere.
*The death of France Gall occurred, and Lara wrote,
“She had this quite small
Additional soul
This indefinable charm
This little flame”
It was just the first of the epitaphs Lara would have to write this year, following that for the death of Johnny Hallyday late in 2017.
February:
*The U.S. concert tour took place during the first half of the month, five cities in the span of some 10 days. The New York concert was sold out, the other cities were about ½ to 3/4 full. The issues discussed above – lack of availability and promotion, unfamiliarity of the artist – likely contributed to this turnout. New York had the distinct advantage of a large Russian contingent.
*’Billboard’ indicated that her New York Beacon Theater concert in which she earned $321,000, was the 54th highest grossing concert in the first part of this year.
*One special component was that Lara held ‘Meet and Greet’ sessions in conjunction with these concerts, which gave fans an opportunity to talk with her personally. This was a bit hit with those fans.
*And towards the end of the month Lara had six more shows scheduled, in Russia and Ukraine (without Meet and Greets, for some reason).
*However, the third show in Kiev was cancelled, as the organizers could not pay Lara and her band. They couldn’t pay for the second show either, but Lara, not wanting to see the audience suffer any further, went on with that concert anyway. At the end of that concert, referring to this state of affairs, Lara concluded, “I just want to say, one last thing before I leave, I just want to say tonight was a very special night because no matter what, you were here and I was here under all circumstances, thank you, see you very soon, I love you.”
*The setlist for the Camouflage World Tour contained all 12 of the new songs, as well as three of her most popular English songs from her first English album. There were also six French selections including, as usual, mostly the obvious popular ones.
*The concerts got excellent reviews from the audience, for both audio and visual aspects. It also got a (very) few reviews in the press, again quite excellent.
A somewhat blunt, but actually typical review from one of the concerts in Moscow included these comments:
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It so happened that the first time I listened to the album it was on the eve of the concert, I repent. And I did not like it at all, straight from the beginning, it seemed somehow dull, depressive, and a voice in electronic processing, as if it were not Lara's album at all. I went to the concert with thoughts: okay at least I'll see Lara live. Half of the concert was for me sleepy in terms of music, but joyful from contemplation. Yes, and Lara at first was some kind of tense, squeezed, though she tried to dance. The audience took rather restrained the new songs. But after the performance of old hits, it became noticeably lively, the fans carried flowers, and Lara became more joyful and active… By the end of the concert, the room melted and even Bravo was shouted at new songs! I liked that the voice was without electronic processing, but so deep, alive and native. And the songs sounded alive better than on the album. I noticed that the third day in my head spinning new songs and I'm singing
I listened once more to the album, and it is such a cool guy, and the music is fashionable!! Modern, stylish and high-quality product turned out, thanks Lara!
Ps: do not repeat my mistake, listen to the album several times, especially the recording from the concert.
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What was stated above was repeated at most of the concerts: the older songs got the best responses, due both to their emotional intensity and their familiarity. But the new songs were quite good.
*A remix of ‘Chameleon’ by the Israeli DJ Tomer G was released, and it got excellent reviews as well.
*Lara’s one main U.S. ‘nation-wide’ promotion occurred with her appearance on the Hallmark Channel where she performed an acoustic version of “We Are the Flyers” before hosts who were already big fans. [An irony here is that she sings with Moh Denebi playing the guitar – while in the actual show, there are no guitars on stage, a rarity for modern day popular concerts].
*Also this month, La Voix began airing, with an emotional and highly involved Lara getting noticeable attention from the press and the audience. She was, in effect, a revelation to them, quite different from the other, more staid judges. Most of it was positive, although one critic (columnist Hugo Dumas) said, "I like Lara Fabian's combativeness, as well as her precise vocabulary, but she has to take down her poetic enthusiasm an octave. Question of credibility.”
*Lara had no trouble getting contestants on to her ‘team’ – that enthusiasm implied to them that Lara would be heavily involved with them, which she was.
*The opening show also included a medley associated with each of the judges, and all the judges singing it. In Lara’s case, it was (not surprisingly) “Je t’aime”, which was done sincerely by all involved, and was actually quite spectacular.
*In another, less scripted rendition of this song, Lara was at the “date karaoke bar” in Montreal, and there are videos of her singing “Je t’aime” there, with the crowd; it went viral in Quebec.
March:
*As La Voix continued gaining momentum, Lara’s activities became more focused on it and its promotion. She was on various television shows in Quebec, and gave numerous press interviews.
*The TV show ’La vraie nature’ was especially instrumental in having the Quebec audience relate to Lara. When asked why she left Quebec, she recounted her breakup with Rick Allison, being reduced to tears in doing so. She said,
"I did not want to leave. (...) I went back to my mother and told her that I had lost everything. The most serious thing is that I had lost him. He was everything to me. There was nobody in the world I loved more. No one in the world whom I trusted more. No one. I would say that never again will I love someone or I will trust someone like that.”
The host then had a surprise for Lara, a recording that Rick Allison did for her, singing “Je t’aime”. As one can imagine, this whole episode became quite a sensation.
*Lara was also on ‘Les Enfants de la Tele’, a show about guests who have grown up on TV. Lara was the perfect poster child for this, as they could use clips from her Canadian TV appearances between 1991 and 1997, and then various clips from Belgium and French TV, throughout the program. The panelists were clearly super impressed by Lara’s history, including her singing, and all the various legends of French song that she has performed with. One imagines that some of the audience wasn’t even alive when her past Quebecoise experiences were occurring.
*And Lara was on the TV show ‘Microphone’, singing a wonderfully-jazzy version of “Je t’aime”.
*Lara gave a private concert for the King and Queen of Belgium, who were visiting Quebec (again ironic, given that she’s no longer living there).
*At the end of the month she had three concerts in eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania. All went off without a hitch, except for her emotional breakdown during her singing of ‘Je suis malade’ in Sophia. In contrast to the situation in the U.S., these shows got numerous, very positive reviews in the press, and big audiences.
*Lara was able to leave for these concerts, as well as those in February, because the concurrent La Voix shows were all pre-recorded. That would not be true in April, or the first part of May, and so fewer concerts could be scheduled then.
April:
*Lara did have one concert, in Budapest early in the month, having gone home to Belgium after her show in Romania, before going there.
*Otherwise, La Voix dominated Lara’s attention, with the candidacy of Miriam Jean-Alexandre, Redgree, Kelly, Felix and Elodie becoming most prominent among her team.
*Miriam and Felix emerged the winners of their sections of Lara’s team – Felix primarily because of Lara, who said she “thought of him like a son”.
*Miriam eventually prevailed before the public, and went to the finals representing Lara’s team. Yann Brassard had originally been on Lara’s team, and when she dropped him, he was picked up by Alex Nevsky, and also made the finals.
*An indication of the power of the company promoting La Voix, and therefore Lara, was evident in an article which noted that “Quebecor owns the most highly rated conventional television station in Quebec the TVA network, a number of cable channels, a portfolio of the most-read newspapers, one of the most successful book publishers, a catalogue of glossy magazines and …one of the leading internet and cable service providers in Quebec, Videotron.” (There was even a rumor that Lara would do a book for them).
*In that regard, Lara was on the cover of the Canadian magazine “Clin d’oeil”, and was celebrated with a big article. She also did a video promotion for them.
*Lara continued to be featured in various articles in Quebec. In one story in the Journal of Montreal, it included the following:
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Lara Fabian: the Rebirth
MARC-ANDRÉ LEMIEUX
Saturday, April 21, 2018 01:00
Some artists leave no one indifferent. Lara Fabian is one of them. In 30 years of career, the singer was as venerated as hated. Often for the same reasons. But for some time now, her detractors seem to have exhausted their ammunition, and for a rare time, praise monopolizes the space. La Voix illustrates this new reality.
During a recent show, a contestant from Eric Lapointe freshly eliminated even said she was happy to have participated in the contest for having "breathed the same air as Lara Fabian”. When we talk about tribute, we can hardly find better…
After 15 years in Belgium, Lara Fabian returned to the Belle Province last fall. The move was smooth, both for Lou, her 10-year-old daughter, and Gabriel Di Giorgi, her illusionist spouse.
"I did not know they were going to welcome me like that”, the singer shines. “They stop me all the time to tell me that they love me. I was at the Munich airport this winter and four passing Quebeckers said to me: "We are so happy that you came back." Back ... They made me so happy by using this word. Me, that's how I felt, but when you're gone for 15 years, you do not know what to expect."
