Post by davidhr on Mar 30, 2021 7:50:44 GMT -5
Once again, Lara led the Star Academy contestants into another round of competition, a test embedded within the variety show that is really the prime justification for this program. Prior to the show there were the usual promos, e.g.,
www.facebook.com/larafabiantonautre/videos/1076438422867294
With the caption, “Tonight, Director Lara Fabian, singer Mika and professors are ready to have fun with the academics 💃”✨
Also show-related were the following two pictures, at
with the caption, “Ready for Variety #7 @staracademietva ⭐️
CCM @marcomarsolais @patrickvimbor @dennisvoltan #nationstarac”
As for the show itself, in what is officially Episode #9, three more of the 10 remaining Academicians on the Star Academy were ‘put in danger’. They were:
Dashny, a good looking man with a winning smile, whose brother and mother gave him words of support. Lara said, as she almost always does, that this week he needed to connect openly with his heart – which to her seems to be the key for all the students. Dashny said that to show himself vulnerable was not a part of him and not something he’s in the habit of doing. Lara asked him to make a change of mentality – he has a filter where he only shows that he’s happy. His other professors also encouraged him to speak his heart.
Queenie was supported by her little brother in Haiti and cousin in Florida. Gregory said that it was a rock ‘n roll week for her, and the task was to find something for her in French (she’s much more conversant in English). He also said she’s a girl without fear, indicated by her choosing to sing a ‘monument of music’ from Whitney Houston. Queenie noted that this week she learned what it means to be strong, to allow yourself to cry if things go bad. To accept what is, then just try to do better next time. Lara said she has an incredible perseverance defined by work.
For Rosalie, who has been in danger before, her support came from her brother and also from a great friend. During the week she got down on her knees when singing, filled with emotion. The teachers were happy that for this contest she made up her own composition. Lara said it was truly audacious.
Yannick Nezet-Seguin (artistic identity) and Mika (artistic director) finally joined the team of teachers, bringing the number on stage to 5 (joining Lara, Ariane, and Gregory). Mika said all the teachers were really artistic directors for their own work, and the Academicians must become artistic directors of their careers, of their own work, of their own art.
As for the performances:
Dashne Jules sang “Sans limites” of Kevin Bazinet, a song about breeching one’s limits, living with one’s fears. He performed it quite well, with an accomplished voice. The words were very affecting. Lara said, “it's staggering to see how when the Star Academie light comes on you shine even more. You did it again, Dashny, something lights up, the light lights up inside you. Well done, it was beautiful.”
Queenie Clement sang “I Have Nothing” from Whitney Houston. An impassioned performance on a difficult song. Patrice said he had called her the quiet force of the group, but this evening there was nothing tranquil about her. Gregory called her a singer. And Lara added – “a great singer. And have you seen your mom (who was overjoyed with the performance)?”
Rosalie Ayotte sang “Les Collines”, a song she composed herself. A subtle song, strengthened by perhaps one of the best performances. It was a much more affecting song than the one from Whitney Houston. She sang it softly, which was appropriate. Patrice said there was a new woman composer in Quebec, and it was her. Ariane thought so highly of it that she said if Rosalie ever had need of her at her side, she would love to be there. [Implied in those comments was that Ariane suspected Rosalie would be leaving the show, and this might be her last time to make that point].
This was a tough choice; ahead of the vote I picked Queenie and Rosalie, though I suspected Rosalie’s song was too nuanced for the audience, who I thought would choose Queenie. As to who the judges would then pick, I had no idea. The public chose Rosalie (!). The judges then chose Queenie. Obviously the public's response was a surprise, not only to me but to many others, including the Journal of Montreal writer, as one can gather from the article below (where, again, videos of the three songs are available). Note that the main thrust of the article was not about the competition, but on the variety show itself, with the pyrotechnical displays that Mika brought, again emphasizing the wider focus of the program. Here’s the translation (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/03/28/star-academie--mika-prend-le-controle):
----------------------------------------------
Star Académie: Mika takes control!
We were promised flamboyant and spectacular, and we were not disappointed. Mika transported us to his colorful world at Star Académie on Sunday. Drawings, fanfare, pyrotechnics, projections: it was only outside that the weather was gray!
