Post by davidhr on Jan 21, 2020 9:06:54 GMT -5
The big news this past week for Lara was, of course, the first broadcast of “The Voice – la plus belle voix”. Lara set the stage for it, first with a promo two days before on her FB site, at
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/2493254064324521/
and her statement, “So excited... see you on Saturday, January 18th for the first blind auditions of The Voice.”
Then on the day of the program, she followed it up with this
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.622966977744803/3498957733479032/?type=3&theater
and the comment, “I tell you tonight in The Voice on TF1 at 21 pm.... for the first broadcast of the blind auditions alongside my partners Amel Bent, Pascal Obispo and Marc Lavoine...
I hope you will have as much fun watching this show as we had happiness recording it...
#TheVoice #Coach”
As to the show itself - here’s a rundown of the different blind auditions, and Lara’s participation. Needless to say, the opinions expressed below are personal ones. For those who don’t have access to it, note that a number of videos are presented by tf1 at
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos (though not all of them are available without “a connection”).
**The program began with a song by the four judges, singing Queen’s “The Show Must Go On” (appropriately enough) – it was truly very well done. A good start! The video of it is available, at
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos/the-voice-show-must-go-on-les-coachs-ouvrent-la-nouvelle-saison-98527485.html?fbclid=IwAR1dvenYeEPmCDh8mlNJ5iZoDJnpd6XVrTOnFWSw6yaa29Lj3Hxp5N_IRPU
(And again note that videos of a number of the following candidates are available on the tf1 – The Voice website indicated above).
**The first contestant was “Baby J” (real name Josephine). She sang “Les portes du penitencier” (the Johnny Hallyday version of “The House of the Rising Sun”). She was excellent. Lara and Pascal ‘turned their chairs’ for her, and Lara came on very strong trying to convince her to join her team – as did Pascal. Lara had the edge because she was a singer ‘with voice’, and they both came from an Italian background. But Lara also, in an attempt to show what Josephine would gain from her tutelage, corrected something she had done. That may well have turned off her family (with whom she consulted), and she went with Pascal. Completely inappropriate, as he is more rock oriented – she should have gone with Lara.
**Next was Tom Almodar; he sang “Another Love”, originally by Tom Odell. He said in the preliminary interview that Amel Bent was his favorite singer, but nobody turned around for him. Marc then said he didn’t have the courage to do so, and it was a mistake. Yes, Tom was quite good, and should have been chosen.
**Third was Antoine Delie, who is from Belgium, and is currently in a conservatory in that country. He sang “La pluie”. All the judges wanted him, and again Lara came on strong, not only emphasizing they were born in the same country, but she said his voice was ‘connected to heaven’. Once again the over-the-top approach did not work, and he went with Marc. He was quite good, and so Lara missed out on two excellent candidates. She said she was “not done fighting”!
**Fourth was Tony, who performed “Doo-wop” [That Thing} by Lauryn Hill. A hip-hop singer she also showed she could sing lyrically as well. Amel, Marc and Lara turned their chairs for him, though Lara, in her comments, said she knows she has no chance. He went with Amel, because he said it was clear she wanted him the most (somehow that worked for her, while not working for Lara).
** Fifth was Sam Tallet who sang “I Get By With a Little Help from my Friends”, a rocking version. All 4 judges wanted him, but Amel blocked Pascal, who spent a lot of time complaining about it. Lara said she’d lead him to victory, and he actually chose her. If Pascal hadn’t been blocked, he was the appropriate coach for Sam; Lara was not.
**Then came Alexia, who happened to be part of a couple with Sam. The judges didn’t know that ‘til after they turned their chair around, as all four did. She sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (while her father played the piano) – and would have been perfect for Lara. Pascal argued that it wouldn’t be good for her to be on the same team with Sam; she was uncertain about it, but ended up choosing Amel. This was definitely not a good choice. Lara ended up with the wrong candidate of this couple.
**Seventh was the “Schola Fractrum”, 5 men who were Russian Orthodox priests in training. They sung “O mon ame”, an orthodox Christian hymn. They were excellent, but the judges didn’t know what they could do with them, and none turned around. However, after their song, on hearing what they did, Lara said she would invite them to Moscow to sing with her the next time she goes there, and that made everybody very happy!
**Eighth was Michael Bucquet who sang ‘Heroes” from David Bowie. Marc and Pascal wanted him – he was quite charismatic and ‘sexy’, according to the judges, and he chose Marc (who said his gestures reminded him of Marlon Brando).
**Ninth was Maria. She is Irish, had represented Ireland in Eurovision a number of years ago (she finished 6th), has 7 children and has been blind since the age of 9 and a half. Five of her children were on stage with her playing instruments to her rendition of ‘Danny Boy’. She said, “Someday I’m not going to be here, and I want this occasion to be a memory for them, like stars in the sky”. Lara, Pascal and Marc wanted her, but she said she had made up her mind before hand, she wanted Lara. Lara was overwhelmed by this – in fact, all the judges were overwhelmed by this candidate, it was the emotional high point of the evening. Lara couldn’t stop crying, and explained that this also triggered something in her about her own mother.
Maria’s presentation can be found on the Voice’s site, at:
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos/nok-the-voice-2020-maria-chante-danny-boy-un-chant-irlandais-63364812.html?fbclid=IwAR3Rfm8TmkATGC8Z3pOwG-P3GHdfsaP1IfACEa3ovSeorKO_VLciIy-YeDc
And the afterward of Maria and Lara’s reaction can be found on The Voice’s site, at
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos/nok-the-voice-2020-pourquoi-lara-fabian-est-elle-si-emue-43327870.html?fbclid=IwAR0yiudXCS1iOTqlmqQqVJyVucpQ_dfzPm7BArkhcnVlS64sDBPVf0X7rL4
**Tenth was Joseph, who sang “Casser la voix” by Patrick Bruel. He started out sounding like Leonard Cohen in his later years
and then picked it up; the song then ended abruptly. Marc (again) said he regretted not turning around because this was a very creative way of doing that song, and he was waiting, but the song ended so abruptly he missed his chance.