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*Another very positive article, all about Lara, described her as being a “dedicated coach”.
*In the original, tentative concert schedule, events were listed for Milan on April 15th, and Naples on April 17th. These would have been the first live concerts she has ever given in Italy, her ‘native’ country. They, along with tentative concerts in Vienna and and Ljubljana (Slovenia) apparently fell victim to the programming schedule for La Voix, and were not made up.
May:
*The finals of La Voix were held at the beginning of the month, and Yama, the candidate of Garou’s team, was the winner. A very soulful singer, she had impressed even Paul McCartney, earlier in the competition, with a rendition of his song “Let It Be”. It’s the first time a competitor born outside the country (she is Haitian) has ever won the competition.
*As one of the conditions of the finals, the judges had to write songs for the contestants. Lara’s song for Miriam was entitled "Je veux donner". Interestingly, she also decided to write a song for Felix Lemelin, eliminated in the semifinals. The piece, which she developed for him with her spouse, was titled "Je rentre chez nous."
*All the judges had to perform as well. Lara Fabian redid “Je suis malade” accompanied by Geneviève Leclerc, semi-finalist for Marc Dupré in La Voix 4, and it got a tremendous reception. A comment in ‘The Press’ about it read, “It's crazy how much we forgot that Lara Fabian sang almost sinfully. A solid number.”
*The worst aspect of the month – and likely the year – was the unexpected passing of Maurane at the age of 57. Lara wrote the following (translated) dedication to her:
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“Maurane, wonderful Maurane,
I can not believe I will not hear you laugh any more, and sing. I can not believe I will no longer hear you say to me, "How goes my croquette? Do we peter the bubbles?"
You who had just retaken the path of your voice .... you who lived to delight us .... you who were one of those rare artists, bigger than music .... not without you ...
I'm sitting here in my little white office in Montreal, I do not want to realize that you are no more.... I can not ... I tell myself that you're going to call and bother me, because 'we do not see each other enough... “but life”
But this fucking life!!!
Mau, I still want us ... still standing face to face, you my other, diving into my big lake, me your other, coiled in your cello...
I do not want your absence
I want our crazy laugh and our voices mixed..... I want our strange link....
A part of my life has just left with you and I will never be there again ...
I love you.
Lara,
Your croquette
PS: Know that I will come to find you there...”
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She then went to the funeral the following week.
*And on the same day she had to do that, she then went to Amsterdam for her first concert in Holland. She started with a solo performance of “Tu es mon autre” and a big picture of Maurane on the screen.
*That was followed by two concerts in Athens. These were ‘make-ups’ for the concert she had to cancel there previously due to a power failure caused by a rainstorm. Lara ended up filling 12,000 seats at these concerts, which got great reviews. A portion of one such is copied below:
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The artist may say “what makes us human is perfect imperfection”, but I do not think there was anything imperfect in her performance. An astonishing voice, that even when she performed sitting on a chair, you could feel it coming out of the depths of her soul and could reach any height Lara Fabian liked. A very nice and emotional moment took place during “Je t’aime”, when a crying young woman with the help of her mother approached the stage and handed the singer a bouquet of flowers. Elegant lyrics, beautiful melodies, songs full of emotions and love and all these with crystal clear sound and incredible video shows.
An excellent production, that’s not only good for last year [when it was rained out], but in my opinion satisfied every guest of the concert. Lara Fabian is an artist with an extraordinary voice, emotion and ability to carry your mind and soul away. Carry you away even if you do not know her songs or even the language. And this is the greatest accomplishment of Lara Fabian.
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June:
*Lara brought her ‘Camouflage’ world tour to Francophone countries for the first time, with concerts in Brussels and Paris. Despite the predominance of English language songs, they got good reviews.
*In Brussels, Lara spoke mostly (but not exclusively) in French while describing the songs, and there was enough French in the setlist that it didn’t seem to be a problem. The top balconies apparently were closed, and so the hall seated some 4000, which was pretty well-filled.
*One review ended: “Close to her audience, she kept repeating how much she owed it, and how much she held to it. Accepting gifts and handshakes, there is no doubt that Lara was moved to perform in her homeland. Seeing the singer once in concert is something we recommend. For the energy that emanates from her, for the particular atmosphere that is felt there and especially, for the vocal talent of Lara Fabian. Many would dream, after 30 years of career, to have her career. And above all, it's a good idea to enjoy a concert live pure, not in semi playback. Proof that yes, Belgium is full of talent. They are before our eyes, and we must appreciate them. There is no need to look beyond borders.”
*A week later she gave her show in Paris, again to very good audience reviews, and a house of some 4000-4500 people.
*In-between, Lara gave a concert in Prague, long a favorite locale for her.
*On the other hand: the following announcement from Lara’s people came this month: “We regret to inform that the Germany concerts are cancelled by the organizing company, BEBG. Following a tragic accident occurred to the Director of the organizing company, BEBG, the company representatives have informed us about their incapacity to ensure proper promotion and organization of the concerts in Germany, or to ensure any of their financial obligations in regards to the artist, band and crew. We have witnessed in the last months, that no promotion was made in Germany about these concerts, which have resulted in poor ticket sales situation. We expect the organizing company to publish information regarding the reimbursement of all tickets purchased. We are working now to bring Lara Fabian to Germany in cooperation with another concert organizing company.” [It didn’t happen].
*The new upcoming French album made its first recognizable appearance with pre-listening sessions held in Brussels and Paris. A long-advertised November release for the new album thus seemed to be on schedule (though it turned out not to be).
July:
*With the beginning of summer, Lara had plenty of time for rest and relaxation. So the events of this month were on a much smaller scale.
*She had little celebrations for Canada Day; for the Equality of Rights, Against Discrimination in France; for Gay Pride Day in France; and for the Belgian National Holiday, all during this month.
*Lara spent the month in Sicily, and posted various personal pictures of her time there on her FB and Instagram sites.
August:
*A number of promotions and articles appeared this month, and even in July, concerning Lara’s upcoming trip to Brazil. Here’s an example:
"Brazil is the country where I have the most fans around the world. According to YouTube, Brazil is the number one listeners of my music and São Paulo is the city where I have the most fans. How strange is it that I've never done a show in São Paulo all these years? My fans have been very patient and loyal for waiting so long. That's why I chose São Paulo to finally go with the Camouflage world tour. It will be like rediscovering an old love after decades", explains the artist in an interview with the Courier.
A ‘Meet and Greet’ was even scheduled.
*However…by the end of the month, there was this dialog on Lara’s site:
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Guilherme Paukoski: Waiting for you in Brazil
Lara Fabian: I was looking forward to come too, but what is going on there? The venue is still almost empty, I am very worried
Andreza Ranieri: More than one thousand tickets have been sold Lara. But there is no promotion whatsoever from the people who are bringing you here. After almost 20 years, something other than facebook posts from us from the fan club needs to be done.
And again:
Diego Kilcher: Lara we are waiting for you in Brazil. This show will be unique!!
Lara Fabian: I hope so.. I am worried that many fans are not coming to Sao Paulo... :/
Leandro Azevedo: Lara Fabian the affection we have for you is immeasurable, it is custom of the Brazilian to leave everything for the last hour. Don't despair soon the concert is full.
And yet again:
Jamerson Lima: Lara your show in Brazil will be unforgettable! We love you!
Lara Fabian: I hope so too, but the venue is still quite empty. I am worried for the Sao Paulo concert.. :>/
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Lara went on to say that she has been told that 3/4 of the seats are still available, and it’s not up to her, it’s the promoter who has the final say [although 1,000 tickets already sold seemed respectable, one month ahead of time].
*Towards the middle of the month it was announced that, yes, Lara would be a coach on the next season of La Voix. This immediately raised the problem of the new album’s promotion and tour – similar to what had occurred with Camouflage.
*Lara finished her vacation time in Sicily, and participated in the Montreal Pride event.
September:
*Not surprising, given the previous dialog, Lara’s people provided the following at the beginning of the month:
“We regret to inform that the concert “Camouflage World Tour” in Sao Paulo, on September 28th 2018, has been cancelled.
This decision, taken jointly by Mundo Entertainment (the concert organizer), and Lara Fabian’s management, was necessary due to the situation in regards to ticket sales. The ticket sales figures are at a level which do not allow us to ensure the conditions for presenting the show, as it should be. As much as Lara Fabian and all of us regret this decision, this cancellation was inevitable, without putting the show, the public, or the companies involved in jeopardy.
