Post by davidhr on May 4, 2021 7:48:01 GMT -5
Sunday night was the final of the Star Academie. The program brought back the 15 academicians to participate in the various variety acts, and it was nice to see them again, but the focus of course was on the two finalists.
Lunou Zucchini who it was noted doubted whether she had the wherewithal to compete in the ‘blood sport’ of the competition, sang “Vole” of Celine Dion. Lara, in rehearsals, said: “It is very beautiful. Something is really going on. Lunou did her usual masterful job. Lara said at the end of her song, “I think you have something to say. I want to tell you that if you doubt, know that those who were listening to you and love you do not doubt. Go to them because we're waiting and we can't wait to find you.”
William Cloutier who indicated he had thought this was his last chance to participate in this profession, was the last to be named to participate. He said “the last will be first”. Lara had told him that he needed to be more connected to his emotions, to his truth. He learned about himself; for example, he didn’t think writing a song was something that was part of him. Lara said in rehearsal, “You took your heart, you plugged it into your incredible skills and you connect them all the time.” He sang “Et je t’aime encore” of Celine Dion, and he did it emotionally. Lara said, “William, as I told you when you know how to grow inside, for me there are no losers at this stage. You have already conquered each of your in the hearts of the public, all the space that you could truly fill. You are a big one. A huge artist. It has been an honor and a privilege to accompany you.”
The two finalists were quite similar, as exemplified by both of them singing Celine Dion songs that start slow and then peak. All in all, I thought William put more emotion into his song, while Lunou’s presentation was more refined. My guess was that the public would choose William. And it was up to Lara to announce the verdict. She said that the vote had been very large, and very close, and the public chose: William. I have no problem with that decision; and neither, it appeared, did Lunou, who, consistent with her personality, seemed every bit as happy as if she herself had won.
A nice touch was a closing number which the three judges who appeared on each show, Lara, Ariane and Gregory, along with the 15 academicians, sang a song that Ariane wrote, “La plus belles de versions de nous-memes” [The Best Versions of Ourselves].
All-in-all, I thought the Star Academie was much better than “La voix”; it gave the judges and the audience much more of a view of the candidates, winnowed down the contestants to the proper finalists, and came up with an accurate verdict. It was also in many ways more heart-warming, due to the numerous situations that were televised, including all of the judge’s comments, and the daily shows. And for Lara, being able to continually use her expertise, and have the public see that, it was as good as it gets, outside of her singing herself – and when she did get to sing, it was with great fanfare. An immensely positive experience, all around. And one likely to be repeated next year.
Here’s the report from the Journal de Montreal (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/05/02/le-candidat-william-cloutierremporte-star-academie-2021):
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Candidate William Cloutier wins Star Académie 2021
Lara Fabian mentioned it, the vote was hot until the last second, but it was finally William Cloutier that the public chose at the end of the final of Star Académie 2021, Sunday, after a particularly elevated final variety, at TVA.
With his sensual interpretation of Et je t'aime encore by Celine Dion, William, 25, was ahead of his colleague Lunou Zucchini, who also honorably defended herself on Vole, also by Celine. The winner ends the adventure with a grand prize of $125,000 and a musical contract with Musicor, while Lunou escapes with an amount of $50,000.
Note that at the initiative of QUB musique, each participant of Star Académie 2021 receives a grant of $10,000 to support the start of their career.
What's more, the two finalist candidates will go on tour together across Quebec from 2022, in a joint show.
Filled Agenda
William, who we saw very emotional throughout the Star Académie experience, was both happy and calm when he left the stage, his little bottle of sparkling wine in his hand.
"I glide, I pinch myself, I can't believe my eyes. It's a dream come true! You have to believe that it happens sometimes, these things ...”, launched the young man from Victoriaville, now a resident of Drummondville.
Already, a full agenda is emerging for William for the next year. In addition to the series of concerts with his friend Lunou, the artist must go audition in Paris for the new version of Starmania which will soon be staged there.
“Anne (Vivien), of Musicor, warned me that, if I had plans to quit, it is not possible (laughs), that a beautiful springboard awaits me for the future. Me, since I was born, I eat it, music, shows like Star A, that's what rocked my childhood. To get to the end of this project, for me, it's a great accomplishment, and I'm very proud of myself and the people around who have supported me, starting with my sweetheart and my immediate family”, portrays William, decreeing that his family will certainly follow him to Paris if he were to settle there on a contract.
Precisely, if he spoke a lot about his family during the adventure, William does not hide being happy to have been able to think only of himself and his artistic development during the weeks of Star Académie.
“It connects with first loves. It's very instinctive, as a situation. To have had a moment all alone, without being "the daddy of", or "the lover of" just being William, the man, the artist, it sure helped me to be plugged into my inner self. I feel more ready for the future.”
Do not worry about the relationship between Lunou and William after the latter's decree of victory; their complicity is intact.
“Everyone was hoping for a fierce competitive final, but we were zero in the competition. We were in joy, in reunion; we had a "party" tonight on stage. I even lost my voice at one point!”
Finally, already accustomed to a certain notoriety after his participation in La cour des grands and Mixmania, William is not afraid of having to share parts of his privacy with the public from now on.