**Eleventh was Elinor Morel, who was both a ‘planetary reflexologist’ and a singer. She has an operatic lyric voice, and did a humorous song “La Parisienne”. None of the judges turned around, but she was asked to do another song on her guitar, and did a long rendition of ‘Old School’ [she was told once that she has an old school voice]. She was actually quite good, and everyone enjoyed her presentations, but, once again, the judges didn’t know what to do with her.
**Finally, there was Romain, who sang “Dejeuner en paix” from Stephen Eicher. Lara knew what song it was from the first chords. A rock performer, he was o.k., but it looked like no one would choose him. However, just before the end, Lara did (to the surprise of her fellow jurors). He was so exceedingly happy, as was his family – but again, this was wrong for him (though better than nobody) and wrong for Lara.
So at the end of the first blind auditions, Lara has three team members, Pascal has one, and Amel and Marc have two.
Some overall thoughts: Lara did not get on her team the ‘singers of voice’, and it would seem that she has to tone down her approach – what worked in Quebec does not seem to work in France (on this small sample). Pascal is the most argumentative, and disruptive; Amel knows what she wants and looks like she can get it; Marc is a complete gentleman, but should be less passive. The men seem to interact in a friendly manner with each other, as do the women, partly (but not solely) because of where they’re seated. The seating is wrong – they should alternate the genders. While Lara has said numerous times that the judges get along very well, that wasn't my impression.
Overall the show was quite entertaining, with a wide variety of contestants – a very good start, even though the candidates and judges were often not properly connected. 5.2 million viewers tuned in, so it was a success from that standpoint. However, it must be said that on The Voice’s website, the comments were not positive, especially about the two women jurors, Amel Bent even more than Lara. People thought Amel was too aggressive, and from their perspective, Pascal Obispo was the victim. [Women are given less leeway to be 'aggressive', in France and elsewhere, as Lara has found out many times]. A sample of those writing in said they would no longer watch – we’ll see what the numbers are like in the coming weeks.
Before the first show was aired, Lara gave an interview talking about her role as coach (https://www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/news/lara-fabian-je-me-suis-battue-comme-une-lionne-68928514.html?fbclid=IwAR2dYCTtEkMcUalpfUCni7kbRbp6tKS6jnHQNysSSkFMPVAYsb7GuIVQhCk), translated below:
--------------------------------------------
Before the launch of The Voice 2020, Saturday January 18 on TF1, Lara Fabian confides in her role as coach.
In almost 30 years of international career, Lara Fabian has wandered in many French-speaking and non-French-speaking countries. With 20 million records sold, 14 albums and thousands of concerts around the world, she is the little news with many hits (J’y crois encore, La difference, Immortaelle, Tout, Je t’aime, Ma vie dans la tienne ...). Definitely one of the greatest voices in the world, this author, composer and performer has a rare 4 octave tessitura [the range within which most notes of a vocal part fall] and exceptional vocal technique. Ranked several times number 1 in France but also in Belgium or Quebec, she meets international success with the title “I will love again” by ranking in hits in Spain, Great Britain and the United States. With the title Love By Grace, she stayed number 1 in Brazil for several weeks. As she embarks on a major international tour to celebrate her 50th birthday, the 50 World Tour which will take her to more than 15 countries, Lara Fabian does us the honor of becoming coach of The Voice 2020 in France. A competition she knows well because she was a coach for 2 years in La Voix, the Quebec version of which she won the last edition with her finalist. Now discover a passionate coach, at the same time generous, benevolent, empathetic and who masters her subject well! Lara Fabian, an expert in big voices, will be a formidable competitor for her playmates.
What is different from La Voix in Quebec?
LF: There is a fairly similar course of action, but culturally it is not the same thing. Young Quebecers present themselves with French music that we are not familiar with in France. In La Voix, talents defend themselves over the tessitura rather than the narrative. But the principle remains the same. There is an immense cohesion between the coaches, a desire to shine only in the transmission and certainly not to bring everything back to yourself. When I was called, the first thing I wanted to know was if we were going to turn around if we refused. It seemed crucial to me because I find it very hard to let a talent go away without explanation and without showing empathy. Fortunately, production changed that and I am delighted.
How is coexistence with Amel Bent, Marc Lavoine and Pascal Obispo?
LF: Among coaches, there is a lot of kindness, none wants to shine more than another. Everything is simple and natural. The chemistry worked right away when we were very different. I knew Marc and Pascal and I rediscovered them through The Voice. I was looking forward to singing with Amel and getting to know who was hiding behind that bewitching voice. Nevertheless, I fought like a lioness to bring the talents in my team. There was a sweet war between us and great punchlines. Marc is particularly formidable in this matter!
What does a talent do to convince you?
LF: For my part, I always favor uniqueness, this little extra soul that instantly identifies a voice. 90% of the talents are there to develop their art, the others to gain the reputation. Our role is to let the talents be in their truth. Being able to stay yourself in such a show is fantastic. We are facing beings who come to play their lives and it is a privilege of which we are fully aware. The Voice is true. That’s why it’s magic! In blind auditions, there is more than one talent that marked me. But there is one artist in particular that I will never forget. I did not understand what happened at the time. I felt drawn to a note that this person made and where I heard a known resonance ... I was upset.
What do you like most about your role as The Voice coach?
LF: It’s an exercise in transmission that has become my daily routine for the past few years. It's crazy how things line up with part of the dream you have. One day, everything becomes simple and obvious. I've been saying for a long time, the second part of my life and my career will be transmission. There are fabulous programs like The Voice that keep the audience attached to this other dream that you are harboring while remaining visible as an artist. It’s a happy coincidence and it’s an exercise that I love: putting someone else in the service of what I’ve learned for 30 years. It’s really precious.
---------------------------------------------
And then an interview with Lara about her relationship with the other judges in telez.fr
(https://www.telez.fr/actus-tv/lara-fabian-pour-the-voice-entre-les-autres-coachs-et-moi-il-y-a-une-alchimie-naturelle/):
-----------------------------------------------
Lara Fabian for "The Voice": "Between the other coaches and me, there is a natural alchemy"
It’s off for a new and ninth season of The Voice with a 100% original shock quartet, including Lara Fabian, the undeniable Belgian-Canadian singer.