Mika, the illustrious artistic director of the Academy, has already been waiting for seven weeks. COVID-19 obviously complicated the arrival of the occasional collaborator, but the international artist has been faithful to his commitment.
He spent a lot of time at the Academy last week, hammering his young colleagues to "do their homework", and he will be there again to make us dream next Sunday, with another disproportionate fresco.
The “Mika-esque” atmosphere was already feverish in the MELS studio, long before the start of the gala. Usual place of stroll, the cafeteria of the place had been wrapped in an immense white canvas, furnished with projectors and condemned by a fence, temporarily declared a "pyrotechnic zone".
We were made to wait a few minutes before the fiesta, the time for an energetic medley with Marc Dupré, concluded with his new piece, ‘Ou sera le monde’, assuredly doomed to success, and performances by the candidates in danger, Dashny, Queenie. and Rosalie.
The king of the evening then had the field free, with the 23 musicians and the flashy and original costumes that had been reserved for him.
Fireworks
We did not release the big guns immediately, offering a stripped-down segment opening, in the main studio, like the title of the song that carried it (Relax, Take It Easy). Mika and Lunou were seated, each on their piano, in front of a setting evoking a starry sky. We had brandished tuxedos and bow ties, for a departure that was both soft and solemn.
In the hallway leading to the garage, on a long red carpet, Mika and Dashny then strolled, dancing, to Lollipop, escorted by members of a marching band. Drums and trumpets quickly moved to the stage, where soft pink illustrations were enthroned.
For the dapper ‘Elle me dit’, figures with heads of geometric shapes jerked their dance steps at the feet of William, Shayan and Mika, who seemed to have a blast with his two buddies. The painting was very comic, very typical of Mika.
On the sexy ‘Boum Boum Boum’, Maëva and Annabel sensually moved up the stairs, while Jacob was marking the rhythm of a nearby maraca.
The explosion - literally and figuratively - happened on Stay High, in the vast white space specially designed, at Mika's request. He and his friends William, Dashny, Shayan and Lunou wriggled between the ray lighting and the elaborately designed fireworks by the PurFX box, a sort of parallel world where Mika and his immaculate costume radiated. At MELS, the backfiring could be heard and the smoke could be seen and felt several meters away!
For dessert, we had taken out the violins to carry the always majestic Happy Ending, watered by a shower of rose petals, the return of the band and other joyful flourishes.
"I haven't sweated like this for a very long time!" Mika confessed at the end of the chain. His wet face proved him right!
Dashny keeps smiling
It was almost difficult to stay focused after such a whirlwind of the senses, but the rest of this seventh Star Académie evening was nonetheless just as pleasant, with a stop by Louis-Jean Cormier, his new creation ‘Croire en rien’ under the arm; a “special requests” section, where our Academicians brilliantly sang - despite their little experience in the matter - the musical wishes of Internet users ( Lady Marmelade, You Give Love a Bad Name, Happy Day and even ‘Les portes du penitencier’, among others); and a tribute to Leonard Cohen to the sound of the immortal Hallelujah, joined by the man of the hour, Mika.
As for the dislodged of the week, Dashny Jules, he had not lost his eternal smile on Sunday, even if the end of the adventure sounded for him. He said he was "proud and happy", and was full of praise for his "opponents", Rosalie and Queenie, whom he is extremely happy to see continue the Star Academy journey .
“These are two artists who have a very deep musical imprint. They already know their artistic identity. It was an honor to sing with them. I understand the decisions of the public and teachers. Rosalie will shine, and Queenie is like my big sister!”
Close to Gregory Charles, who has encouraged him a lot since the start of the season, Dashny does not hesitate to speak of him as a "father figure" at the Academy.
“He was a person who pushed me, without pushing me too much. I am completely grateful for everything he has done for me and the other teachers as well. They gave me a lot of confidence and courage to want to move forward.”
Dashny, who would like to study nursing at CEGEP in the next year, hopes in the short term to work on his own compositions and he wants to put on a first show if possible this summer.
The three songs performed by the candidates in danger are available on QUB music and on all streaming and download platforms.