"I really think I am ready to welcome these people, and I want to share my daily life with them".
Successful end of season
The Star Académie team will not be ashamed of this festive, joyful, unifying and colorful end of the season: this gala-conclusion of the 2021 edition was spectacular and successful from all points of view.
It started off with a bang with a crazy collage of Trois Accords under the theme of the end of classes, with ballerinas with alien masks and other academicians disguised as trees or in a box of tissues. Pure Trois Accords. The visual appearance of the number, signed Pony, was as beautiful as it was funny, living up to the energy of the featured group.
There followed a nice medley of success from Patrice Michaud (where the main interested party received a first career gold record, for his album Le feu de tous jour), a gospel segment with a dispersed choir (the Ensemble Odyssea), led by a Gregory Charles who seemed in heaven (where he started by dusting off his great hit I Think Of You, from 2006), and some follies from the Star Académie Squad (where the unspeakable Pierre-Yves Roy -Desmarais, wearing Lunou's red pumps, shone especially).
We really liked the tableau honoring the musical universe of the two finalists, two children from the 1990s and 2000s (they are both 25 years old), from their childhood (L’eau vive) to today, where “millennial” nuggets of Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Natasha Bedingfield and Jennifer Lopez ( Let's Get Loud, to evoke the friendship that binds academicians). Among other things, we recreated the popular music videos from Baby One More Time (1998) and Everybody (Backstreet's Back) (1997).
Each teacher received a word of thanks, and Ariane Moffatt gave her class a lovely new song, La plus belle des versions de nous-mêmes, which featured highlights from the season.
Even Hubert Lenoir, co-creator of the theme song that Quebec has been humming for two months, Maintenant et partout, took a leap (several jumps, in fact!) to sing his own lyrics with his friends from the show.
An appointment that closed the journey on a moving and positive note, which proves that the production team has done its homework since the launch on February 14th ... and which makes you look forward to the new version, the year next.
The songs performed by the finalists are available on QUB Music and on all streaming and download platforms.
THE SERVICES OF THE FINALISTS
William Cloutier (Winner)
The new darling of Quebecers was intense as he knows how to be in his interpretation of Et je t’aime encore, popularized by our international Céline. In front of a projection of the sea as far as the eye can see at the purple hour, William breathed all his heart into the song that the public had selected for him (remember that it was by means of a vote on social networks that William decided to bet on Et je t’aime encore). At his feet, his lover, Sara, was transfixed with emotion. "I just heard the great William Cloutier", praised Gregory Charles after listing the stages in the evolution of the boy he has known since his childhood. "You are a great, William, a great artist, as for Lunou", added the director Lara Fabian.
Lunou Zucchini (Finalist)
As endearing as her companion, the sweet Lunou surely narrowly escaped victory. In her clear voice, while mom Luce Dufault had her eyes full of water nearby and her boyfriend seemed particularly moved, the young woman rocked us to Vole, a magnificent text by Jean-Jacques Goldman from Celine Dion's repertoire. Sober as usual, bewitching, Lunou embodied the compliment that Ariane Moffatt addressed to her afterwards: "Everything stopped, it flowed", noted the teacher of musical creation. "If you doubt (...) Those who listen to you and love you, they do not doubt", then stressed Lara Fabian to Lunou.
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As to how the public responded to William’s victory, an article concerned with that appeared in (https://hollywoodpq.com/le-public-reagit-a-la-victoire-de-william-cloutier-a-star-academie/):
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The public reacts to William Cloutier's victory at Star Académie
Sunday evening marked the spectacle of the 2021 Star Académie grand finale and it was William Cloutier who won the scholarship totaling $125,000 as well as a record contact with Musicor. The last variety gala was colorful and rich in emotion, in addition to welcoming all the academicians of this cuvée. But what makes us smile this morning is the public's reaction to William Cloutier's victory, which is unanimous!
The faculty themselves addressed the talents of the Academy telling them they were moved to see them all together. It is also with pride that they wished good luck to the two finalists.
The show was worthy of a final number one would have hoped for. Hubert Lenoir was also on hand to perform the theme song with the academicians. In addition, the host Patrice Michaud finally sang his greatest hits with the help of the participants and it was a performance more than expected. Towards the end of the show, the darling teacher, Gregory Charles , performed a number where the energy never reached its limit and where the atmosphere was so festive that it made us want to sing and dance in our living room.
But when the hour of the performances of the two finalists Lunou Zucchini and William arrived, the two singers delivered something incredible to us. Lunou chose to perform a song that Celine Dion had recorded herself, Vole , and sang it with accuracy and emotion. As for William , he also decided to perform a song by our international Céline, Et je t'aime encore, and he did it brilliantly. Recall that the latter had sung this song during one of his first television appearances when he was younger at La cour des grands.
Another announcement that will have pleased the public is that of the tour that William and Lunou will offer in winter 2022! Yes, the two finalists will travel across Quebec to put on a show together. Remember that during the old Star Académie vintages, the participants all went on tour together, so we wonder why this same concept is not repeated, but we are still happy for the two finalists!
Before unveiling the final result, Lunou and William concocted a musical number in their colors and it is with a medley including among others, the classic songs of Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys , that the duo knew how to satisfy the most nostalgic of viewers.