Nevertheless, we will continue our collaboration, to ensure that Lara Fabian comes to Brazil as soon as possible, for a show that will be tailor-made for Brazil. We thank you for your understanding, and apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
*Lara then added her own comment:
“My dear Brazilian fans.. I am so heartbroken.. I was worried these last days, that it would come to this.. And the inevitable has happened.. I was looking forward to celebrate the final date of this tour in São Paulo, with you.. who have been so patient for all these years.. I truly share your disappointment. But, unfortunately, we live in difficult times in the music industry, where the decisions between production companies and local concert organizing companies are dependent of tough economic realities.. However…we are already working on finding another formula, for a more intimate show, that would be specially prepared for you, for Brazil, and allow us to come as soon as possible, under better conditions for all of us…
Isso é uma promessa [That is a promise] ... Love, L.
*This result, and the cancellation of the German concerts – as well as a number of the other dates that were not finalized along the way – did not occur by random chance. As discussed in the introduction, they were the result of the choice to focus on La Voix and Lara’s experiences in Quebec. The lack of promotion that people noted throughout the Camouflage tour – which Lara’s people have repeatedly said was the responsibility of the organizers - would presumably not have occurred had there been sufficient oversight, had the tour’s success been the main interest of Lara and her people. Especially for someone who hadn’t produced an English album in so many years, full attention was mandatory. When it was not given, these expressions of sorrow ended up being the result.
*As to Lara’s initial motivation for the English album – that it would provide a passport to countries she had not previously accessed – it turns out that the only different places she went with the English album that she hadn’t with her previous French album, “Ma vie dans la tienne”, were: the U.S. and the Czech Republic (both countries where she had been previously with ‘Le Secret’, a French album), and Holland (where she at least has made an appearance previously, also singing in French). Notable places that she did not go, where English is the official language include England, Australia, New Zealand, and English speaking Canada. None of them were actually on the initial list of tentative concert venues, so even if La Voix had not intervened, she wouldn’t have gone there. Right from the beginning, therefore, it seems as if this was a half-hearted attempt, and so it didn’t take a lot to upend it. And La Voix was “a lot”.
*Turning back to Quebec, Lara continued to reap the benefits of that focus. She was the guest of Sonia Benezra on her return to television with “Tout le monde aime…Lara Fabian”. A great adulatory program, It featured true warmth between the host, Lara and the audience, with numerous musical numbers that were tributes to Lara’s previous time in Quebec, on some of which Lara joined in. Even Miriam and Felix, her two favorites from La Voix, participated. This program epitomized the great love that Lara enjoys in Quebec.
*It included words written for a new version of “On t’aime”, translated as:
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Okay, my little girl
We've been reclaiming you for a long time
You've crossed the seas
We missed you, we were looking for you
You know, with France
We should not have had to share you
If you go back there
We're going to cry out
We love you
We love you
We're crazy about you, Lara
You're our movie star
We love you
We love you
We are always here for you
We're bored when you're not there
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*In yet another Quebec honor, Lara received SOCAN Classics awards for two songs: “Je t’aime” and (surprisingly) “Leila”. To earn the title of Classic, the song must have been heard more than 25,000 times on the radio since its launch at least 20 years ago.
October:
*The beginning of this month marked the “breaking of the dam” on information concerning the new French album. In particular, the first single, entitled ‘Papillon’ was released. A music video was released in conjunction with it, done by a couple of young Montreal producers, ‘Plastic Gun’. Both the single and the video got quite good reviews, even though the song is in more of the ‘electro-pop’ mode established with Camouflage.
*The official announcement read, “After her latest album in French, "Ma vie dans la tienne" released in 2015 and certified "platinum" in France and "Gold" in Belgium, Lara Fabian returns with a new album composed of 11 titles in French, and written, recorded and produced in Montreal. The Belgian-Canadian artist, who has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, has just completed an international tour, the "Camouflage World Tour". Lara's new album, entitled "Papillon", will be the 10th studio album of the performer whose titles have become classics like "Je t’aime", "Tout", "Immortelle", "J’y crois encore", "Adagio" or "Tue es mon autre". The first single of this album, "Papillon”, bearing the same name as the album, will be released on October 5th. The release of the album is scheduled for early 2019.”
*Lara worked on the album with the same writing team she had used for Camouflage, Moh Denebi and Sharon Vaughn.
*This month Lara returned to Belgium and France to promote the album, which (we now know) is scheduled for release in February 2019. She appeared on various TV shows (e.g., 90 minutes on Bel RTL; A La Bonne Heure” and “"Touche Pas A Mon Poste" on French TV) and in the print media (e.g., the Belgian paper “La Dernière Heure”).
*Here’s what Lara had to say in that publication:
“"Papillon is an ode to lightness and gratitude", says Lara Fabian, about her new single, "Papillon", which will be released this Friday and announces a new album for February 2019. "A way of removing my nose from the glass and to saying to myself : Here, if I had only 24 hours to live, what would I do? Would I continue to torture myself with things that are not going well or would I just take a little height and appreciate the beauty of what I already have? I want to enjoy what life has offered me. To fly in gratitude rather than torpedo oneself as one sometimes does. It is completely human, the two poles exist, but we are sometimes a little swallowed by life. In short, a way of looking with height. Count our chances and blessings."
*Not to be outdone, in Quebec, Lara was on the cover of “7Jours” with a long article and various photos of her.
*In an article in the Journal of Montreal, Lara emphasized that this album was “100% made in Quebec". She said, “"The album was made in the basement, in the cellar of my house. It reminds me of my beginnings, even before I was known, where I got up in the morning and I went down to the studio in my pajamas. Everything was created here, at home, in my husband Gabriel's studio," she says.
*In that same article, the following is included:
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When the conversation bifurcated on the album Camouflage, we detect a tiny touch of disappointment in the tone of Lara Fabian.
"It's an album that has remained, my faith, quite discreet, that was not completely heard as I would have liked. It was perhaps too new, too different from what people were waiting for. But at the same time, it allowed me to express something that, musically, is very current. And some songs have been loved by people like Chameleon and We Are the Flyers…”
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*In another series of major Quebec events, Lara gave three concerts in the province, two in Montreal and one in Quebec City. While they were in some sense a continuation of the Camouflage promotion, they are not listed as such on Lara’s Events page, and the program of the evening was entirely revised for performances in the province, with just five songs from Camouflage. Lara said, "I removed several songs in English and added songs in French to tell this love story that I have with Quebec. And also because, here, a Lara Fabian show without Je t’aime, it just does not work" jokes the singer.
*In particular she augmented the show with songs from her earlier time Quebec (e.g., Si tu m’aimes; Saisir le jour; Tu t’en vas (duo with Félix Lemelin). Tu es mon autre was done in duo with George Perris; and Lara even performed Papillon.
*An article discussing it in the Quebec Huffington Post included the following comments:
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Lara Fabian Continues Her Great Love Affair with Quebec
The singer was treated to many ovations for her reunion with the Quebec public
By Jean-François Vandeuren
The great love story between Lara Fabian and the Quebec public was again confirmed this Friday, October 12, when the singer went on stage at the Théâtre St-Denis to give the first of a series of three specially designed concerts for La Belle Province…
Between pure emotions, social message (global warming seems to very much preoccupy the singer) and dancing moments, Lara Fabian delivered a flawless vocal performance. The star has taken an obvious pleasure in revisiting some of her compositions by modernizing or nuancing them, while doing justice to her greatest classics.
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And there were many articles of a similar nature.
*The three concerts had a total audience of more than 11,000 people.
*Lara had another musical venture come to fruition this month. She appeared on the album by Jean-Pierre Ferland entitled “Toutes les femmes de ma vie” which quickly jumped to #2 on iTunes in Quebec. In particular she sang a duet with him entitled “Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin”, which immediately went to #8 of the most downloaded songs on that same list. Lara did a sensational job on it.
*Also this month, Charles Aznavour passed away, at the age of 94. Lara wrote, ““A giant of the song has left us ... I am deeply saddened by the departure of the one who has taught us so much ... and given so much”. [Lara had included his song “Comme ils disent” on her “En toute intimate” album and DVD].
November:
*With a lack of official appearances, Lara tried to keep in touch with her audience by posting pictures of events in her daily life, either on FB or Instagram. Many such were featured this month (and October and December as well). Included in particular was an announcement and photo of a new addition to her family, “Little Kayla”, a dog.