Rosalie Ayotte (People's Choice)
The bar was set high for Rosalie and her composition 'Les collines' [The Hills], after the near flawless executions of her comrades Dashny and Queenie. And yet! The public had not said its last word. Viewers have indeed returned the candidate from Saint-Tite to Waterloo, surely touched by the pretty text of her song, which addressed the difficulties, large and small, that we can encounter in life. “There is a new songwriter in Quebec, and her name is Rosalie Ayotte,” Patrice Michaud greeted her. Ariane Moffatt also promised Rosalie to support her as needed in the rest of her career. The main interested party gasped at having been elected by the public.
Queenie Clément (Professors' choice)
Finally, we could see Queenie shine (literally and figuratively, with her dress that sparkled with a thousand lights!) At the height of her talent on Sunday. It is always dizzying to tackle the repertoire of the great Whitney Houston, but the 29-year-old young woman, whom Patrice Michaud nicknamed "the quiet strength", was sovereign on I Have Nothing. "All I can tell you Queenie is: you are a singer!" she was praised after her passage by Gregory Charles still in tears, who admitted that he "did not have it easy tonight". Less skilled in French than in English, Queenie struggled to find the words to thank the teachers for having survived.
Dashny Jules (Dislodged)
To the surprise of many, no doubt, Dashny had to leave his comrades on Sunday. Gregory Charles, who has never hidden his admiration for the talent of the young Montrealer, did not only have his eyes cloudy at the end of his performance on Without Limit, by Kevin Bazinet; he was literally crying hot tears! "The light has turned on, something has turned on in you," Lara Fabian told him. So we can guess how heartbreaking it must have been for the faculty to have to decide between Dashny and Queenie, once Rosalie was saved by the audience.
---------------------------------
There are now nine Academicians left…A nice article about Rosalie appeared in Le Journal de Montreal (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/03/29/star-academie-rosalie-ayotte-insuffle-de-lespoir). It notes that she has been open about suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), and how music and the Star Academie has helped her work through (most of) it. It also notes that at the beginning of Star Académie, she had declared that she hoped that her shaved head and her few curves would inspire other girls of her age with physique far from fashion standards to go for their dreams. These were some of the issues implied in her song which “talks about the difficulties that sometimes appear to us as immense mountains to climb, but which, with support, reveal themselves ultimately only to be small hillocks to be stepped over.”
More show news: in one notable clip from the daily sessions, Lara was explaining how meditation balls work at the Star Academie:
www.instagram.com/reel/CM2YluVJ9dU/?
Each time you put some balls in your hand, you think to yourself...
Perhaps not each time
Did I say that
Yes, Lara, you said that…
Josee Lavigueur who is Lara’s personal trainer spent a day at the Star Academie offering cardio and weight training (she had been a fitness trainer on the show some years ago). She emphasized how important good physical condition is for a singer on stage. An article about her appearance can be found at (https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2021/03/24/star-academie-bouger-pour-mieux-chanter?).
In other news…a (several months old) review of Lara’s Lockdown album can be found at www.facebook.com/LaraFabianLockdownSession/ (thanks to the 'Lara Fabian est ton autre' FB page for the link). Here’s what it says:
-------------------------------
Kevin Sweet (works at Radio Canada and CBC)
December 16, 2020
Lara Fabian discreetly released a new album last night. A timid release for a record worth hearing and listening to.
The title says it all: “Lockdown Sessions”. It is a containment album described as a “musical experience” rather than a traditional music album by its singer-songwriter.
And it’s a success across the board.
She returns for the third time with the Swedish Moh Denebi. In recent years, this director has been able to subtly modernize Lara's music without ever distorting it while succeeding in bringing new colors to her voice.
Here her voice is at the service of the music, from beginning to end. They are not so much “sung” songs but rather vocalizations, mantras, spoken word and poems wrapped in soft and electronic atmospheres.
The album surprises several times with its sounds that oscillate between more meditative music (Listen to the Silence), happy hours in a chic bar (Live Your Life) and the dance floor (One). Those who are familiar with the musical world of British musician Imogen Heap (Say Goodbye And Go) will certainly hear her influence on the song "Reinvention". You will also recognize the music of pianist / composer Eric Satie who slips into the production of the song "Introspection".