Academy Director Lara Fabian finally took the stage with the envelope in her hands containing the audience's choice. “The public decided to save… William Cloutier!" It is in a shower of confetti that the one who had already participated in Mixmania and who is now the father of two children accepted this victory, eyes in the water. Remember that Lunou will receive a scholarship in the amount of $50,000.
What is certain is that on social networks, the public reacted strongly to this victory that they themselves decided.
“Congratulations, William, and good continuity. Really looking forward to seeing you on stage!"," Congratulations William, you both deserve to win, but we are very happy for you, enjoy your new careers ",”Bravo William!","Bravo, you have a great career ahead of you!"," Congratulations William! Good luck and a very good show last night. We will be bored of no longer having the daily routine. Well done to Lunou too, you have a bright future!” “Welcome back with your beautiful little family “, “Well done, William, but you were two big winners! Bravo Lunou! some fans of the show wrote.
The comments are unanimous and the public is certainly eager to see William shine on the stage! What is certain is that William Cloutier deserved his place in the final, him to whom this dream of singing seemed so important. Well done!
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As shown by these comments, the 'unanimity' included how well Lunou had done, consistent with Lara's comment that the vote had been close.
Lara then provided a closing salutation to William, “Well done my dear William you are a great artist! I am very proud of your career, and privileged to have worked with you. See you soon!”
In an article written before the closing show, (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/05/02/star-academie-les-beaux-souvenirs-des-15-academiciens-1), one got to hear the remembrances of all the academicians (a number who mention Lara):
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"Star Académie": fond memories of the 15 academicians
How fast it went, this sixth season of “Star Académie”! A few hours before the grand finale, the 15 academicians of the 2021 cohort tell us about the most beautiful memories of the unique experience they have just lived.
Before we announce who, William Cloutier or Lunou Zucchini, will be the audience's choice and win the top honors, the whole happy band - because yes, the candidates will all be on stage for this final moment - will sing and dance with Les Trois Accords, professors Lara Fabian, Ariane Moffatt and Gregory Charles, as well as host Patrice Michaud ... And maybe there will be other surprises?
The public will be able to vote for William or Lunou tonight, starting at 7 p.m., on TVA.
Olivier Faubert
“The highlight for me at the academy, where I learned the most, was my first assessment, my only assessment, and when I learned I was in danger. I reacted really badly at the time, and I really had a lot of thoughts about it. This is what made me grow the most as an artist, and also as a human.”
Charles Kamoun
“My best moment was before entering the academy, just before singing with Lara. I think people didn't see how excited I was. I was as red as a tomato, It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life!”
Meghan Oak
“Obviously, a very significant moment for me at 'Star Académie' was when I was able to join in the adventure, when the teachers saved me during the first gala on February 14th. Otherwise, singing with Charlotte Cardin was really a great gift, since she's an artist that I really appreciate. ”
Matt Moln
“My highlight in the academy, I believe, was my endangerment performance. All this variety, in fact, where I sang with Pierre Lapointe. Everything was really beautiful and "fun"."
Zara Sargsyan
“My highlight during the season was my final performance, before my elimination. This is where I realized how many things I learned. I understood why I was there and what I had to convey to the public. It was a very beautiful moment! ”
Dashny Jules
“My highlight at the academy was the Monday I learned I was going to be in danger. It was the first time I was able to leave the academy, to have a good time, because it was hot, too. I raced with Annabel and Shayan ... and I won! (laughs) We had a lot of fun. We played games and ate a magnificent meal, a recipe from chef Hugo Saint-Jacques.”
Annabel Oreste
"My favorite moment is when I got fried chicken two days in a row at the academy!"
Maëva Grelet
“My best moment for me was when I was finally able to do, for my last week at the academy, my song, my composition, which could really show all my colors, which really showed who Maëva was, and which did not prevent me from showing all the energy I had."
Shayan Heidari
“My highlight was when we had the class with Lara, where we had to open up as much as possible, and talk about the things that were hard for us in our life. It was remarkable because it allowed us to be stronger together. It made me realize how much we can be stronger together."
Jacob Roberge
“It's hard to choose one. I would have a top three for my duet with Mario Pelchat, "Le temps des cathédrales" with Bruno Pelletier and my duet with Lara Fabian."
Guillaume Lafond
“My best moment, I think it was my first evaluation, when I spoke to the teachers about where I wanted to go. They just gave me confidence and said: "Let's go, you can do it, if you believe in your business, do it!". And it just made me realize I could do it."
Rosalie Ayotte
“My highlight at the academy, I think it's really when I did my composition "Les collines". When I wrote it, and also when I "performed" on variety, when I was in danger, and when I was voted by the public. It was really a surprising moment, but it was really a beautiful moment, and it confirmed to me that I was in the right place."
Queenie Clement
“My highlight of the season was when my choir, the Unity choir, came to 'perform' at 'Star Académie', during Black History Month, to do the 'medley' highlighting the contributions. from black musicians to the history of music. My husband was in the choir, and I was incredibly proud to be a part of that number, and incredibly proud that the production took the time to organize this with Gregory Charles, to demonstrate this part of the story of black music."