TeleZ.fr: What difference do you make between the Quebec program, for which you have been a coach for two years, and the French program?
Lara Fabian: On both sides of the Atlantic, I find the same desire to let talents be what they are in their truth, with a team of benevolent coaches while being vigilant. Now, culturally, it's different. The codes are different in many ways. Talents don't show up with the same songs. There is a whole Quebec francophone landscape of songs that is enormously represented in Quebec. Music is different but it's the same energy. Furthermore, when I was called, the first thing I wanted to know was if we were going to turn around in case of refusal (which has always been the case in Quebec, note). It seemed crucial to me because I find it very hard to let a talent go away without explanation and without showing empathy. Fortunately, production changed that and I am delighted.
How did your collaboration with Marc Lavoine, Pascal Obispo and Amel Bent go?
Lara Fabian: It was magical ! There has been such a naturalness and such alchemical simplicity between us. It was surprising for us too because we are so different! And at the same time not that much ... We knew each other a bit, I sang with Pascal, we did TV shows together. Marc came to join me on stage. Only Amel was unknown to me. Between us, there is a lot of kindness, none want to shine more than another.
"A sweet war" between coaches
Was it really a war between you, as you said for a moment there?
Lara Fabian: A sweet war with great punchlines, and I fought like a lioness to bring the talents to my team. My choice fell on candidates who had a strong identity, uniqueness, truth, emotion. Today a lot of young people want to be famous to be famous but fortunately, 90% of the people who pass to The Voice are people who want to develop their art.
Did you name your tour "50 World Tour", is it a way of telling the world that you assume your age?
Lara Fabian: Does that mean my age is a problem? But at some point, we all go there! So I'm really going to have to make up my mind. For me, this tour name was a way of speaking about a mid-term: I have a 30-year career, I have traveled the world, I have done many things. It’s a celebration. There are 24 songs of which 22 are known and retrace an era so part of my life. It’s the story of a journey.
---------------------------------------------------
While the blind auditions are being aired, Lara is filming the next sections of the program, the ‘battles’ between members of her own team. She left this Instagram post,
with the comment, “Preparation for the shooting of the Battles in the hands of @mariocoiff 🙏✌️ @ thevoice_tf1”. One has to say, Lara looks quite good on the show, the people helping ‘prepare’ her are doing a good job.
And then a long article, a spin-off from the birthday concert (https://www.facebook.com/larafabianphq/photos/pcb.1989101014569895/1989100724569924/?type=3&theater) (thanks to the Lara Fabian – PHQ site for the scans):
---------------------------------
Lara Fabian: “Gabriel brings me a vital energy”
The star celebrates her 50 year anniversary surrounded by her fans and loved ones.
Thursday in the corridors of Forest National, Lara Fabian prepares herself in her loge. We are some tens of minutes from her entrée on stage. But the effervescence is absolutely not the same as for the other dates of her tour. It is that January 9th is the day, the one of her 50th birthday. An anniversary that she decided to celebrate in Belgium, her country, with her fans. Her husband, Gabriel, comes into her loge to tell her some last small words of encouragement. All her loved ones are here: her father, her daughter, her friends. Even the family dog, Kayla, is present.
As she enters on stage, she has the right to a standing ovation. The beginning of nearly two hours of concert where she goes to revisit all her repertoire: “Je suis malade”, “J’y crois encore”, “La difference”, “Immortelle”… The hits keep coming, punctuated by anecdotes, often funny, that Lara tells with this zest of self-derision which characterizes her, as when she evokes her dress during Eurovision when she sang “Croire” (~With a vest of this color, it was necessary to believe it), or when she describes the dumbfounded air of some of her first spectators, in a piano bar, who gave the impression of wondering "Why is she yelling, that one”?. Some memories that she has also shelled with us, just before going out on stage.
Lara, you’ve spoken for a long time about these 50 years. Now that the course has been crossed, how do you feel?
LF: It’s true, it makes at least three years that I spoke that I have 50 years. Ma daughter doesn’t stop telling me it: “Mama, you are 48, not 50”. And then, now, we re there. Like it or not, something happens, but in my house, it is rather of the order of gratitude. It is like a freeze frame where we look at what we have done. A sort of patchwork of images, with certain things more marked than others. Wednesday evening, the day before my birthday, I was in the car, returning from a concert in Roubaix. The dial indicated 23h59. There remained one minute before it toggled into this new decade and during this minute, I said thinks for my road, this journey that I’ve accomplished.
This January 9th was a date that you feared?
LF: Not at all! 50 years, it is just a number for me.
But like it or not, the age advances. At 50, do you pay attention to yourself, do you listen to your body more?
LF: Yes. Where in any case, if one doesn’t listen, it tells us about it. The body generates a direct contract if it is not respected. Of course, I feel that I age. But I think that one can age with grace.
One has the impression that you were in a phase where you have rarely been as fulfilled, both professionally and in your private life…
LF: Probably. But I don’t say it so strongly. One never knows! (laughs). Happiness is full of facets. It is first to recognize that which we have and appreciate it.
You have a husband, Gabriel, thirteen years younger than you. This also helps to remain younger?
LF: I don’t know if it is truly the age of someone which counts. Perhaps in his energy. To have a daughter 12 years old and a man of 37 years at my sides, this brings a vital energy into the house, but at the same time, it is my nature. Married or not with someone much younger, I have never been old in my head. I always remain a kid. Beyond age, it is the spirit which counts. And I think that Gabriel also remains always young in his head.
You celebrate equally your 30 years of career. You imagined at the time you would find yourself where you are today?
LF: I think that one can never imagine it. One can dream of it very strongly, to nourish a determination. And each day poses some gestures which will lead toward this road. But from there to predict all that happened…
Your journey is all the more impressive since you led an international career, which led you from the United States to the countries of the East through to Turkey.
LF: It was effectively impossible to predict. I went from Los Angeles to Moscow. It remains impressive. It is an amazing journey.
And a journey which has not always been easy. You have not been spared by the critics, indeed the mockeries, of those who denigrate the singers of voice.
LF: I’ve known some periods of terrible shock, with a veritable media bashing. I don’t have to teach you that which I’ve sometimes had to endure.
And how have you managed to surmount these attacks?