Lara's daughter, Lou, also lends her voice to a few songs including the title “Le Passage”, a mixture of spoken words and chorus reminiscent of a pretty lullaby. It’s very sweet.
In 2020, the pandemic will not have entirely obscured important social issues and they have clearly been part of her thinking. The song "Feminicide" is visibly inspired by the zeitgeist on a melody which is somewhat reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".
Lara told me recently, and for the first time publicly, that she herself had been sexually harassed and decided to confront her tormentor instead of publicly denouncing him.
For a disc conceived in a dark moment with its roller coasters of emotions and its swirls, "Lockdown Sessions" is a luminous and hopeful disc that invites contemplation.
Lara conceived it in confinement but we can feel her rather ... free.
(PS: the album in its digital version is still available for purchase exclusively on her website. The physical copies are already out of stock).
#lockdownsessions #larafabian #kissmyapocalypse
------------------------------------------
We know that there was a 'second printing' of the physical album. If one goes to Lara's URL, larafaiban.com, it seems like all three versions (digital, CD, LP) are available.
A quiz about Lara can be found at www.cheriebelgique.be/article/7659/quiz-musical-lara-fabian-2020?fbclid=IwAR2aOIXYYm8I9o0S-Pz4lJC2vsiK-XQ9yabQ0k1IQeRx16n_VsW2ulDEedo); it’s provided below:
------------------------------------
MUSICAL QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF LARA FABIAN
Do you think you know Lara Fabian well? Take the quiz to assess your musical knowledge about the singer.
1) Where and when was she born?
a) January 9, 1972 in Etterbeek
b) January 9, 1970 in Etterbeek
c) January 9, 1970 in Evere
2) Where did she start her musical training in 1978?
a) Paris Opera
b) Monnaie Theatre
c) Royal Conservatory of Brussels
3) What is the title of the song that she sang at Eurovision in 1988
a) Vivre
b) Je t’aime
c) Croire
4) What album featured the title “Tout”
a) Lara Fabian
b) Pure
c) Carpe Diem
5) What did she sing alongside Johnny during her concert at the Stade de France in 1998?
a) Requiem pour un fou
b) Petite Marie
c) Je te promets
6) With which singer does she share the title "Tu es mon autre"?
a) Helene Sagara
b) Frane Gall
c) Maurane
7) When was the album "Toutes les femmes en moi" released?
a) May 25, 2008
b) May 25, 2009
c) May 15, 2009
8) When did she win the Victoire de la Musique, Revelation of the Year?
a) 1995
b) 1997
c) 1998
9) Which French artist wrote the song "Inévitablement"?
a) Louane
b) Nolwenn Leroy
c) Natasha St. Pierre
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not a very good test, since specific years of events, or dates of album releases, are simply unimportant details, not at all important characteristics of Lara’s life – and if one wants to know them, they are things one can easily look up. Some of them, e.g., #7, even Lara would probably not remember. For most of the relevant questions, most of Lara’s fans will know the answers.
“L'universe de Lara Fabian” has posted some ring tones of Lara’s songs,
Je t’aime encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EII04g8kVo
Je m'arreterai pas de t'aimer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQU3Ugw9UPk
Interesting choices. They also put on a video that shows how to convert an mp4 (from Youtube) into an mp3,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeiJ5pT9WDA
Interesting springtime photo(s) of the week: first from BertExertier - photographie
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=181041453828224&set=a.178602537405449
with the caption,"@larafabianofficial dans la lumière du printemps
Makeup : @marcomarsolais
Hair : @dennisvoltan
Styling : @patrickvimbor
#NationStarAc #portrait #VSCO #LaraFabian"
And then from Lara’s FB site,
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=302086204609013&set=a.259330805551220
with its caption, “A magnificent spring day.”
In more general terms, the “Lara Fabian America” FB site (https://www.facebook.com/larafabianamerica/) generally posts smiling pictures of Lara to greet each day, and even provides a ‘weekend’ concert. Thanks to them for doing that, providing a nice positive mood, currently in line with the coming of spring.
Finally, in a much different poignant mood, Lara left this on her Instagram site,
with the caption, “Mom ... and still your hands in mine ... I miss you so much ... 🙏❤️” - in honor of the anniversary of her mother’s passing in March of 2019.