William Cloutier
“I think what struck me the most was at the end of the course, when I made my composition to defend my place, in the men's semi-final. To have sung my composition, it was a decisive moment. I was saved by the public, and nothing has been greater than this feeling to date, for me, in the adventure. It was the most beautiful gift. "
Lunou Zucchini
"There are so many! I will stop at one or two ... The visit to the Maison Symphonique, and the rehearsals with the Metropolitan Orchestra. For me, it was striking. There was an energy in the room, the sound, the acoustics of the room, with all the "gang", for me, it was such a beautiful moment ... And to sing with Lara, it was really grandiose. Otherwise, the first time that I was in danger and that I did "Le parc Belmont", because it was the first time that I was in a context where I sang alone to defend my place, and it was the public who chose me. I was very flattered and grateful.”
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The articles above referred to an upcoming tour that William and Lunou will do in Quebec. Here’s a bit more about it (https://www.lecarre150.com/spectacle/detail/Star-Academie/La-tournee-du-gagnant-de-Star-Academie-2021/27-03-2022-19-00):
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After seducing Quebec for 12 weeks on TVA, the two finalists of the 2021 edition of Star Académie will meet their audience during a major tour of shows, which will take them to the four corners of Quebec from Spring 2022. Musicor Spectacles is inviting spectators to a double stage, while William Cloutier and Lunou Zucchini will share the stage. An extraordinary opportunity to discover two musical universes.
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Not everybody was happy with the way things progressed and turned out on this year’s show (e.g., montrealcampus.ca/2021/05/02/star-academie-une-diversite-rapidement-eliminee/):
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Star Académie: diversity quickly eliminated
The big comeback of Star Académie on TVA took place under the sign of cultural and bodily diversity. However, the public, called to vote every week to save a candidate from elimination, has voted only once in eleven weeks in favor of a candidate from diversity. Why? A pure-wool Quebec audience concentrated in the regions would be one possible explanation, according to specialists.
The cast of Star Académie this year is undoubtedly one of the most diverse in the history of Quebec reality TV. It brought together candidates of Iranian, Armenian and Haitian origin, among others. However, it appears that out of the six semi-finalists of the flagship TVA show, only one candidate, Queenie, came from diversity. And the final, which will pit Lunou Zucchini against William Cloutier on Sunday May 2, will be entirely made up of white people.
The show's executive producer, Jean-Philippe Dion, says he's proud of Star Académie's 2021 cohort. “We have chosen the best possible artists. In any case, our decisions were made to choose diversity”, he emphasizes at the Montreal Campus. He concedes that this diverse cohort may have destabilized many viewers. “I think that for young people, diversity is totally natural. But I think there is an education to be done among the Quebec public. Perhaps for some people in the older audience, the presence of diversity can be unsettling”, he says.
A diversity that is disappearing
On the waves of 98.5 on April 14, comedian Mariana Mazza said she was disappointed with the outcome of the popular show. “Star Académie has never had so many ethnic faces […], but yet there are almost more […]. Once again, we are heading towards a completely white final. And I don't think it's because of their color that they don't make it to the final, but I think that in our unconscious we go back to our comfort, we want people from the region, we want people from home”, she maintained.
An opinion shared by the director of the Media School of the University of Quebec in Montreal and television specialist, Pierre Barrette. “When it is the production that chooses candidates, there is diversity. But when the decision is up to the true TVA audience, diversity disappears in favor of a much purer vision of Quebec”, he says. The network's slogan is “TVA, we recognize each other”. Pierre Barrette also reminds the target audience of the show. “This type of program plays on the idea that diversity is good in itself, but it is aimed at an audience that is very traditional, aging and concentrated in the regions”, he emphasizes.
For his part, Jean-Philippe Dion does not believe that the public vote is influenced by the skin color of the candidates. "I rather believe that the public's vote depends on several factors, such as the song chosen or the personality of the candidates, and those who come from the regions benefit from a strong mobilization on the part of their community”, he believes. Star Académie press relations declined requests for an interview from the Montreal Campus with a dislodged candidate of diversity.
Mostly white in our screens
Vanessa Destiné is a journalist and TV columnist, in addition to being known for her defense of anti-racism and intersectional feminism. She does not adhere to the skin color thesis to justify the public vote at Star Académie. “During my career, I have observed that white people are always ready to discover new faces”, she says. She nevertheless observes a lack of interest in certain communities in Quebec television. “I hardly listen to Quebec television at all anymore because of the lack of diversity. And I noticed that several other black people shun Star Académie for the same reasons”, she notes. "In terms of diversity on screen, we are lagging behind the United States and the rest of Canada, that's for sure”, she believes.
Vanessa Destiné does not believe that Star Académie is a convincing sample to assess discrimination on television. "I mean, there is Luce Dufault's daughter in the final", she recalls. “The public likes to vote for people who are already famous, like children of stars. It's the whole show that's biased, it's not a good sample”, she says with a laugh. Indeed, the final will pit the daughter of the popular singer against William Cloutier, also already known to the public thanks to his participation in the programs Mixmania 3 and La Cour des grands when he was a child.