LF: By considering that which has been is not here and now. To appreciate the moment that we are given. And when this present is more complex, more painful, use a power of resilience to ensure that this adversity becomes an opportunity to grow and not a wall that ends up tearing you down.
If you had to hold onto some strong moments of your career, which would they be?
LF: To win a Voictoire de la Musique in France, that was incredible. There was the State de France with Johnny Hallyday. To win my first Felix for female singer in Quebec. Not at all because it was a trophy, but because it came from the people. Each time that I won some prize, it is because it is the public who voted. It is the most beautiful recompense. Finally, I would cite my return to Quebec, on “La Voix”, the Quebecoise version of “The Voice”, where a talent of my team, Genevieve Jodoin, won the season last year. It was an incredible turning at the dawn of my 50th birthday.
Have you any regrets?
LF: I have only some remorse. But I will not tell you which ones! (laughs)
To celebrate your 50 years on stage of Forest National, it was important?
LF: Totally. It is the first time in my career that I celebrate my birthday with my fans. It is for me the occasion to say thanks to my public for these 30 years at my side. There is also that all my loved ones are there: my father, my daughter, my husband… The idea arose at the turn of a broken discussion. They asked me where I would like to celebrate my 50th birthday if that ought to be on stage and I directly said Brussels.
In a general way, on the totality of your life, of what are you the most proud?
LF: Of my daughter. She is my most beautiful success. And of my life as a wife, a mother. Of my family in general.
Lou, your daughter, is 12 years old, she enters into adolescence. What genre of young lady is she?
LF: She is a super-rich child. You open one door, there are ten behind. Whether in her reflection or her silences. She is hyper-creative. She is however not at all drawn to what I do. She will not go into song. On the contrary, she loves to cook.
What is it that you have not yet accomplished and of which you dream?
LF: To open my school of singing in Belgium, like I spoke of a month ago. To be transmitting there the 30 years of my experience.
From this Saturday, one finds you on TF1 in the red chair of “The Voice”. To be coach, that also is part of this desire of transmission?
LF: Absolutely. It is in alignment with what I have the desire to do.
How have the recordings gone?
LF: Super. You are going to see, it is truly very very good, with a high level of candidates. With the coaches, we get along super-well, even if we have the aim of obtaining the talent that we want.
What genre of coach are you?
LF: Applied, generous, attentive. I have a mothering side that I can’t get rid of.
And do you hope to win with one of your talents, like was the case in Quebec?
LF: Of course. I hope especially that there comes out of this season a grand talent, that the people will discover and who will make a great road. To be able to participate in this hatching would be fabulous.
You live for some years in Quebec and you do not have the intention at the moment of returning here. What is it that you miss the most of Belgium?
LF: Strongly my loved ones, my father, certain of my friends that I have less occasion of seeing now that I don’t live here anymore. But I am very happy in Quebec.
------------------------------------------------------
As usual, wonderful answers from Lara, who has proved herself resilient above all else.
And, as another component of that issue, there was an interview with Lara’s father, (https://www.cinetelerevue.be/actus/lara-fabian-racontee-par-son-papa?fbclid=IwAR14Kys9pZ1FJEvDwVix8WieLskOzyFbR_QzAbgvE3YsgNZzamisgShRRIE). Here’s the translation:
------------------------------
Lara Fabian Told by her Dad
Pierre Crokaert traces the journey of his daughter, whom he has supported from the start in her desire to become a singer.
Last Thursday, January 9, Lara Fabian celebrated her 50th birthday on the stage of Forest National, in the presence of her fans. The great absent of the evening will certainly have been the mother of Lara, who died last year. The singer of "J'y crois encore" did not fail to pay her a moving tribute on stage. "She was a woman who gave me everything she is and who continues to do so." But Lara also honored her father, Pierre, who was present in the room, recalling all that she owed him, he who accompanied her on her journey to success and who never stopped believing in her, going so far as to devote the savings of a life so that she could break through.
Behind the stage, it is therefore an inevitably moved dad that we found and who remembered the beginnings of Lara. " It was at the age of 6 that I understood that she would become a singer," he told us in the dressing rooms, just before the concert. "I bought a tape from Eve Brenner, an opera singer who could reach an incredible vocal peak. I put it in the car and Lara started singing. I was blown away. From then on, there was only music for her. At 12 years old, she started to compose. Then, she played in a Brussels piano-bar, the Black Bottom, where I accompanied her on the guitar, and one fine day, Hubert Terheggen, producer at RTL Luxembourg, asked her to do the Eurovision 1988! From there, everything started…"
However, not everything will be rosy and Pierre will have to make a lot of sacrifices. "The course cost a lot of money. "I had stopped working in 1986 and at one point I thought I should go back to work!" Fortunately, Lara's career finally took off in Quebec. Pierre is therefore a happy father, even if he has been hurt by the criticism of his daughter. "I went through this very, very badly. They made fun of her at the "Big Heads", at the "Guignols". There was a relentlessness. Somewhere it can destroy an artist. And relatives must put up with it. With my wife, we wondered why so much badness. Fortunately, it calmed down. And then you have to see the good times. When she does Madison Square Garden in New York and even Michael Jackson goes on stage to kiss her, it does something. She sang with Barbra Streisand, Michael Bolton… She was invited to Stallone. "Lara is now 50 years old." But that doesn't mean much to me. She will always be my little girl."
-------------------------------------------
Nice to get his point of view, which is so rarely done!
Interesting photo(s) of the week: they summarize the events of the past two weeks;
From Lara’s Instagram site, there was this:
with the comment,
“In the company of my press secretary in Belgium @chantalbpress ... I wanted on the occasion of the release of @cinetelerevue to thank you for your great work for so many years ... and also thank all my Belgian compatriots for their precious loyalty .... Love”
And then, from The Voice, there was this on her Instagram account:
and the comment, “Last day of shooting of the Battles @ thevoice_tf1 ... And tomorrow the first broadcast of the show on @ tf1 at 9:05 pm ... too eager that you discover the talents of the program.”
That first show has now been broadcast, and next week the second of the blind audition shows will air. We’ll see if the program can live up to its most interesting start. Off the screen, Lara will presumably have some time as the filming of the ‘battles’ seems to be over. Perhaps time to go back to Quebec and be with her family in their own home.