*However her primary activity was the beginning of taping for the coming season of La Voix. Lara characterized them as “very long days”.
*Lara participated in the soundtrack of a Quebec film entitled “La Course des Tuques”. She performed the song, “What If”, a nice peppy number, again sung in superb fashion. It went to #10 on Spotify in Canada.
*Promotion for the new album continued with the release of the cover photo – a truly beautiful (and sexy) picture of Lara. By the end of the month there was the release of the second single, “Je suis a toi”, as well as the ability to pre-order the album (“Papillon”). Various articles announced these promotions, in Quebec and in Belgium and France.
December:
*More news surfaced concerning the new album. For one thing, its total time is short, and roughly similar to that of Camouflage, at just under 40 minutes. We know from the first two songs, and Lara and her Team’s comments, that it too will be “electro-pop” in nature. We’ve also heard that it will contain one song that’s “a love letter to Maurane”, which Lara said she actually wrote for her before her death.
*In conjunction with the second single, a music video has been released, quite romantic (and sexy) in nature, again produced by “Plastic Gun”, and getting great reviews. And there is now a ‘remix’ available, provided by DJ Moto Blanco.
*La Voix released a promo video sung by the four coaches for the coming season, the song “For Me, Formidable” by Charles Aznavour / Jacques Plante. Lara is sensational, as usual, in this mixed English-French song.
*Lara’s ties to Quebec became even more apparent, with her deciding to spend Christmas Day in Montreal, rather than going back to Europe as she did last year. She also related that she had promised Lou they would stop moving around as Lou will be entering secondary school.
*The concert schedule for 2019/2020 is being formulated, and it is not explicitly in promotion of “Papillon”. For one thing, the concerts will start during the fall/winter of 2018/2019, some six months (at least) from the date of the album’s release, so they will seem a little anti-climactic. Spinning this in the positive sense, according to Lara’s official announcements they will begin on January 9, 2020 in Brussels, when she will turn 50, so therefore they are being called “50”. The official announcement reads, “Lara Fabian will be celebrating her 50th anniversary with a unique show, comprising the music from more than 25 years of career. More concert dates (with several dates in France and Belgium, but also Canada and other countries) will be announced, as/when we get the information.” In addition to the Brussel’s date, concerts in Paris are listed for March 24 and 25.
*There are strong indications (though not official) that concerts will take place before that, in Moscow and St. Petersburg in October. Lara’s official poster in fact shows “World Tour 2019”.
*Lara was on the show in France entitled “Les années Bonheur”, where she gave a (somewhat shortened) live performance of ‘Je suis a toi”. Another highlight was the “semi-transparent” nature of her clothing, which caught the attention of the host, Patrick Sebastien.
*She was also on the TV show of the well-known Quebec chef Ricardo, displaying a bit of her cooking skills. And she discussed Christmas celebrations in Italy on the Quebec program “Deux filles de matin”.
*During the year, including this month, Lara was included on shows dedicated to Johnny Hallyday (who died in December of 2017). During this month she had the chance to repeat how generous he had been with her, inviting her to do the duet of “Requiem pour un fou” before some 70-80,000 people. Several months earlier she appeared on the show “the 20 Songs of Johnny Hallyday most liked by the French”, concerning that same duet.
*While overall it was not a good commercial year for Lara with respect to selling albums, she did have two songs that topped the Palmares ADISC charts in Quebec at one point: “Je t’aime”, and “Chameleon”. At least in this respect, both sides of her career were equally well represented.
In summary, like most years, 2018 for Lara was a year of some wins and some losses. Lara and her people could not devote their full attention to two quite disparate activities (three if you include the new French album), and one of them had to suffer. ‘Camouflage’, living up to its name, ended up well hidden from the general public, and a wonderful album and amazing tour went under-experienced and under-appreciated. In contrast, the prime object of her attention, living and working in Quebec, provided Lara great joy and success, basically regaining her standing in the province in a matter of months, after having left almost 20 years earlier.
All this should be food for thought entering 2019, as somewhat the same situation is set to repeat itself. Lara has a new album coming out next February which she won’t be able to promote extensively because of La Voix. They therefore have made a virtue of necessity in focusing the new tour, some six+ months later, on Lara’s 50th birthday. Does this mean Papillon will get basically no promotion at all or is to be folded into the 50th birthday celebration, all those months later? And, of course, La Voix will start up again from December 2019 through mid-May of 2020, and if Lara is to be on that too, even this “50” tour will be strongly constrained (as we can see from the timing of the concerts already proposed). Since nobody wants to release an album in the summer, and the winter and part of the spring are taken up by La Voix, there is little time left for touring and album promotion.
Yet La Voix is the linchpin for Lara’s continuing popularity in Quebec, and its likely she won’t easily abandon it, as long as they want her. She has also talked about opening a school for singers, with one branch in Montreal and one in Brussels; having the visibility of La Voix, and the backing of TVA/Quebecor would be quite useful. It may be that this set of circumstances will lead to what Lara has indicated is likely for her future: a more reduced touring schedule, and less emphasis on record sales, while more on “transmitting her knowledge” (while still continuing her music). Everyone transitions to new things eventually; we’ll see if what happened in 2018 repeats in 2019, and if it in effect brings her closer to that eventuality.
David
At the end of 2017, we speculated that the coming year might well “continue the tension between Lara’s francophone and international careers/languages”. This we imagined might materialize via the need for publicity and concerts for her English language album, Camouflage, versus her obligations to La Voix in Quebec, as well as time devoted to a promised new French album. And, indeed, that is what did come to pass in 2018, with La Voix, helped by the overwhelming backing of the French language television network TVA and the broader company Quebecor Media, being the clear winner. The year could easily be called “Lara’s Complete Return to Quebec”.
Taking a step back: In 2017, Lara had worked most of the year on her first new large-scale English language album release in more than a decade (‘Camouflage’). Preparations were made for a world tour exploring countries for which, as she said, the English language album would be a passport, those for whom English was much more familiar than French. It would also serve to re-engage the interest of her English language fans, for whom her first album at the turn of the century was such a big hit. Everything was in place, although there was one big difference: the album would be ‘current’, which to Lara and her team of writers (Moh Denebi and Sharon Vaughn) meant a predominantly electro-pop sound, i.e., none of the big, intense ballads for which Lara was known. It was uncertain how well that would be received, although in various interviews Lara indicated this was her all-time favorite album.
Then, as we know by now, in the late summer/early fall of 2017, shortly before the promotional campaign was scheduled to start, Lara received an invitation to return to Montreal and be a judge on La Voix. Given her love for Quebec, and her interest in ‘transmitting’ her knowledge to young singers, this was an invitation she couldn’t refuse. Its implications for ‘Camouflage’ were apparently not really considered, or if they were, they were deemed secondary. But even in the fall of 2017 we saw them begin to play out – the large-scale promotional campaign originally set for October 2017 to publicize her five U.S. concerts never got off the ground, as Lara was moving back to Quebec. Lara’s people indicated she would only be available for “nation-wide” promotional campaigns, rather than more local shows. And there were very few of those.
Still, as 2018 began, it was not clear how it would all play out. The press release dated January 2018 contained the following:
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“PRESS RELEASE UPDATED: JAN 2, 2018
Lara Fabian Camouflage World Tour
NEW YORK, January 2, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Get ready for more LARA FABIAN! Her highly-anticipated world tour kicks off in North America beginning February 2018. After selling more than 20 million albums worldwide, Fabian is returning to the international scene with her 13th studio album, CAMOUFLAGE, consisting of 12 songs, written and composed by Fabian together with Sharon Vaughn (USA) and Moh Denebi (Sweden). THE CAMOUFLAGE WORLD TOUR launches in the USA on Feb. 2 in Miami, Florida, and spans 40 dates worldwide, culminating in a Paris show in June of 2018…
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Subsequently five shows were added for Germany in September, and one for Brazil following those. Had all these events come to pass, the rationale for the English album release, and the possibility of entraining in new listeners, would have been fulfilled.
Unfortunately, what did happen was a greatly abbreviated tour, due both to Lara’s reduced availability, the (related) lack of promotion, and subsequent poor ticket sales. Only about ½ of those intended concerts took place (21 as listed on the Events page of Lara’s FB site). All the concerts in Germany were cancelled, as was her attempt to go to Brazil. [So as it turned out, Paris was indeed the last full Camouflage concert]. Album sales were by far the worst of her career for a large-scale release; world-wide, the album has sold 32,000 copies (CD and digital download), of which approximately 11,000 were in France, 5,000 in Canada and 5,000 in Belgium, with the rest coming from a mixture of different countries (information from Odacity).