More Star Academie work for Lara and the Academicians this coming (Easter) week. Stay safe everybody,
David
www.facebook.com/larafabiantonautre/videos/1076438422867294
With the caption, “Tonight, Director Lara Fabian, singer Mika and professors are ready to have fun with the academics 💃”✨
Also show-related were the following two pictures, at
http://instagram.com/p/CM-p2UDhmXC
with the caption, “Ready for Variety #7 @staracademietva ⭐️
CCM @marcomarsolais @patrickvimbor @dennisvoltan #nationstarac”
As for the show itself, in what is officially Episode #9, three more of the 10 remaining Academicians on the Star Academy were ‘put in danger’. They were:
Dashny, a good looking man with a winning smile, whose brother and mother gave him words of support. Lara said, as she almost always does, that this week he needed to connect openly with his heart – which to her seems to be the key for all the students. Dashny said that to show himself vulnerable was not a part of him and not something he’s in the habit of doing. Lara asked him to make a change of mentality – he has a filter where he only shows that he’s happy. His other professors also encouraged him to speak his heart.
Queenie was supported by her little brother in Haiti and cousin in Florida. Gregory said that it was a rock ‘n roll week for her, and the task was to find something for her in French (she’s much more conversant in English). He also said she’s a girl without fear, indicated by her choosing to sing a ‘monument of music’ from Whitney Houston. Queenie noted that this week she learned what it means to be strong, to allow yourself to cry if things go bad. To accept what is, then just try to do better next time. Lara said she has an incredible perseverance defined by work.
For Rosalie, who has been in danger before, her support came from her brother and also from a great friend. During the week she got down on her knees when singing, filled with emotion. The teachers were happy that for this contest she made up her own composition. Lara said it was truly audacious.
Yannick Nezet-Seguin (artistic identity) and Mika (artistic director) finally joined the team of teachers, bringing the number on stage to 5 (joining Lara, Ariane, and Gregory). Mika said all the teachers were really artistic directors for their own work, and the Academicians must become artistic directors of their careers, of their own work, of their own art.
As for the performances:
Dashne Jules sang “Sans limites” of Kevin Bazinet, a song about breeching one’s limits, living with one’s fears. He performed it quite well, with an accomplished voice. The words were very affecting. Lara said, “it's staggering to see how when the Star Academie light comes on you shine even more. You did it again, Dashny, something lights up, the light lights up inside you. Well done, it was beautiful.”
Queenie Clement sang “I Have Nothing” from Whitney Houston. An impassioned performance on a difficult song. Patrice said he had called her the quiet force of the group, but this evening there was nothing tranquil about her. Gregory called her a singer. And Lara added – “a great singer. And have you seen your mom (who was overjoyed with the performance)?”
Rosalie Ayotte sang “Les Collines”, a song she composed herself. A subtle song, strengthened by perhaps one of the best performances. It was a much more affecting song than the one from Whitney Houston. She sang it softly, which was appropriate. Patrice said there was a new woman composer in Quebec, and it was her. Ariane thought so highly of it that she said if Rosalie ever had need of her at her side, she would love to be there. [Implied in those comments was that Ariane suspected Rosalie would be leaving the show, and this might be her last time to make that point].
This was a tough choice; ahead of the vote I picked Queenie and Rosalie, though I suspected Rosalie’s song was too nuanced for the audience, who I thought would choose Queenie. As to who the judges would then pick, I had no idea. The public chose Rosalie (!). The judges then chose Queenie. Obviously the public's response was a surprise, not only to me but to many others, including the Journal of Montreal writer, as one can gather from the article below (where, again, videos of the three songs are available). Note that the main thrust of the article was not about the competition, but on the variety show itself, with the pyrotechnical displays that Mika brought, again emphasizing the wider focus of the program. Here’s the translation (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/03/28/star-academie--mika-prend-le-controle):
----------------------------------------------
Star Académie: Mika takes control!
We were promised flamboyant and spectacular, and we were not disappointed. Mika transported us to his colorful world at Star Académie on Sunday. Drawings, fanfare, pyrotechnics, projections: it was only outside that the weather was gray!
Mika, the illustrious artistic director of the Academy, has already been waiting for seven weeks. COVID-19 obviously complicated the arrival of the occasional collaborator, but the international artist has been faithful to his commitment.