David
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/2493254064324521/
and her statement, “So excited... see you on Saturday, January 18th for the first blind auditions of The Voice.”
Then on the day of the program, she followed it up with this
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.622966977744803/3498957733479032/?type=3&theater
and the comment, “I tell you tonight in The Voice on TF1 at 21 pm.... for the first broadcast of the blind auditions alongside my partners Amel Bent, Pascal Obispo and Marc Lavoine...
I hope you will have as much fun watching this show as we had happiness recording it...
#TheVoice #Coach”
As to the show itself - here’s a rundown of the different blind auditions, and Lara’s participation. Needless to say, the opinions expressed below are personal ones. For those who don’t have access to it, note that a number of videos are presented by tf1 at
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos (though not all of them are available without “a connection”).
**The program began with a song by the four judges, singing Queen’s “The Show Must Go On” (appropriately enough) – it was truly very well done. A good start! The video of it is available, at
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos/the-voice-show-must-go-on-les-coachs-ouvrent-la-nouvelle-saison-98527485.html?fbclid=IwAR1dvenYeEPmCDh8mlNJ5iZoDJnpd6XVrTOnFWSw6yaa29Lj3Hxp5N_IRPU
(And again note that videos of a number of the following candidates are available on the tf1 – The Voice website indicated above).
**The first contestant was “Baby J” (real name Josephine). She sang “Les portes du penitencier” (the Johnny Hallyday version of “The House of the Rising Sun”). She was excellent. Lara and Pascal ‘turned their chairs’ for her, and Lara came on very strong trying to convince her to join her team – as did Pascal. Lara had the edge because she was a singer ‘with voice’, and they both came from an Italian background. But Lara also, in an attempt to show what Josephine would gain from her tutelage, corrected something she had done. That may well have turned off her family (with whom she consulted), and she went with Pascal. Completely inappropriate, as he is more rock oriented – she should have gone with Lara.
**Next was Tom Almodar; he sang “Another Love”, originally by Tom Odell. He said in the preliminary interview that Amel Bent was his favorite singer, but nobody turned around for him. Marc then said he didn’t have the courage to do so, and it was a mistake. Yes, Tom was quite good, and should have been chosen.
**Third was Antoine Delie, who is from Belgium, and is currently in a conservatory in that country. He sang “La pluie”. All the judges wanted him, and again Lara came on strong, not only emphasizing they were born in the same country, but she said his voice was ‘connected to heaven’. Once again the over-the-top approach did not work, and he went with Marc. He was quite good, and so Lara missed out on two excellent candidates. She said she was “not done fighting”!
**Fourth was Tony, who performed “Doo-wop” [That Thing} by Lauryn Hill. A hip-hop singer she also showed she could sing lyrically as well. Amel, Marc and Lara turned their chairs for him, though Lara, in her comments, said she knows she has no chance. He went with Amel, because he said it was clear she wanted him the most (somehow that worked for her, while not working for Lara).
** Fifth was Sam Tallet who sang “I Get By With a Little Help from my Friends”, a rocking version. All 4 judges wanted him, but Amel blocked Pascal, who spent a lot of time complaining about it. Lara said she’d lead him to victory, and he actually chose her. If Pascal hadn’t been blocked, he was the appropriate coach for Sam; Lara was not.
**Then came Alexia, who happened to be part of a couple with Sam. The judges didn’t know that ‘til after they turned their chair around, as all four did. She sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (while her father played the piano) – and would have been perfect for Lara. Pascal argued that it wouldn’t be good for her to be on the same team with Sam; she was uncertain about it, but ended up choosing Amel. This was definitely not a good choice. Lara ended up with the wrong candidate of this couple.
**Seventh was the “Schola Fractrum”, 5 men who were Russian Orthodox priests in training. They sung “O mon ame”, an orthodox Christian hymn. They were excellent, but the judges didn’t know what they could do with them, and none turned around. However, after their song, on hearing what they did, Lara said she would invite them to Moscow to sing with her the next time she goes there, and that made everybody very happy!
**Eighth was Michael Bucquet who sang ‘Heroes” from David Bowie. Marc and Pascal wanted him – he was quite charismatic and ‘sexy’, according to the judges, and he chose Marc (who said his gestures reminded him of Marlon Brando).
**Ninth was Maria. She is Irish, had represented Ireland in Eurovision a number of years ago (she finished 6th), has 7 children and has been blind since the age of 9 and a half. Five of her children were on stage with her playing instruments to her rendition of ‘Danny Boy’. She said, “Someday I’m not going to be here, and I want this occasion to be a memory for them, like stars in the sky”. Lara, Pascal and Marc wanted her, but she said she had made up her mind before hand, she wanted Lara. Lara was overwhelmed by this – in fact, all the judges were overwhelmed by this candidate, it was the emotional high point of the evening. Lara couldn’t stop crying, and explained that this also triggered something in her about her own mother.
Maria’s presentation can be found on the Voice’s site, at:
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos/nok-the-voice-2020-maria-chante-danny-boy-un-chant-irlandais-63364812.html?fbclid=IwAR3Rfm8TmkATGC8Z3pOwG-P3GHdfsaP1IfACEa3ovSeorKO_VLciIy-YeDc
And the afterward of Maria and Lara’s reaction can be found on The Voice’s site, at
www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/videos/nok-the-voice-2020-pourquoi-lara-fabian-est-elle-si-emue-43327870.html?fbclid=IwAR0yiudXCS1iOTqlmqQqVJyVucpQ_dfzPm7BArkhcnVlS64sDBPVf0X7rL4
**Tenth was Joseph, who sang “Casser la voix” by Patrick Bruel. He started out sounding like Leonard Cohen in his later years
and then picked it up; the song then ended abruptly. Marc (again) said he regretted not turning around because this was a very creative way of doing that song, and he was waiting, but the song ended so abruptly he missed his chance. **Eleventh was Elinor Morel, who was both a ‘planetary reflexologist’ and a singer. She has an operatic lyric voice, and did a humorous song “La Parisienne”. None of the judges turned around, but she was asked to do another song on her guitar, and did a long rendition of ‘Old School’ [she was told once that she has an old school voice]. She was actually quite good, and everyone enjoyed her presentations, but, once again, the judges didn’t know what to do with her.