To keep hope
Vanessa Destiné recalls that it is possible for people from diverse backgrounds to win a mainstream singing show. She mentions Yama Laurent, who triumphed at the sixth edition of La Voix in 2018. Pierre Barrette agrees. He does not believe that young people of diverse backgrounds who dream of participating in these shows should be discouraged. It is simply a question of becoming aware of the Quebec reality: "The public vote at Star Académie should not make them believe that Quebec is racist, but that there is a certain deep Quebec, and I am not saying that pejoratively, but this deep Quebec is not confronted on a daily basis with the diversity that we see in Montreal."
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One of the standard tropes of the theatre is “know your audience”. In past years on La Voix, or The Voice, we’ve seen white candidates with great operatic voices not advance because it was not the style of music that the audience appreciated. If the voting public in Quebec primarily gravitates toward the variety faire epitomized by the star guests who were on this program, then to expect them to support en masse any other type of music is unrealistic. And people with different backgrounds or ethnicities are unlikely to be able to sing or perform the types of music that does appeal to this audience as perfectly as those who were brought up with that same background. To the extent this constitutes ‘bias’, it would be a favoritism towards the type of music the majority of the viewing public feels most at home with, which is only to be expected. Singers of French variety music are unlikely to win a popularity contest in Nashville (though Guillaume Lafond did amazingly well with his country sound due to the overall excellence of his performances).
The situation is vastly different in the U.S. As noted in an article at www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/nearly-a-third-of-all-streams-in-the-us-last-year-were-of-hip-hop-and-rb-music/, hip-hop and R&B were the most popular streaming music styles, while rock was second and pop was third. As Pierre Barrette said in the article above: it is a question of becoming aware of the Quebec reality. Nevertheless, it is good to see different types of music being presented on the TV reality shows in Quebec – that is a victory in its own right.
On this last Star Academie show, it was announced that Lara has finally rescheduled the concerts in Montreal and Quebec that were postponed several times due to COVID. The new dates are:
June 14, 2022 at la Place des Arts de Montréal
June 15 and 16, 2022 in Montréal
June 21, 2022 at the Centre Vidéotron de Québec
The first of those dates is not a rescheduling but an added date (likely the result of Lara’s greatly enhanced prominence in Quebec). Tickets are available at www.billets.ca/concerts/lara-fabian/, and on her URL site at larafabian.com
On the latter site one can see that her 14 June concerts in France and eastern Europe for June 2021 are still listed. The situation in France is that the country expects to reopen most venues except nightclubs by July. Here’s an article discussing it (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56934746):
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France will allow cafes, bars and restaurants to serve outside and relax a nightly curfew in a planned easing of lockdown measures starting next month.
The four-stage plan outlined by President Emmanuel Macron aims to largely reopen the country by 30 June.
Foreign tourists with a Covid-19 "health pass" will be allowed to visit France again from 9 June.
France's infection rate has fallen since introducing a third lockdown, but numbers remain high in some areas.
Detailing his much-anticipated plans to a group of French newspapers, Mr. Macron said he wanted ease France's restrictions in four stages:
On 3 May, secondary-school and high-school pupils will start returning to in-person classes. Rules on traveling will end.
On 19 May, a current 19:00 (17:00 GMT) nightly curfew will be pushed back to 21:00. Cafes and restaurants will be able to reopen outside. Non-essential shops, cinemas, museums and theatres will be able to open, with restrictions on visitors.
On 9 June, the curfew will pushed back again to 23:00. A "health pass" will be introduced for those attending stadiums and large events, and for foreign tourists entering the country
On 30 June, the curfew will be lifted completely but nightclubs will remain shut
While President Macron said he hoped the measures would ease across the whole country, an "emergency brake" could be used "in territories where the virus is too present".
Foreign tourists from outside the EU will be able to enter France on 9 June. But they will need to show a pass sanitaire - or health pass - the details of which have not yet been revealed.
A pass will also be needed to attend large events.
"The health pass should not be mandatory for access to everyday things such as restaurants, theatres and cinemas or to go see friends," Mr Macron said. "But for places with big crowds, such as stadiums, festivals, trade fairs or exhibitions, it would be absurd not to use it".
France entered a third national lockdown on 3 April, as it battled a surge in cases that threatened to overwhelm hospitals. The daily number of new cases has fallen since then, from around 40,000 to 27,000 on average over the past week.
A further 324 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The total number killed by the pandemic in France is now at least 104,079, Johns Hopkins University estimates.
The president was strongly criticized for rejecting calls to order a third national lockdown earlier to bring down a spike in infections.
Mr Macron said it was time to start "resuming our French-style way of life", and people needed "conviviality", culture and sport. But he added that people needed to remain "careful and responsible".
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All of this sounds somewhat promising, but…Lara has four concerts in France, including two in Paris, before June 9 when the first major relaxation relevant to her events takes place. And even after that, apparently indoor concert halls will only allow 1/3 capacity. Would it really be economical for Lara to perform under those circumstances? As for Eastern Europe, how safe would it be for Lara (or an audience) to go? We’re now only one month away, and some decision has to be made if the possibility of a further cancellation is being considered. If they are cancelled (most likely, IMHO), maybe she can find some time next June (2022), working around the Quebec concerts. It’s not out of the question that she would cancel some (or all) of them.