He spent a lot of time at the Academy last week, hammering his young colleagues to "do their homework", and he will be there again to make us dream next Sunday, with another disproportionate fresco.
The “Mika-esque” atmosphere was already feverish in the MELS studio, long before the start of the gala. Usual place of stroll, the cafeteria of the place had been wrapped in an immense white canvas, furnished with projectors and condemned by a fence, temporarily declared a "pyrotechnic zone".
We were made to wait a few minutes before the fiesta, the time for an energetic medley with Marc Dupré, concluded with his new piece, ‘Ou sera le monde’, assuredly doomed to success, and performances by the candidates in danger, Dashny, Queenie. and Rosalie.
The king of the evening then had the field free, with the 23 musicians and the flashy and original costumes that had been reserved for him.
Fireworks
We did not release the big guns immediately, offering a stripped-down segment opening, in the main studio, like the title of the song that carried it (Relax, Take It Easy). Mika and Lunou were seated, each on their piano, in front of a setting evoking a starry sky. We had brandished tuxedos and bow ties, for a departure that was both soft and solemn.
In the hallway leading to the garage, on a long red carpet, Mika and Dashny then strolled, dancing, to Lollipop, escorted by members of a marching band. Drums and trumpets quickly moved to the stage, where soft pink illustrations were enthroned.
For the dapper ‘Elle me dit’, figures with heads of geometric shapes jerked their dance steps at the feet of William, Shayan and Mika, who seemed to have a blast with his two buddies. The painting was very comic, very typical of Mika.
On the sexy ‘Boum Boum Boum’, Maëva and Annabel sensually moved up the stairs, while Jacob was marking the rhythm of a nearby maraca.
The explosion - literally and figuratively - happened on Stay High, in the vast white space specially designed, at Mika's request. He and his friends William, Dashny, Shayan and Lunou wriggled between the ray lighting and the elaborately designed fireworks by the PurFX box, a sort of parallel world where Mika and his immaculate costume radiated. At MELS, the backfiring could be heard and the smoke could be seen and felt several meters away!
For dessert, we had taken out the violins to carry the always majestic Happy Ending, watered by a shower of rose petals, the return of the band and other joyful flourishes.
"I haven't sweated like this for a very long time!" Mika confessed at the end of the chain. His wet face proved him right!
Dashny keeps smiling
It was almost difficult to stay focused after such a whirlwind of the senses, but the rest of this seventh Star Académie evening was nonetheless just as pleasant, with a stop by Louis-Jean Cormier, his new creation ‘Croire en rien’ under the arm; a “special requests” section, where our Academicians brilliantly sang - despite their little experience in the matter - the musical wishes of Internet users ( Lady Marmelade, You Give Love a Bad Name, Happy Day and even ‘Les portes du penitencier’, among others); and a tribute to Leonard Cohen to the sound of the immortal Hallelujah, joined by the man of the hour, Mika.
As for the dislodged of the week, Dashny Jules, he had not lost his eternal smile on Sunday, even if the end of the adventure sounded for him. He said he was "proud and happy", and was full of praise for his "opponents", Rosalie and Queenie, whom he is extremely happy to see continue the Star Academy journey .
“These are two artists who have a very deep musical imprint. They already know their artistic identity. It was an honor to sing with them. I understand the decisions of the public and teachers. Rosalie will shine, and Queenie is like my big sister!”
Close to Gregory Charles, who has encouraged him a lot since the start of the season, Dashny does not hesitate to speak of him as a "father figure" at the Academy.
“He was a person who pushed me, without pushing me too much. I am completely grateful for everything he has done for me and the other teachers as well. They gave me a lot of confidence and courage to want to move forward.”
Dashny, who would like to study nursing at CEGEP in the next year, hopes in the short term to work on his own compositions and he wants to put on a first show if possible this summer.
The three songs performed by the candidates in danger are available on QUB music and on all streaming and download platforms.