**Finally, there was Romain, who sang “Dejeuner en paix” from Stephen Eicher. Lara knew what song it was from the first chords. A rock performer, he was o.k., but it looked like no one would choose him. However, just before the end, Lara did (to the surprise of her fellow jurors). He was so exceedingly happy, as was his family – but again, this was wrong for him (though better than nobody) and wrong for Lara.
So at the end of the first blind auditions, Lara has three team members, Pascal has one, and Amel and Marc have two.
Some overall thoughts: Lara did not get on her team the ‘singers of voice’, and it would seem that she has to tone down her approach – what worked in Quebec does not seem to work in France (on this small sample). Pascal is the most argumentative, and disruptive; Amel knows what she wants and looks like she can get it; Marc is a complete gentleman, but should be less passive. The men seem to interact in a friendly manner with each other, as do the women, partly (but not solely) because of where they’re seated. The seating is wrong – they should alternate the genders. While Lara has said numerous times that the judges get along very well, that wasn't my impression
. Overall the show was quite entertaining, with a wide variety of contestants – a very good start, even though the candidates and judges were often not properly connected. 5.2 million viewers tuned in, so it was a success from that standpoint. However, it must be said that on The Voice’s website, the comments were not positive, especially about the two women jurors, Amel Bent even more than Lara. People thought Amel was too aggressive, and from their perspective, Pascal Obispo was the victim. [Women are given less leeway to be 'aggressive', in France and elsewhere, as Lara has found out many times]. A sample of those writing in said they would no longer watch – we’ll see what the numbers are like in the coming weeks.
Before the first show was aired, Lara gave an interview talking about her role as coach (https://www.tf1.fr/tf1/the-voice/news/lara-fabian-je-me-suis-battue-comme-une-lionne-68928514.html?fbclid=IwAR2dYCTtEkMcUalpfUCni7kbRbp6tKS6jnHQNysSSkFMPVAYsb7GuIVQhCk), translated below:
--------------------------------------------
Before the launch of The Voice 2020, Saturday January 18 on TF1, Lara Fabian confides in her role as coach.
In almost 30 years of international career, Lara Fabian has wandered in many French-speaking and non-French-speaking countries. With 20 million records sold, 14 albums and thousands of concerts around the world, she is the little news with many hits (J’y crois encore, La difference, Immortaelle, Tout, Je t’aime, Ma vie dans la tienne ...). Definitely one of the greatest voices in the world, this author, composer and performer has a rare 4 octave tessitura [the range within which most notes of a vocal part fall] and exceptional vocal technique. Ranked several times number 1 in France but also in Belgium or Quebec, she meets international success with the title “I will love again” by ranking in hits in Spain, Great Britain and the United States. With the title Love By Grace, she stayed number 1 in Brazil for several weeks. As she embarks on a major international tour to celebrate her 50th birthday, the 50 World Tour which will take her to more than 15 countries, Lara Fabian does us the honor of becoming coach of The Voice 2020 in France. A competition she knows well because she was a coach for 2 years in La Voix, the Quebec version of which she won the last edition with her finalist. Now discover a passionate coach, at the same time generous, benevolent, empathetic and who masters her subject well! Lara Fabian, an expert in big voices, will be a formidable competitor for her playmates.
What is different from La Voix in Quebec?
LF: There is a fairly similar course of action, but culturally it is not the same thing. Young Quebecers present themselves with French music that we are not familiar with in France. In La Voix, talents defend themselves over the tessitura rather than the narrative. But the principle remains the same. There is an immense cohesion between the coaches, a desire to shine only in the transmission and certainly not to bring everything back to yourself. When I was called, the first thing I wanted to know was if we were going to turn around if we refused. It seemed crucial to me because I find it very hard to let a talent go away without explanation and without showing empathy. Fortunately, production changed that and I am delighted.
How is coexistence with Amel Bent, Marc Lavoine and Pascal Obispo?
LF: Among coaches, there is a lot of kindness, none wants to shine more than another. Everything is simple and natural. The chemistry worked right away when we were very different. I knew Marc and Pascal and I rediscovered them through The Voice. I was looking forward to singing with Amel and getting to know who was hiding behind that bewitching voice. Nevertheless, I fought like a lioness to bring the talents in my team. There was a sweet war between us and great punchlines. Marc is particularly formidable in this matter!
What does a talent do to convince you?
LF: For my part, I always favor uniqueness, this little extra soul that instantly identifies a voice. 90% of the talents are there to develop their art, the others to gain the reputation. Our role is to let the talents be in their truth. Being able to stay yourself in such a show is fantastic. We are facing beings who come to play their lives and it is a privilege of which we are fully aware. The Voice is true. That’s why it’s magic! In blind auditions, there is more than one talent that marked me. But there is one artist in particular that I will never forget. I did not understand what happened at the time. I felt drawn to a note that this person made and where I heard a known resonance ... I was upset.
What do you like most about your role as The Voice coach?
LF: It’s an exercise in transmission that has become my daily routine for the past few years. It's crazy how things line up with part of the dream you have. One day, everything becomes simple and obvious. I've been saying for a long time, the second part of my life and my career will be transmission. There are fabulous programs like The Voice that keep the audience attached to this other dream that you are harboring while remaining visible as an artist. It’s a happy coincidence and it’s an exercise that I love: putting someone else in the service of what I’ve learned for 30 years. It’s really precious.
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And then an interview with Lara about her relationship with the other judges in telez.fr
(https://www.telez.fr/actus-tv/lara-fabian-pour-the-voice-entre-les-autres-coachs-et-moi-il-y-a-une-alchimie-naturelle/):
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Lara Fabian for "The Voice": "Between the other coaches and me, there is a natural alchemy"
It’s off for a new and ninth season of The Voice with a 100% original shock quartet, including Lara Fabian, the undeniable Belgian-Canadian singer.
TeleZ.fr: What difference do you make between the Quebec program, for which you have been a coach for two years, and the French program?