Lara later complained that not enough people got to hear that album (or in fact to see the tour), and this really was a shame. The album was quite excellent: musical, with fine singing and instrumentation, meaningful songs and modern rhythms. It did lack the ‘big ballad’ that could have gained it the spotlight despite everything else. And as it was her first English language album in so many years, it did not have a built-in English audience ready for its release, while the Francophile world largely ignored it, even in Belgium.
The tour also was fantastic – with wonderfully creative background scenes shown on the screen behind her and Lara in full vocal command. Lara’s promotional material called it “visually stunning and innovative”, and indeed it was. At one point, there seemed to be the possibility of having a DVD recorded of it, but as the momentum behind this album faded, so did that motivation. However, we are fortunate to have several audience videos of the more or less complete show, (e.g., from Moscow, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A4myir-oy0&t=521s).
If this turns out to be Lara’s last attempt at an English language recording, it will, in effect, continue her history of missed opportunities in that language, and deprive her of what many believe could have been a much more massive audience. In commenting on this possibility, Lara’s people have denied it, saying that Lara is “in it for the long haul”, implying, perhaps, future English language albums, U.S. tours, etc. We’ll see.
Instead of promoting Camouflage, Lara settled fully into the life in Quebec, and her reward for that has been as she herself indicated, the happiest of times. Her popularity soared with her appearances as a judge and mentor on La Voix and with the backing promotional power of TVA, which included placing her on their numerous TV programs. (Becoming a Canadian citizen, those many years ago, turned out to be a great advantage, as there are laws mandating the percentage of time given to Canadian artists on the airwaves, so Lara qualified). Even she was amazed by how quickly she regained her ‘lost’ popularity; as Lara said, “it was as if you knocked on the door of a relative you hadn’t seen in many years, and they welcomed you with open arms”. Her family (husband Gabriel and daughter Lou) seem to have adapted quickly to the culture in Quebec, and Lara now has obvious future plans for herself there, where she will most likely now be living full time.
Continuing with the French language/Quebec theme, the other major event of the year (which took place largely out of sight) was Lara’s production of a new French language album. This was recorded, quickly – Lara said in 10 days - and without much fanfare, at her Quebec home, with all the contributing talents (except for her co-writers) being local people. It has made a minor splash with the release of several singles and associated videos, and a bit of promotion, but it will come to fruition in 2019, when it will be released.
So 2018 was a year of choices; it turns out she couldn’t have everything, but what she has chosen has made her very happy. Below is a summary of the outstanding events in each month.
January:
*Promotion started for La Voix, highlighted by Lara’s appearance on the show “Ca commence bien l’annee”.
*There was some promotion for Lara’s U.S. Camouflage concerts, e.g., on taxis in New York City.
*Band rehearsals took place in Stockholm before moving to Quebec, where Lara joined them late in the month.
*‘Chameleon’ was released as the third single, and it temporarily reached the top of the charts in Quebec, though it had little impact elsewhere.
*The death of France Gall occurred, and Lara wrote,
“She had this quite small
Additional soul
This indefinable charm
This little flame”
It was just the first of the epitaphs Lara would have to write this year, following that for the death of Johnny Hallyday late in 2017.
February:
*The U.S. concert tour took place during the first half of the month, five cities in the span of some 10 days. The New York concert was sold out, the other cities were about ½ to 3/4 full. The issues discussed above – lack of availability and promotion, unfamiliarity of the artist – likely contributed to this turnout. New York had the distinct advantage of a large Russian contingent.
*’Billboard’ indicated that her New York Beacon Theater concert in which she earned $321,000, was the 54th highest grossing concert in the first part of this year.
*One special component was that Lara held ‘Meet and Greet’ sessions in conjunction with these concerts, which gave fans an opportunity to talk with her personally. This was a bit hit with those fans.
*And towards the end of the month Lara had six more shows scheduled, in Russia and Ukraine (without Meet and Greets, for some reason).
*However, the third show in Kiev was cancelled, as the organizers could not pay Lara and her band. They couldn’t pay for the second show either, but Lara, not wanting to see the audience suffer any further, went on with that concert anyway. At the end of that concert, referring to this state of affairs, Lara concluded, “I just want to say, one last thing before I leave, I just want to say tonight was a very special night because no matter what, you were here and I was here under all circumstances, thank you, see you very soon, I love you.”
*The setlist for the Camouflage World Tour contained all 12 of the new songs, as well as three of her most popular English songs from her first English album. There were also six French selections including, as usual, mostly the obvious popular ones.
*The concerts got excellent reviews from the audience, for both audio and visual aspects. It also got a (very) few reviews in the press, again quite excellent.
A somewhat blunt, but actually typical review from one of the concerts in Moscow included these comments:
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It so happened that the first time I listened to the album it was on the eve of the concert, I repent. And I did not like it at all, straight from the beginning, it seemed somehow dull, depressive, and a voice in electronic processing, as if it were not Lara's album at all. I went to the concert with thoughts: okay at least I'll see Lara live. Half of the concert was for me sleepy in terms of music, but joyful from contemplation. Yes, and Lara at first was some kind of tense, squeezed, though she tried to dance. The audience took rather restrained the new songs. But after the performance of old hits, it became noticeably lively, the fans carried flowers, and Lara became more joyful and active… By the end of the concert, the room melted and even Bravo was shouted at new songs! I liked that the voice was without electronic processing, but so deep, alive and native. And the songs sounded alive better than on the album. I noticed that the third day in my head spinning new songs and I'm singing
I listened once more to the album, and it is such a cool guy, and the music is fashionable!! Modern, stylish and high-quality product turned out, thanks Lara!
Ps: do not repeat my mistake, listen to the album several times, especially the recording from the concert.
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What was stated above was repeated at most of the concerts: the older songs got the best responses, due both to their emotional intensity and their familiarity. But the new songs were quite good.
*A remix of ‘Chameleon’ by the Israeli DJ Tomer G was released, and it got excellent reviews as well.
*Lara’s one main U.S. ‘nation-wide’ promotion occurred with her appearance on the Hallmark Channel where she performed an acoustic version of “We Are the Flyers” before hosts who were already big fans. [An irony here is that she sings with Moh Denebi playing the guitar – while in the actual show, there are no guitars on stage, a rarity for modern day popular concerts].
*Also this month, La Voix began airing, with an emotional and highly involved Lara getting noticeable attention from the press and the audience. She was, in effect, a revelation to them, quite different from the other, more staid judges. Most of it was positive, although one critic (columnist Hugo Dumas) said, "I like Lara Fabian's combativeness, as well as her precise vocabulary, but she has to take down her poetic enthusiasm an octave. Question of credibility.”
*Lara had no trouble getting contestants on to her ‘team’ – that enthusiasm implied to them that Lara would be heavily involved with them, which she was.
*The opening show also included a medley associated with each of the judges, and all the judges singing it. In Lara’s case, it was (not surprisingly) “Je t’aime”, which was done sincerely by all involved, and was actually quite spectacular.
*In another, less scripted rendition of this song, Lara was at the “date karaoke bar” in Montreal, and there are videos of her singing “Je t’aime” there, with the crowd; it went viral in Quebec.
March:
*As La Voix continued gaining momentum, Lara’s activities became more focused on it and its promotion. She was on various television shows in Quebec, and gave numerous press interviews.
*The TV show ’La vraie nature’ was especially instrumental in having the Quebec audience relate to Lara. When asked why she left Quebec, she recounted her breakup with Rick Allison, being reduced to tears in doing so. She said,
"I did not want to leave. (...) I went back to my mother and told her that I had lost everything. The most serious thing is that I had lost him. He was everything to me. There was nobody in the world I loved more. No one in the world whom I trusted more. No one. I would say that never again will I love someone or I will trust someone like that.”
The host then had a surprise for Lara, a recording that Rick Allison did for her, singing “Je t’aime”. As one can imagine, this whole episode became quite a sensation.
*Lara was also on ‘Les Enfants de la Tele’, a show about guests who have grown up on TV. Lara was the perfect poster child for this, as they could use clips from her Canadian TV appearances between 1991 and 1997, and then various clips from Belgium and French TV, throughout the program. The panelists were clearly super impressed by Lara’s history, including her singing, and all the various legends of French song that she has performed with. One imagines that some of the audience wasn’t even alive when her past Quebecoise experiences were occurring.