In other news, Lara is making a major push to support the Leski foundation, for whom she is spokesperson. @larafabianofficial and the @fondationleski are organizing an exceptional # VenteAuxAuctions to support the Foundation. 13 stage outfits she has worn will be auctioned on Followmybid, a site specializing in organizing sales auctions, and open internationally (https://app.followmybid.com/fr-CA/encanleski/).The auction aims to raise funds to allow #Leski to continue to support people in need. The auction starts on May 12 and continues to May 23, 2021. Independently, donations can also be made directly to www.fondationleski.com/. The pictures of the available outfits can be seen at www.facebook.com/larafabiancoeurdelumiere/photos/pcb.822523681718593/822519978385630/.
Interesting photo(s) of the week: perhaps the last batch that will be available this spring from the Star Academie, from posts on Lara’s Instagram site:
and
The people at TVA who have dressed and presented Lara to the Quebec public did a great job each show, giving her very different looks and outfits one week to the next. Never has she looked so good, or so creative. Bravo to them!
Lara’s life will now presumably return to normal, though she will probably not be completely out of the spotlight. It will likely be a bit of a come-down given the frenetic activity of the last few months; the silver lining is that she will be able to spend more time with her family, at least for a while, and maybe longer depending on the fate of the June concerts. Stay safe everybody…
David
Lunou Zucchini who it was noted doubted whether she had the wherewithal to compete in the ‘blood sport’ of the competition, sang “Vole” of Celine Dion. Lara, in rehearsals, said: “It is very beautiful. Something is really going on. Lunou did her usual masterful job. Lara said at the end of her song, “I think you have something to say. I want to tell you that if you doubt, know that those who were listening to you and love you do not doubt. Go to them because we're waiting and we can't wait to find you.”
William Cloutier who indicated he had thought this was his last chance to participate in this profession, was the last to be named to participate. He said “the last will be first”. Lara had told him that he needed to be more connected to his emotions, to his truth. He learned about himself; for example, he didn’t think writing a song was something that was part of him. Lara said in rehearsal, “You took your heart, you plugged it into your incredible skills and you connect them all the time.” He sang “Et je t’aime encore” of Celine Dion, and he did it emotionally. Lara said, “William, as I told you when you know how to grow inside, for me there are no losers at this stage. You have already conquered each of your in the hearts of the public, all the space that you could truly fill. You are a big one. A huge artist. It has been an honor and a privilege to accompany you.”
The two finalists were quite similar, as exemplified by both of them singing Celine Dion songs that start slow and then peak. All in all, I thought William put more emotion into his song, while Lunou’s presentation was more refined. My guess was that the public would choose William. And it was up to Lara to announce the verdict. She said that the vote had been very large, and very close, and the public chose: William. I have no problem with that decision; and neither, it appeared, did Lunou, who, consistent with her personality, seemed every bit as happy as if she herself had won.
A nice touch was a closing number which the three judges who appeared on each show, Lara, Ariane and Gregory, along with the 15 academicians, sang a song that Ariane wrote, “La plus belles de versions de nous-memes” [The Best Versions of Ourselves].
All-in-all, I thought the Star Academie was much better than “La voix”; it gave the judges and the audience much more of a view of the candidates, winnowed down the contestants to the proper finalists, and came up with an accurate verdict. It was also in many ways more heart-warming, due to the numerous situations that were televised, including all of the judge’s comments, and the daily shows. And for Lara, being able to continually use her expertise, and have the public see that, it was as good as it gets, outside of her singing herself – and when she did get to sing, it was with great fanfare. An immensely positive experience, all around. And one likely to be repeated next year.
Here’s the report from the Journal de Montreal (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/05/02/le-candidat-william-cloutierremporte-star-academie-2021):
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Candidate William Cloutier wins Star Académie 2021
Lara Fabian mentioned it, the vote was hot until the last second, but it was finally William Cloutier that the public chose at the end of the final of Star Académie 2021, Sunday, after a particularly elevated final variety, at TVA.
With his sensual interpretation of Et je t'aime encore by Celine Dion, William, 25, was ahead of his colleague Lunou Zucchini, who also honorably defended herself on Vole, also by Celine. The winner ends the adventure with a grand prize of $125,000 and a musical contract with Musicor, while Lunou escapes with an amount of $50,000.
Note that at the initiative of QUB musique, each participant of Star Académie 2021 receives a grant of $10,000 to support the start of their career.
What's more, the two finalist candidates will go on tour together across Quebec from 2022, in a joint show.
Filled Agenda
William, who we saw very emotional throughout the Star Académie experience, was both happy and calm when he left the stage, his little bottle of sparkling wine in his hand.
"I glide, I pinch myself, I can't believe my eyes. It's a dream come true! You have to believe that it happens sometimes, these things ...”, launched the young man from Victoriaville, now a resident of Drummondville.
Already, a full agenda is emerging for William for the next year. In addition to the series of concerts with his friend Lunou, the artist must go audition in Paris for the new version of Starmania which will soon be staged there.
“Anne (Vivien), of Musicor, warned me that, if I had plans to quit, it is not possible (laughs), that a beautiful springboard awaits me for the future. Me, since I was born, I eat it, music, shows like Star A, that's what rocked my childhood. To get to the end of this project, for me, it's a great accomplishment, and I'm very proud of myself and the people around who have supported me, starting with my sweetheart and my immediate family”, portrays William, decreeing that his family will certainly follow him to Paris if he were to settle there on a contract.