Lara Fabian: On both sides of the Atlantic, I find the same desire to let talents be what they are in their truth, with a team of benevolent coaches while being vigilant. Now, culturally, it's different. The codes are different in many ways. Talents don't show up with the same songs. There is a whole Quebec francophone landscape of songs that is enormously represented in Quebec. Music is different but it's the same energy. Furthermore, when I was called, the first thing I wanted to know was if we were going to turn around in case of refusal (which has always been the case in Quebec, note). It seemed crucial to me because I find it very hard to let a talent go away without explanation and without showing empathy. Fortunately, production changed that and I am delighted.
How did your collaboration with Marc Lavoine, Pascal Obispo and Amel Bent go?
Lara Fabian: It was magical ! There has been such a naturalness and such alchemical simplicity between us. It was surprising for us too because we are so different! And at the same time not that much ... We knew each other a bit, I sang with Pascal, we did TV shows together. Marc came to join me on stage. Only Amel was unknown to me. Between us, there is a lot of kindness, none want to shine more than another.
"A sweet war" between coaches
Was it really a war between you, as you said for a moment there?
Lara Fabian: A sweet war with great punchlines, and I fought like a lioness to bring the talents to my team. My choice fell on candidates who had a strong identity, uniqueness, truth, emotion. Today a lot of young people want to be famous to be famous but fortunately, 90% of the people who pass to The Voice are people who want to develop their art.
Did you name your tour "50 World Tour", is it a way of telling the world that you assume your age?
Lara Fabian: Does that mean my age is a problem? But at some point, we all go there! So I'm really going to have to make up my mind. For me, this tour name was a way of speaking about a mid-term: I have a 30-year career, I have traveled the world, I have done many things. It’s a celebration. There are 24 songs of which 22 are known and retrace an era so part of my life. It’s the story of a journey.
---------------------------------------------------
While the blind auditions are being aired, Lara is filming the next sections of the program, the ‘battles’ between members of her own team. She left this Instagram post,
http://instagram.com/p/B7ZMq3SilnV
with the comment, “Preparation for the shooting of the Battles in the hands of @mariocoiff 🙏✌️ @ thevoice_tf1”. One has to say, Lara looks quite good on the show, the people helping ‘prepare’ her are doing a good job.
And then a long article, a spin-off from the birthday concert (https://www.facebook.com/larafabianphq/photos/pcb.1989101014569895/1989100724569924/?type=3&theater) (thanks to the Lara Fabian – PHQ site for the scans):
---------------------------------
Lara Fabian: “Gabriel brings me a vital energy”
The star celebrates her 50 year anniversary surrounded by her fans and loved ones.
Thursday in the corridors of Forest National, Lara Fabian prepares herself in her loge. We are some tens of minutes from her entrée on stage. But the effervescence is absolutely not the same as for the other dates of her tour. It is that January 9th is the day, the one of her 50th birthday. An anniversary that she decided to celebrate in Belgium, her country, with her fans. Her husband, Gabriel, comes into her loge to tell her some last small words of encouragement. All her loved ones are here: her father, her daughter, her friends. Even the family dog, Kayla, is present.
As she enters on stage, she has the right to a standing ovation. The beginning of nearly two hours of concert where she goes to revisit all her repertoire: “Je suis malade”, “J’y crois encore”, “La difference”, “Immortelle”… The hits keep coming, punctuated by anecdotes, often funny, that Lara tells with this zest of self-derision which characterizes her, as when she evokes her dress during Eurovision when she sang “Croire” (~With a vest of this color, it was necessary to believe it), or when she describes the dumbfounded air of some of her first spectators, in a piano bar, who gave the impression of wondering "Why is she yelling, that one”?. Some memories that she has also shelled with us, just before going out on stage.
Lara, you’ve spoken for a long time about these 50 years. Now that the course has been crossed, how do you feel?
LF: It’s true, it makes at least three years that I spoke that I have 50 years. Ma daughter doesn’t stop telling me it: “Mama, you are 48, not 50”. And then, now, we re there. Like it or not, something happens, but in my house, it is rather of the order of gratitude. It is like a freeze frame where we look at what we have done. A sort of patchwork of images, with certain things more marked than others. Wednesday evening, the day before my birthday, I was in the car, returning from a concert in Roubaix. The dial indicated 23h59. There remained one minute before it toggled into this new decade and during this minute, I said thinks for my road, this journey that I’ve accomplished.
This January 9th was a date that you feared?
LF: Not at all! 50 years, it is just a number for me.
But like it or not, the age advances. At 50, do you pay attention to yourself, do you listen to your body more?
LF: Yes. Where in any case, if one doesn’t listen, it tells us about it. The body generates a direct contract if it is not respected. Of course, I feel that I age. But I think that one can age with grace.
One has the impression that you were in a phase where you have rarely been as fulfilled, both professionally and in your private life…
LF: Probably. But I don’t say it so strongly. One never knows! (laughs). Happiness is full of facets. It is first to recognize that which we have and appreciate it.
You have a husband, Gabriel, thirteen years younger than you. This also helps to remain younger?
LF: I don’t know if it is truly the age of someone which counts. Perhaps in his energy. To have a daughter 12 years old and a man of 37 years at my sides, this brings a vital energy into the house, but at the same time, it is my nature. Married or not with someone much younger, I have never been old in my head. I always remain a kid. Beyond age, it is the spirit which counts. And I think that Gabriel also remains always young in his head.
You celebrate equally your 30 years of career. You imagined at the time you would find yourself where you are today?
LF: I think that one can never imagine it. One can dream of it very strongly, to nourish a determination. And each day poses some gestures which will lead toward this road. But from there to predict all that happened…
Your journey is all the more impressive since you led an international career, which led you from the United States to the countries of the East through to Turkey.
LF: It was effectively impossible to predict. I went from Los Angeles to Moscow. It remains impressive. It is an amazing journey.
And a journey which has not always been easy. You have not been spared by the critics, indeed the mockeries, of those who denigrate the singers of voice.
LF: I’ve known some periods of terrible shock, with a veritable media bashing. I don’t have to teach you that which I’ve sometimes had to endure.
And how have you managed to surmount these attacks?