*And Lara was on the TV show ‘Microphone’, singing a wonderfully-jazzy version of “Je t’aime”.
*Lara gave a private concert for the King and Queen of Belgium, who were visiting Quebec (again ironic, given that she’s no longer living there).
*At the end of the month she had three concerts in eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania. All went off without a hitch, except for her emotional breakdown during her singing of ‘Je suis malade’ in Sophia. In contrast to the situation in the U.S., these shows got numerous, very positive reviews in the press, and big audiences.
*Lara was able to leave for these concerts, as well as those in February, because the concurrent La Voix shows were all pre-recorded. That would not be true in April, or the first part of May, and so fewer concerts could be scheduled then.
April:
*Lara did have one concert, in Budapest early in the month, having gone home to Belgium after her show in Romania, before going there.
*Otherwise, La Voix dominated Lara’s attention, with the candidacy of Miriam Jean-Alexandre, Redgree, Kelly, Felix and Elodie becoming most prominent among her team.
*Miriam and Felix emerged the winners of their sections of Lara’s team – Felix primarily because of Lara, who said she “thought of him like a son”.
*Miriam eventually prevailed before the public, and went to the finals representing Lara’s team. Yann Brassard had originally been on Lara’s team, and when she dropped him, he was picked up by Alex Nevsky, and also made the finals.
*An indication of the power of the company promoting La Voix, and therefore Lara, was evident in an article which noted that “Quebecor owns the most highly rated conventional television station in Quebec the TVA network, a number of cable channels, a portfolio of the most-read newspapers, one of the most successful book publishers, a catalogue of glossy magazines and …one of the leading internet and cable service providers in Quebec, Videotron.” (There was even a rumor that Lara would do a book for them).
*In that regard, Lara was on the cover of the Canadian magazine “Clin d’oeil”, and was celebrated with a big article. She also did a video promotion for them.
*Lara continued to be featured in various articles in Quebec. In one story in the Journal of Montreal, it included the following:
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Lara Fabian: the Rebirth
MARC-ANDRÉ LEMIEUX
Saturday, April 21, 2018 01:00
Some artists leave no one indifferent. Lara Fabian is one of them. In 30 years of career, the singer was as venerated as hated. Often for the same reasons. But for some time now, her detractors seem to have exhausted their ammunition, and for a rare time, praise monopolizes the space. La Voix illustrates this new reality.
During a recent show, a contestant from Eric Lapointe freshly eliminated even said she was happy to have participated in the contest for having "breathed the same air as Lara Fabian”. When we talk about tribute, we can hardly find better…
After 15 years in Belgium, Lara Fabian returned to the Belle Province last fall. The move was smooth, both for Lou, her 10-year-old daughter, and Gabriel Di Giorgi, her illusionist spouse.
"I did not know they were going to welcome me like that”, the singer shines. “They stop me all the time to tell me that they love me. I was at the Munich airport this winter and four passing Quebeckers said to me: "We are so happy that you came back." Back ... They made me so happy by using this word. Me, that's how I felt, but when you're gone for 15 years, you do not know what to expect."
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*Another very positive article, all about Lara, described her as being a “dedicated coach”.
*In the original, tentative concert schedule, events were listed for Milan on April 15th, and Naples on April 17th. These would have been the first live concerts she has ever given in Italy, her ‘native’ country. They, along with tentative concerts in Vienna and and Ljubljana (Slovenia) apparently fell victim to the programming schedule for La Voix, and were not made up.
May:
*The finals of La Voix were held at the beginning of the month, and Yama, the candidate of Garou’s team, was the winner. A very soulful singer, she had impressed even Paul McCartney, earlier in the competition, with a rendition of his song “Let It Be”. It’s the first time a competitor born outside the country (she is Haitian) has ever won the competition.
*As one of the conditions of the finals, the judges had to write songs for the contestants. Lara’s song for Miriam was entitled "Je veux donner". Interestingly, she also decided to write a song for Felix Lemelin, eliminated in the semifinals. The piece, which she developed for him with her spouse, was titled "Je rentre chez nous."
*All the judges had to perform as well. Lara Fabian redid “Je suis malade” accompanied by Geneviève Leclerc, semi-finalist for Marc Dupré in La Voix 4, and it got a tremendous reception. A comment in ‘The Press’ about it read, “It's crazy how much we forgot that Lara Fabian sang almost sinfully. A solid number.”
*The worst aspect of the month – and likely the year – was the unexpected passing of Maurane at the age of 57. Lara wrote the following (translated) dedication to her:
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“Maurane, wonderful Maurane,
I can not believe I will not hear you laugh any more, and sing. I can not believe I will no longer hear you say to me, "How goes my croquette? Do we peter the bubbles?"
You who had just retaken the path of your voice .... you who lived to delight us .... you who were one of those rare artists, bigger than music .... not without you ...
I'm sitting here in my little white office in Montreal, I do not want to realize that you are no more.... I can not ... I tell myself that you're going to call and bother me, because 'we do not see each other enough... “but life”
But this fucking life!!!
Mau, I still want us ... still standing face to face, you my other, diving into my big lake, me your other, coiled in your cello...
I do not want your absence
I want our crazy laugh and our voices mixed..... I want our strange link....
A part of my life has just left with you and I will never be there again ...
I love you.
Lara,
Your croquette
PS: Know that I will come to find you there...”
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She then went to the funeral the following week.
*And on the same day she had to do that, she then went to Amsterdam for her first concert in Holland. She started with a solo performance of “Tu es mon autre” and a big picture of Maurane on the screen.
*That was followed by two concerts in Athens. These were ‘make-ups’ for the concert she had to cancel there previously due to a power failure caused by a rainstorm. Lara ended up filling 12,000 seats at these concerts, which got great reviews. A portion of one such is copied below:
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The artist may say “what makes us human is perfect imperfection”, but I do not think there was anything imperfect in her performance. An astonishing voice, that even when she performed sitting on a chair, you could feel it coming out of the depths of her soul and could reach any height Lara Fabian liked. A very nice and emotional moment took place during “Je t’aime”, when a crying young woman with the help of her mother approached the stage and handed the singer a bouquet of flowers. Elegant lyrics, beautiful melodies, songs full of emotions and love and all these with crystal clear sound and incredible video shows.
An excellent production, that’s not only good for last year [when it was rained out], but in my opinion satisfied every guest of the concert. Lara Fabian is an artist with an extraordinary voice, emotion and ability to carry your mind and soul away. Carry you away even if you do not know her songs or even the language. And this is the greatest accomplishment of Lara Fabian.
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June:
*Lara brought her ‘Camouflage’ world tour to Francophone countries for the first time, with concerts in Brussels and Paris. Despite the predominance of English language songs, they got good reviews.
*In Brussels, Lara spoke mostly (but not exclusively) in French while describing the songs, and there was enough French in the setlist that it didn’t seem to be a problem. The top balconies apparently were closed, and so the hall seated some 4000, which was pretty well-filled.
*One review ended: “Close to her audience, she kept repeating how much she owed it, and how much she held to it. Accepting gifts and handshakes, there is no doubt that Lara was moved to perform in her homeland. Seeing the singer once in concert is something we recommend. For the energy that emanates from her, for the particular atmosphere that is felt there and especially, for the vocal talent of Lara Fabian. Many would dream, after 30 years of career, to have her career. And above all, it's a good idea to enjoy a concert live pure, not in semi playback. Proof that yes, Belgium is full of talent. They are before our eyes, and we must appreciate them. There is no need to look beyond borders.”
*A week later she gave her show in Paris, again to very good audience reviews, and a house of some 4000-4500 people.
*In-between, Lara gave a concert in Prague, long a favorite locale for her.
*On the other hand: the following announcement from Lara’s people came this month: “We regret to inform that the Germany concerts are cancelled by the organizing company, BEBG. Following a tragic accident occurred to the Director of the organizing company, BEBG, the company representatives have informed us about their incapacity to ensure proper promotion and organization of the concerts in Germany, or to ensure any of their financial obligations in regards to the artist, band and crew. We have witnessed in the last months, that no promotion was made in Germany about these concerts, which have resulted in poor ticket sales situation. We expect the organizing company to publish information regarding the reimbursement of all tickets purchased. We are working now to bring Lara Fabian to Germany in cooperation with another concert organizing company.” [It didn’t happen].