Rosalie Ayotte (People's Choice)
The bar was set high for Rosalie and her composition 'Les collines' [The Hills], after the near flawless executions of her comrades Dashny and Queenie. And yet! The public had not said its last word. Viewers have indeed returned the candidate from Saint-Tite to Waterloo, surely touched by the pretty text of her song, which addressed the difficulties, large and small, that we can encounter in life. “There is a new songwriter in Quebec, and her name is Rosalie Ayotte,” Patrice Michaud greeted her. Ariane Moffatt also promised Rosalie to support her as needed in the rest of her career. The main interested party gasped at having been elected by the public.
Queenie Clément (Professors' choice)
Finally, we could see Queenie shine (literally and figuratively, with her dress that sparkled with a thousand lights!) At the height of her talent on Sunday. It is always dizzying to tackle the repertoire of the great Whitney Houston, but the 29-year-old young woman, whom Patrice Michaud nicknamed "the quiet strength", was sovereign on I Have Nothing. "All I can tell you Queenie is: you are a singer!" she was praised after her passage by Gregory Charles still in tears, who admitted that he "did not have it easy tonight". Less skilled in French than in English, Queenie struggled to find the words to thank the teachers for having survived.
Dashny Jules (Dislodged)
To the surprise of many, no doubt, Dashny had to leave his comrades on Sunday. Gregory Charles, who has never hidden his admiration for the talent of the young Montrealer, did not only have his eyes cloudy at the end of his performance on Without Limit, by Kevin Bazinet; he was literally crying hot tears! "The light has turned on, something has turned on in you," Lara Fabian told him. So we can guess how heartbreaking it must have been for the faculty to have to decide between Dashny and Queenie, once Rosalie was saved by the audience.
---------------------------------
There are now nine Academicians left…A nice article about Rosalie appeared in Le Journal de Montreal (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/03/29/star-academie-rosalie-ayotte-insuffle-de-lespoir). It notes that she has been open about suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), and how music and the Star Academie has helped her work through (most of) it. It also notes that at the beginning of Star Académie, she had declared that she hoped that her shaved head and her few curves would inspire other girls of her age with physique far from fashion standards to go for their dreams. These were some of the issues implied in her song which “talks about the difficulties that sometimes appear to us as immense mountains to climb, but which, with support, reveal themselves ultimately only to be small hillocks to be stepped over.”
More show news: in one notable clip from the daily sessions, Lara was explaining how meditation balls work at the Star Academie:
www.instagram.com/reel/CM2YluVJ9dU/?
Each time you put some balls in your hand, you think to yourself...
Perhaps not each time
Did I say that
Yes, Lara, you said that…
Josee Lavigueur who is Lara’s personal trainer spent a day at the Star Academie offering cardio and weight training (she had been a fitness trainer on the show some years ago). She emphasized how important good physical condition is for a singer on stage. An article about her appearance can be found at (https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2021/03/24/star-academie-bouger-pour-mieux-chanter?).
In other news…a (several months old) review of Lara’s Lockdown album can be found at www.facebook.com/LaraFabianLockdownSession/ (thanks to the 'Lara Fabian est ton autre' FB page for the link). Here’s what it says:
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Kevin Sweet (works at Radio Canada and CBC)
December 16, 2020
Lara Fabian discreetly released a new album last night. A timid release for a record worth hearing and listening to.
The title says it all: “Lockdown Sessions”. It is a containment album described as a “musical experience” rather than a traditional music album by its singer-songwriter.
And it’s a success across the board.
She returns for the third time with the Swedish Moh Denebi. In recent years, this director has been able to subtly modernize Lara's music without ever distorting it while succeeding in bringing new colors to her voice.
Here her voice is at the service of the music, from beginning to end. They are not so much “sung” songs but rather vocalizations, mantras, spoken word and poems wrapped in soft and electronic atmospheres.
The album surprises several times with its sounds that oscillate between more meditative music (Listen to the Silence), happy hours in a chic bar (Live Your Life) and the dance floor (One). Those who are familiar with the musical world of British musician Imogen Heap (Say Goodbye And Go) will certainly hear her influence on the song "Reinvention". You will also recognize the music of pianist / composer Eric Satie who slips into the production of the song "Introspection".
Lara's daughter, Lou, also lends her voice to a few songs including the title “Le Passage”, a mixture of spoken words and chorus reminiscent of a pretty lullaby. It’s very sweet.