LF: By considering that which has been is not here and now. To appreciate the moment that we are given. And when this present is more complex, more painful, use a power of resilience to ensure that this adversity becomes an opportunity to grow and not a wall that ends up tearing you down.
If you had to hold onto some strong moments of your career, which would they be?
LF: To win a Voictoire de la Musique in France, that was incredible. There was the State de France with Johnny Hallyday. To win my first Felix for female singer in Quebec. Not at all because it was a trophy, but because it came from the people. Each time that I won some prize, it is because it is the public who voted. It is the most beautiful recompense. Finally, I would cite my return to Quebec, on “La Voix”, the Quebecoise version of “The Voice”, where a talent of my team, Genevieve Jodoin, won the season last year. It was an incredible turning at the dawn of my 50th birthday.
Have you any regrets?
LF: I have only some remorse. But I will not tell you which ones! (laughs)
To celebrate your 50 years on stage of Forest National, it was important?
LF: Totally. It is the first time in my career that I celebrate my birthday with my fans. It is for me the occasion to say thanks to my public for these 30 years at my side. There is also that all my loved ones are there: my father, my daughter, my husband… The idea arose at the turn of a broken discussion. They asked me where I would like to celebrate my 50th birthday if that ought to be on stage and I directly said Brussels.
In a general way, on the totality of your life, of what are you the most proud?
LF: Of my daughter. She is my most beautiful success. And of my life as a wife, a mother. Of my family in general.
Lou, your daughter, is 12 years old, she enters into adolescence. What genre of young lady is she?
LF: She is a super-rich child. You open one door, there are ten behind. Whether in her reflection or her silences. She is hyper-creative. She is however not at all drawn to what I do. She will not go into song. On the contrary, she loves to cook.
What is it that you have not yet accomplished and of which you dream?
LF: To open my school of singing in Belgium, like I spoke of a month ago. To be transmitting there the 30 years of my experience.
From this Saturday, one finds you on TF1 in the red chair of “The Voice”. To be coach, that also is part of this desire of transmission?
LF: Absolutely. It is in alignment with what I have the desire to do.
How have the recordings gone?
LF: Super. You are going to see, it is truly very very good, with a high level of candidates. With the coaches, we get along super-well, even if we have the aim of obtaining the talent that we want.
What genre of coach are you?
LF: Applied, generous, attentive. I have a mothering side that I can’t get rid of.
And do you hope to win with one of your talents, like was the case in Quebec?
LF: Of course. I hope especially that there comes out of this season a grand talent, that the people will discover and who will make a great road. To be able to participate in this hatching would be fabulous.
You live for some years in Quebec and you do not have the intention at the moment of returning here. What is it that you miss the most of Belgium?
LF: Strongly my loved ones, my father, certain of my friends that I have less occasion of seeing now that I don’t live here anymore. But I am very happy in Quebec.
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As usual, wonderful answers from Lara, who has proved herself resilient above all else.
And, as another component of that issue, there was an interview with Lara’s father, (https://www.cinetelerevue.be/actus/lara-fabian-racontee-par-son-papa?fbclid=IwAR14Kys9pZ1FJEvDwVix8WieLskOzyFbR_QzAbgvE3YsgNZzamisgShRRIE). Here’s the translation:
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Lara Fabian Told by her Dad
Pierre Crokaert traces the journey of his daughter, whom he has supported from the start in her desire to become a singer.
Last Thursday, January 9, Lara Fabian celebrated her 50th birthday on the stage of Forest National, in the presence of her fans. The great absent of the evening will certainly have been the mother of Lara, who died last year. The singer of "J'y crois encore" did not fail to pay her a moving tribute on stage. "She was a woman who gave me everything she is and who continues to do so." But Lara also honored her father, Pierre, who was present in the room, recalling all that she owed him, he who accompanied her on her journey to success and who never stopped believing in her, going so far as to devote the savings of a life so that she could break through.
Behind the stage, it is therefore an inevitably moved dad that we found and who remembered the beginnings of Lara. " It was at the age of 6 that I understood that she would become a singer," he told us in the dressing rooms, just before the concert. "I bought a tape from Eve Brenner, an opera singer who could reach an incredible vocal peak. I put it in the car and Lara started singing. I was blown away. From then on, there was only music for her. At 12 years old, she started to compose. Then, she played in a Brussels piano-bar, the Black Bottom, where I accompanied her on the guitar, and one fine day, Hubert Terheggen, producer at RTL Luxembourg, asked her to do the Eurovision 1988! From there, everything started…"
However, not everything will be rosy and Pierre will have to make a lot of sacrifices. "The course cost a lot of money. "I had stopped working in 1986 and at one point I thought I should go back to work!" Fortunately, Lara's career finally took off in Quebec. Pierre is therefore a happy father, even if he has been hurt by the criticism of his daughter. "I went through this very, very badly. They made fun of her at the "Big Heads", at the "Guignols". There was a relentlessness. Somewhere it can destroy an artist. And relatives must put up with it. With my wife, we wondered why so much badness. Fortunately, it calmed down. And then you have to see the good times. When she does Madison Square Garden in New York and even Michael Jackson goes on stage to kiss her, it does something. She sang with Barbra Streisand, Michael Bolton… She was invited to Stallone. "Lara is now 50 years old." But that doesn't mean much to me. She will always be my little girl."
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Nice to get his point of view, which is so rarely done!
Interesting photo(s) of the week: they summarize the events of the past two weeks;
From Lara’s Instagram site, there was this:
http://instagram.com/p/B7gw1bECvrU
with the comment,
“In the company of my press secretary in Belgium @chantalbpress ... I wanted on the occasion of the release of @cinetelerevue to thank you for your great work for so many years ... and also thank all my Belgian compatriots for their precious loyalty .... Love”
And then, from The Voice, there was this on her Instagram account:
and the comment, “Last day of shooting of the Battles @ thevoice_tf1 ... And tomorrow the first broadcast of the show on @ tf1 at 9:05 pm ... too eager that you discover the talents of the program.”
That first show has now been broadcast, and next week the second of the blind audition shows will air. We’ll see if the program can live up to its most interesting start. Off the screen, Lara will presumably have some time as the filming of the ‘battles’ seems to be over. Perhaps time to go back to Quebec and be with her family in their own home.
David