*The new upcoming French album made its first recognizable appearance with pre-listening sessions held in Brussels and Paris. A long-advertised November release for the new album thus seemed to be on schedule (though it turned out not to be).
July:
*With the beginning of summer, Lara had plenty of time for rest and relaxation. So the events of this month were on a much smaller scale.
*She had little celebrations for Canada Day; for the Equality of Rights, Against Discrimination in France; for Gay Pride Day in France; and for the Belgian National Holiday, all during this month.
*Lara spent the month in Sicily, and posted various personal pictures of her time there on her FB and Instagram sites.
August:
*A number of promotions and articles appeared this month, and even in July, concerning Lara’s upcoming trip to Brazil. Here’s an example:
"Brazil is the country where I have the most fans around the world. According to YouTube, Brazil is the number one listeners of my music and São Paulo is the city where I have the most fans. How strange is it that I've never done a show in São Paulo all these years? My fans have been very patient and loyal for waiting so long. That's why I chose São Paulo to finally go with the Camouflage world tour. It will be like rediscovering an old love after decades", explains the artist in an interview with the Courier.
A ‘Meet and Greet’ was even scheduled.
*However…by the end of the month, there was this dialog on Lara’s site:
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Guilherme Paukoski: Waiting for you in Brazil
Lara Fabian: I was looking forward to come too, but what is going on there? The venue is still almost empty, I am very worried
Andreza Ranieri: More than one thousand tickets have been sold Lara. But there is no promotion whatsoever from the people who are bringing you here. After almost 20 years, something other than facebook posts from us from the fan club needs to be done.
And again:
Diego Kilcher: Lara we are waiting for you in Brazil. This show will be unique!!
Lara Fabian: I hope so.. I am worried that many fans are not coming to Sao Paulo... :/
Leandro Azevedo: Lara Fabian the affection we have for you is immeasurable, it is custom of the Brazilian to leave everything for the last hour. Don't despair soon the concert is full.
And yet again:
Jamerson Lima: Lara your show in Brazil will be unforgettable! We love you!
Lara Fabian: I hope so too, but the venue is still quite empty. I am worried for the Sao Paulo concert.. :>/
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Lara went on to say that she has been told that 3/4 of the seats are still available, and it’s not up to her, it’s the promoter who has the final say [although 1,000 tickets already sold seemed respectable, one month ahead of time].
*Towards the middle of the month it was announced that, yes, Lara would be a coach on the next season of La Voix. This immediately raised the problem of the new album’s promotion and tour – similar to what had occurred with Camouflage.
*Lara finished her vacation time in Sicily, and participated in the Montreal Pride event.
September:
*Not surprising, given the previous dialog, Lara’s people provided the following at the beginning of the month:
“We regret to inform that the concert “Camouflage World Tour” in Sao Paulo, on September 28th 2018, has been cancelled.
This decision, taken jointly by Mundo Entertainment (the concert organizer), and Lara Fabian’s management, was necessary due to the situation in regards to ticket sales. The ticket sales figures are at a level which do not allow us to ensure the conditions for presenting the show, as it should be. As much as Lara Fabian and all of us regret this decision, this cancellation was inevitable, without putting the show, the public, or the companies involved in jeopardy.
Nevertheless, we will continue our collaboration, to ensure that Lara Fabian comes to Brazil as soon as possible, for a show that will be tailor-made for Brazil. We thank you for your understanding, and apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
*Lara then added her own comment:
“My dear Brazilian fans.. I am so heartbroken.. I was worried these last days, that it would come to this.. And the inevitable has happened.. I was looking forward to celebrate the final date of this tour in São Paulo, with you.. who have been so patient for all these years.. I truly share your disappointment. But, unfortunately, we live in difficult times in the music industry, where the decisions between production companies and local concert organizing companies are dependent of tough economic realities.. However…we are already working on finding another formula, for a more intimate show, that would be specially prepared for you, for Brazil, and allow us to come as soon as possible, under better conditions for all of us…
Isso é uma promessa [That is a promise] ... Love, L.
*This result, and the cancellation of the German concerts – as well as a number of the other dates that were not finalized along the way – did not occur by random chance. As discussed in the introduction, they were the result of the choice to focus on La Voix and Lara’s experiences in Quebec. The lack of promotion that people noted throughout the Camouflage tour – which Lara’s people have repeatedly said was the responsibility of the organizers - would presumably not have occurred had there been sufficient oversight, had the tour’s success been the main interest of Lara and her people. Especially for someone who hadn’t produced an English album in so many years, full attention was mandatory. When it was not given, these expressions of sorrow ended up being the result.
*As to Lara’s initial motivation for the English album – that it would provide a passport to countries she had not previously accessed – it turns out that the only different places she went with the English album that she hadn’t with her previous French album, “Ma vie dans la tienne”, were: the U.S. and the Czech Republic (both countries where she had been previously with ‘Le Secret’, a French album), and Holland (where she at least has made an appearance previously, also singing in French). Notable places that she did not go, where English is the official language include England, Australia, New Zealand, and English speaking Canada. None of them were actually on the initial list of tentative concert venues, so even if La Voix had not intervened, she wouldn’t have gone there. Right from the beginning, therefore, it seems as if this was a half-hearted attempt, and so it didn’t take a lot to upend it. And La Voix was “a lot”.
*Turning back to Quebec, Lara continued to reap the benefits of that focus. She was the guest of Sonia Benezra on her return to television with “Tout le monde aime…Lara Fabian”. A great adulatory program, It featured true warmth between the host, Lara and the audience, with numerous musical numbers that were tributes to Lara’s previous time in Quebec, on some of which Lara joined in. Even Miriam and Felix, her two favorites from La Voix, participated. This program epitomized the great love that Lara enjoys in Quebec.
*It included words written for a new version of “On t’aime”, translated as:
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Okay, my little girl
We've been reclaiming you for a long time
You've crossed the seas
We missed you, we were looking for you
You know, with France
We should not have had to share you
If you go back there
We're going to cry out
We love you
We love you
We're crazy about you, Lara
You're our movie star
We love you
We love you
We are always here for you
We're bored when you're not there
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*In yet another Quebec honor, Lara received SOCAN Classics awards for two songs: “Je t’aime” and (surprisingly) “Leila”. To earn the title of Classic, the song must have been heard more than 25,000 times on the radio since its launch at least 20 years ago.
October:
*The beginning of this month marked the “breaking of the dam” on information concerning the new French album. In particular, the first single, entitled ‘Papillon’ was released. A music video was released in conjunction with it, done by a couple of young Montreal producers, ‘Plastic Gun’. Both the single and the video got quite good reviews, even though the song is in more of the ‘electro-pop’ mode established with Camouflage.
*The official announcement read, “After her latest album in French, "Ma vie dans la tienne" released in 2015 and certified "platinum" in France and "Gold" in Belgium, Lara Fabian returns with a new album composed of 11 titles in French, and written, recorded and produced in Montreal. The Belgian-Canadian artist, who has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, has just completed an international tour, the "Camouflage World Tour". Lara's new album, entitled "Papillon", will be the 10th studio album of the performer whose titles have become classics like "Je t’aime", "Tout", "Immortelle", "J’y crois encore", "Adagio" or "Tue es mon autre". The first single of this album, "Papillon”, bearing the same name as the album, will be released on October 5th. The release of the album is scheduled for early 2019.”
*Lara worked on the album with the same writing team she had used for Camouflage, Moh Denebi and Sharon Vaughn.
*This month Lara returned to Belgium and France to promote the album, which (we now know) is scheduled for release in February 2019. She appeared on various TV shows (e.g., 90 minutes on Bel RTL; A La Bonne Heure” and “"Touche Pas A Mon Poste" on French TV) and in the print media (e.g., the Belgian paper “La Dernière Heure”).
*Here’s what Lara had to say in that publication:
“"Papillon is an ode to lightness and gratitude", says Lara Fabian, about her new single, "Papillon", which will be released this Friday and announces a new album for February 2019. "A way of removing my nose from the glass and to saying to myself : Here, if I had only 24 hours to live, what would I do? Would I continue to torture myself with things that are not going well or would I just take a little height and appreciate the beauty of what I already have? I want to enjoy what life has offered me. To fly in gratitude rather than torpedo oneself as one sometimes does. It is completely human, the two poles exist, but we are sometimes a little swallowed by life. In short, a way of looking with height. Count our chances and blessings."