In 2020, the pandemic will not have entirely obscured important social issues and they have clearly been part of her thinking. The song "Feminicide" is visibly inspired by the zeitgeist on a melody which is somewhat reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".
Lara told me recently, and for the first time publicly, that she herself had been sexually harassed and decided to confront her tormentor instead of publicly denouncing him.
For a disc conceived in a dark moment with its roller coasters of emotions and its swirls, "Lockdown Sessions" is a luminous and hopeful disc that invites contemplation.
Lara conceived it in confinement but we can feel her rather ... free.
(PS: the album in its digital version is still available for purchase exclusively on her website. The physical copies are already out of stock).
#lockdownsessions #larafabian #kissmyapocalypse
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We know that there was a 'second printing' of the physical album. If one goes to Lara's URL, larafaiban.com, it seems like all three versions (digital, CD, LP) are available.
A quiz about Lara can be found at www.cheriebelgique.be/article/7659/quiz-musical-lara-fabian-2020?fbclid=IwAR2aOIXYYm8I9o0S-Pz4lJC2vsiK-XQ9yabQ0k1IQeRx16n_VsW2ulDEedo); it’s provided below:
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MUSICAL QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF LARA FABIAN
Do you think you know Lara Fabian well? Take the quiz to assess your musical knowledge about the singer.
1) Where and when was she born?
a) January 9, 1972 in Etterbeek
b) January 9, 1970 in Etterbeek
c) January 9, 1970 in Evere
2) Where did she start her musical training in 1978?
a) Paris Opera
b) Monnaie Theatre
c) Royal Conservatory of Brussels
3) What is the title of the song that she sang at Eurovision in 1988
a) Vivre
b) Je t’aime
c) Croire
4) What album featured the title “Tout”
a) Lara Fabian
b) Pure
c) Carpe Diem
5) What did she sing alongside Johnny during her concert at the Stade de France in 1998?
a) Requiem pour un fou
b) Petite Marie
c) Je te promets
6) With which singer does she share the title "Tu es mon autre"?
a) Helene Sagara
b) Frane Gall
c) Maurane
7) When was the album "Toutes les femmes en moi" released?
a) May 25, 2008
b) May 25, 2009
c) May 15, 2009
8) When did she win the Victoire de la Musique, Revelation of the Year?
a) 1995
b) 1997
c) 1998
9) Which French artist wrote the song "Inévitablement"?
a) Louane
b) Nolwenn Leroy
c) Natasha St. Pierre
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Not a very good test, since specific years of events, or dates of album releases, are simply unimportant details, not at all important characteristics of Lara’s life – and if one wants to know them, they are things one can easily look up. Some of them, e.g., #7, even Lara would probably not remember. For most of the relevant questions, most of Lara’s fans will know the answers.
“L'universe de Lara Fabian” has posted some ring tones of Lara’s songs,
Je t’aime encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EII04g8kVo
Je m'arreterai pas de t'aimer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQU3Ugw9UPk
Interesting choices. They also put on a video that shows how to convert an mp4 (from Youtube) into an mp3,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeiJ5pT9WDA
Interesting springtime photo(s) of the week: first from BertExertier - photographie
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=181041453828224&set=a.178602537405449
with the caption,"@larafabianofficial dans la lumière du printemps
Makeup : @marcomarsolais
Hair : @dennisvoltan
Styling : @patrickvimbor
#NationStarAc #portrait #VSCO #LaraFabian"
And then from Lara’s FB site,
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=302086204609013&set=a.259330805551220
with its caption, “A magnificent spring day.”
In more general terms, the “Lara Fabian America” FB site (https://www.facebook.com/larafabianamerica/) generally posts smiling pictures of Lara to greet each day, and even provides a ‘weekend’ concert. Thanks to them for doing that, providing a nice positive mood, currently in line with the coming of spring.
Finally, in a much different poignant mood, Lara left this on her Instagram site,
http://instagram.com/p/CNAjx3kBBGe
with the caption, “Mom ... and still your hands in mine ... I miss you so much ... 🙏❤️” - in honor of the anniversary of her mother’s passing in March of 2019.
More Star Academie work for Lara and the Academicians this coming (Easter) week. Stay safe everybody,
David