Precisely, if he spoke a lot about his family during the adventure, William does not hide being happy to have been able to think only of himself and his artistic development during the weeks of Star Académie.
“It connects with first loves. It's very instinctive, as a situation. To have had a moment all alone, without being "the daddy of", or "the lover of" just being William, the man, the artist, it sure helped me to be plugged into my inner self. I feel more ready for the future.”
Do not worry about the relationship between Lunou and William after the latter's decree of victory; their complicity is intact.
“Everyone was hoping for a fierce competitive final, but we were zero in the competition. We were in joy, in reunion; we had a "party" tonight on stage. I even lost my voice at one point!”
Finally, already accustomed to a certain notoriety after his participation in La cour des grands and Mixmania, William is not afraid of having to share parts of his privacy with the public from now on.
"I really think I am ready to welcome these people, and I want to share my daily life with them".
Successful end of season
The Star Académie team will not be ashamed of this festive, joyful, unifying and colorful end of the season: this gala-conclusion of the 2021 edition was spectacular and successful from all points of view.
It started off with a bang with a crazy collage of Trois Accords under the theme of the end of classes, with ballerinas with alien masks and other academicians disguised as trees or in a box of tissues. Pure Trois Accords. The visual appearance of the number, signed Pony, was as beautiful as it was funny, living up to the energy of the featured group.
There followed a nice medley of success from Patrice Michaud (where the main interested party received a first career gold record, for his album Le feu de tous jour), a gospel segment with a dispersed choir (the Ensemble Odyssea), led by a Gregory Charles who seemed in heaven (where he started by dusting off his great hit I Think Of You, from 2006), and some follies from the Star Académie Squad (where the unspeakable Pierre-Yves Roy -Desmarais, wearing Lunou's red pumps, shone especially).
We really liked the tableau honoring the musical universe of the two finalists, two children from the 1990s and 2000s (they are both 25 years old), from their childhood (L’eau vive) to today, where “millennial” nuggets of Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Natasha Bedingfield and Jennifer Lopez ( Let's Get Loud, to evoke the friendship that binds academicians). Among other things, we recreated the popular music videos from Baby One More Time (1998) and Everybody (Backstreet's Back) (1997).
Each teacher received a word of thanks, and Ariane Moffatt gave her class a lovely new song, La plus belle des versions de nous-mêmes, which featured highlights from the season.
Even Hubert Lenoir, co-creator of the theme song that Quebec has been humming for two months, Maintenant et partout, took a leap (several jumps, in fact!) to sing his own lyrics with his friends from the show.
An appointment that closed the journey on a moving and positive note, which proves that the production team has done its homework since the launch on February 14th ... and which makes you look forward to the new version, the year next.
The songs performed by the finalists are available on QUB Music and on all streaming and download platforms.
THE SERVICES OF THE FINALISTS
William Cloutier (Winner)
The new darling of Quebecers was intense as he knows how to be in his interpretation of Et je t’aime encore, popularized by our international Céline. In front of a projection of the sea as far as the eye can see at the purple hour, William breathed all his heart into the song that the public had selected for him (remember that it was by means of a vote on social networks that William decided to bet on Et je t’aime encore). At his feet, his lover, Sara, was transfixed with emotion. "I just heard the great William Cloutier", praised Gregory Charles after listing the stages in the evolution of the boy he has known since his childhood. "You are a great, William, a great artist, as for Lunou", added the director Lara Fabian.
Lunou Zucchini (Finalist)
As endearing as her companion, the sweet Lunou surely narrowly escaped victory. In her clear voice, while mom Luce Dufault had her eyes full of water nearby and her boyfriend seemed particularly moved, the young woman rocked us to Vole, a magnificent text by Jean-Jacques Goldman from Celine Dion's repertoire. Sober as usual, bewitching, Lunou embodied the compliment that Ariane Moffatt addressed to her afterwards: "Everything stopped, it flowed", noted the teacher of musical creation. "If you doubt (...) Those who listen to you and love you, they do not doubt", then stressed Lara Fabian to Lunou.
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As to how the public responded to William’s victory, an article concerned with that appeared in (https://hollywoodpq.com/le-public-reagit-a-la-victoire-de-william-cloutier-a-star-academie/):
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The public reacts to William Cloutier's victory at Star Académie
Sunday evening marked the spectacle of the 2021 Star Académie grand finale and it was William Cloutier who won the scholarship totaling $125,000 as well as a record contact with Musicor. The last variety gala was colorful and rich in emotion, in addition to welcoming all the academicians of this cuvée. But what makes us smile this morning is the public's reaction to William Cloutier's victory, which is unanimous!
The faculty themselves addressed the talents of the Academy telling them they were moved to see them all together. It is also with pride that they wished good luck to the two finalists.
The show was worthy of a final number one would have hoped for. Hubert Lenoir was also on hand to perform the theme song with the academicians. In addition, the host Patrice Michaud finally sang his greatest hits with the help of the participants and it was a performance more than expected. Towards the end of the show, the darling teacher, Gregory Charles , performed a number where the energy never reached its limit and where the atmosphere was so festive that it made us want to sing and dance in our living room.