*Not to be outdone, in Quebec, Lara was on the cover of “7Jours” with a long article and various photos of her.
*In an article in the Journal of Montreal, Lara emphasized that this album was “100% made in Quebec". She said, “"The album was made in the basement, in the cellar of my house. It reminds me of my beginnings, even before I was known, where I got up in the morning and I went down to the studio in my pajamas. Everything was created here, at home, in my husband Gabriel's studio," she says.
*In that same article, the following is included:
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When the conversation bifurcated on the album Camouflage, we detect a tiny touch of disappointment in the tone of Lara Fabian.
"It's an album that has remained, my faith, quite discreet, that was not completely heard as I would have liked. It was perhaps too new, too different from what people were waiting for. But at the same time, it allowed me to express something that, musically, is very current. And some songs have been loved by people like Chameleon and We Are the Flyers…”
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*In another series of major Quebec events, Lara gave three concerts in the province, two in Montreal and one in Quebec City. While they were in some sense a continuation of the Camouflage promotion, they are not listed as such on Lara’s Events page, and the program of the evening was entirely revised for performances in the province, with just five songs from Camouflage. Lara said, "I removed several songs in English and added songs in French to tell this love story that I have with Quebec. And also because, here, a Lara Fabian show without Je t’aime, it just does not work" jokes the singer.
*In particular she augmented the show with songs from her earlier time Quebec (e.g., Si tu m’aimes; Saisir le jour; Tu t’en vas (duo with Félix Lemelin). Tu es mon autre was done in duo with George Perris; and Lara even performed Papillon.
*An article discussing it in the Quebec Huffington Post included the following comments:
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Lara Fabian Continues Her Great Love Affair with Quebec
The singer was treated to many ovations for her reunion with the Quebec public
By Jean-François Vandeuren
The great love story between Lara Fabian and the Quebec public was again confirmed this Friday, October 12, when the singer went on stage at the Théâtre St-Denis to give the first of a series of three specially designed concerts for La Belle Province…
Between pure emotions, social message (global warming seems to very much preoccupy the singer) and dancing moments, Lara Fabian delivered a flawless vocal performance. The star has taken an obvious pleasure in revisiting some of her compositions by modernizing or nuancing them, while doing justice to her greatest classics.
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And there were many articles of a similar nature.
*The three concerts had a total audience of more than 11,000 people.
*Lara had another musical venture come to fruition this month. She appeared on the album by Jean-Pierre Ferland entitled “Toutes les femmes de ma vie” which quickly jumped to #2 on iTunes in Quebec. In particular she sang a duet with him entitled “Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin”, which immediately went to #8 of the most downloaded songs on that same list. Lara did a sensational job on it.
*Also this month, Charles Aznavour passed away, at the age of 94. Lara wrote, ““A giant of the song has left us ... I am deeply saddened by the departure of the one who has taught us so much ... and given so much”. [Lara had included his song “Comme ils disent” on her “En toute intimate” album and DVD].
November:
*With a lack of official appearances, Lara tried to keep in touch with her audience by posting pictures of events in her daily life, either on FB or Instagram. Many such were featured this month (and October and December as well). Included in particular was an announcement and photo of a new addition to her family, “Little Kayla”, a dog.
*However her primary activity was the beginning of taping for the coming season of La Voix. Lara characterized them as “very long days”.
*Lara participated in the soundtrack of a Quebec film entitled “La Course des Tuques”. She performed the song, “What If”, a nice peppy number, again sung in superb fashion. It went to #10 on Spotify in Canada.
*Promotion for the new album continued with the release of the cover photo – a truly beautiful (and sexy) picture of Lara. By the end of the month there was the release of the second single, “Je suis a toi”, as well as the ability to pre-order the album (“Papillon”). Various articles announced these promotions, in Quebec and in Belgium and France.
December:
*More news surfaced concerning the new album. For one thing, its total time is short, and roughly similar to that of Camouflage, at just under 40 minutes. We know from the first two songs, and Lara and her Team’s comments, that it too will be “electro-pop” in nature. We’ve also heard that it will contain one song that’s “a love letter to Maurane”, which Lara said she actually wrote for her before her death.
*In conjunction with the second single, a music video has been released, quite romantic (and sexy) in nature, again produced by “Plastic Gun”, and getting great reviews. And there is now a ‘remix’ available, provided by DJ Moto Blanco.
*La Voix released a promo video sung by the four coaches for the coming season, the song “For Me, Formidable” by Charles Aznavour / Jacques Plante. Lara is sensational, as usual, in this mixed English-French song.
*Lara’s ties to Quebec became even more apparent, with her deciding to spend Christmas Day in Montreal, rather than going back to Europe as she did last year. She also related that she had promised Lou they would stop moving around as Lou will be entering secondary school.
*The concert schedule for 2019/2020 is being formulated, and it is not explicitly in promotion of “Papillon”. For one thing, the concerts will start during the fall/winter of 2018/2019, some six months (at least) from the date of the album’s release, so they will seem a little anti-climactic. Spinning this in the positive sense, according to Lara’s official announcements they will begin on January 9, 2020 in Brussels, when she will turn 50, so therefore they are being called “50”. The official announcement reads, “Lara Fabian will be celebrating her 50th anniversary with a unique show, comprising the music from more than 25 years of career. More concert dates (with several dates in France and Belgium, but also Canada and other countries) will be announced, as/when we get the information.” In addition to the Brussel’s date, concerts in Paris are listed for March 24 and 25.
*There are strong indications (though not official) that concerts will take place before that, in Moscow and St. Petersburg in October. Lara’s official poster in fact shows “World Tour 2019”.
*Lara was on the show in France entitled “Les années Bonheur”, where she gave a (somewhat shortened) live performance of ‘Je suis a toi”. Another highlight was the “semi-transparent” nature of her clothing, which caught the attention of the host, Patrick Sebastien.
*She was also on the TV show of the well-known Quebec chef Ricardo, displaying a bit of her cooking skills. And she discussed Christmas celebrations in Italy on the Quebec program “Deux filles de matin”.
*During the year, including this month, Lara was included on shows dedicated to Johnny Hallyday (who died in December of 2017). During this month she had the chance to repeat how generous he had been with her, inviting her to do the duet of “Requiem pour un fou” before some 70-80,000 people. Several months earlier she appeared on the show “the 20 Songs of Johnny Hallyday most liked by the French”, concerning that same duet.
*While overall it was not a good commercial year for Lara with respect to selling albums, she did have two songs that topped the Palmares ADISC charts in Quebec at one point: “Je t’aime”, and “Chameleon”. At least in this respect, both sides of her career were equally well represented.
In summary, like most years, 2018 for Lara was a year of some wins and some losses. Lara and her people could not devote their full attention to two quite disparate activities (three if you include the new French album), and one of them had to suffer. ‘Camouflage’, living up to its name, ended up well hidden from the general public, and a wonderful album and amazing tour went under-experienced and under-appreciated. In contrast, the prime object of her attention, living and working in Quebec, provided Lara great joy and success, basically regaining her standing in the province in a matter of months, after having left almost 20 years earlier.
All this should be food for thought entering 2019, as somewhat the same situation is set to repeat itself. Lara has a new album coming out next February which she won’t be able to promote extensively because of La Voix. They therefore have made a virtue of necessity in focusing the new tour, some six+ months later, on Lara’s 50th birthday. Does this mean Papillon will get basically no promotion at all or is to be folded into the 50th birthday celebration, all those months later? And, of course, La Voix will start up again from December 2019 through mid-May of 2020, and if Lara is to be on that too, even this “50” tour will be strongly constrained (as we can see from the timing of the concerts already proposed). Since nobody wants to release an album in the summer, and the winter and part of the spring are taken up by La Voix, there is little time left for touring and album promotion.
Yet La Voix is the linchpin for Lara’s continuing popularity in Quebec, and its likely she won’t easily abandon it, as long as they want her. She has also talked about opening a school for singers, with one branch in Montreal and one in Brussels; having the visibility of La Voix, and the backing of TVA/Quebecor would be quite useful. It may be that this set of circumstances will lead to what Lara has indicated is likely for her future: a more reduced touring schedule, and less emphasis on record sales, while more on “transmitting her knowledge” (while still continuing her music). Everyone transitions to new things eventually; we’ll see if what happened in 2018 repeats in 2019, and if it in effect brings her closer to that eventuality.
David