But when the hour of the performances of the two finalists Lunou Zucchini and William arrived, the two singers delivered something incredible to us. Lunou chose to perform a song that Celine Dion had recorded herself, Vole , and sang it with accuracy and emotion. As for William , he also decided to perform a song by our international Céline, Et je t'aime encore, and he did it brilliantly. Recall that the latter had sung this song during one of his first television appearances when he was younger at La cour des grands.
Another announcement that will have pleased the public is that of the tour that William and Lunou will offer in winter 2022! Yes, the two finalists will travel across Quebec to put on a show together. Remember that during the old Star Académie vintages, the participants all went on tour together, so we wonder why this same concept is not repeated, but we are still happy for the two finalists!
Before unveiling the final result, Lunou and William concocted a musical number in their colors and it is with a medley including among others, the classic songs of Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys , that the duo knew how to satisfy the most nostalgic of viewers.
Academy Director Lara Fabian finally took the stage with the envelope in her hands containing the audience's choice. “The public decided to save… William Cloutier!" It is in a shower of confetti that the one who had already participated in Mixmania and who is now the father of two children accepted this victory, eyes in the water. Remember that Lunou will receive a scholarship in the amount of $50,000.
What is certain is that on social networks, the public reacted strongly to this victory that they themselves decided.
“Congratulations, William, and good continuity. Really looking forward to seeing you on stage!"," Congratulations William, you both deserve to win, but we are very happy for you, enjoy your new careers ",”Bravo William!","Bravo, you have a great career ahead of you!"," Congratulations William! Good luck and a very good show last night. We will be bored of no longer having the daily routine. Well done to Lunou too, you have a bright future!” “Welcome back with your beautiful little family “, “Well done, William, but you were two big winners! Bravo Lunou! some fans of the show wrote.
The comments are unanimous and the public is certainly eager to see William shine on the stage! What is certain is that William Cloutier deserved his place in the final, him to whom this dream of singing seemed so important. Well done!
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As shown by these comments, the 'unanimity' included how well Lunou had done, consistent with Lara's comment that the vote had been close.
Lara then provided a closing salutation to William, “Well done my dear William you are a great artist! I am very proud of your career, and privileged to have worked with you. See you soon!”
http://instagram.com/p/COZQbL7BcvP
In an article written before the closing show, (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/05/02/star-academie-les-beaux-souvenirs-des-15-academiciens-1), one got to hear the remembrances of all the academicians (a number who mention Lara):
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"Star Académie": fond memories of the 15 academicians
How fast it went, this sixth season of “Star Académie”! A few hours before the grand finale, the 15 academicians of the 2021 cohort tell us about the most beautiful memories of the unique experience they have just lived.
Before we announce who, William Cloutier or Lunou Zucchini, will be the audience's choice and win the top honors, the whole happy band - because yes, the candidates will all be on stage for this final moment - will sing and dance with Les Trois Accords, professors Lara Fabian, Ariane Moffatt and Gregory Charles, as well as host Patrice Michaud ... And maybe there will be other surprises?
The public will be able to vote for William or Lunou tonight, starting at 7 p.m., on TVA.
Olivier Faubert
“The highlight for me at the academy, where I learned the most, was my first assessment, my only assessment, and when I learned I was in danger. I reacted really badly at the time, and I really had a lot of thoughts about it. This is what made me grow the most as an artist, and also as a human.”
Charles Kamoun
“My best moment was before entering the academy, just before singing with Lara. I think people didn't see how excited I was. I was as red as a tomato, It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life!”
Meghan Oak
“Obviously, a very significant moment for me at 'Star Académie' was when I was able to join in the adventure, when the teachers saved me during the first gala on February 14th. Otherwise, singing with Charlotte Cardin was really a great gift, since she's an artist that I really appreciate. ”
Matt Moln
“My highlight in the academy, I believe, was my endangerment performance. All this variety, in fact, where I sang with Pierre Lapointe. Everything was really beautiful and "fun"."
Zara Sargsyan
“My highlight during the season was my final performance, before my elimination. This is where I realized how many things I learned. I understood why I was there and what I had to convey to the public. It was a very beautiful moment! ”
Dashny Jules
“My highlight at the academy was the Monday I learned I was going to be in danger. It was the first time I was able to leave the academy, to have a good time, because it was hot, too. I raced with Annabel and Shayan ... and I won! (laughs) We had a lot of fun. We played games and ate a magnificent meal, a recipe from chef Hugo Saint-Jacques.”
Annabel Oreste
"My favorite moment is when I got fried chicken two days in a row at the academy!"
Maëva Grelet
“My best moment for me was when I was finally able to do, for my last week at the academy, my song, my composition, which could really show all my colors, which really showed who Maëva was, and which did not prevent me from showing all the energy I had."
Shayan Heidari
“My highlight was when we had the class with Lara, where we had to open up as much as possible, and talk about the things that were hard for us in our life. It was remarkable because it allowed us to be stronger together. It made me realize how much we can be stronger together."
Jacob Roberge
“It's hard to choose one. I would have a top three for my duet with Mario Pelchat, "Le temps des cathédrales" with Bruno Pelletier and my duet with Lara Fabian."
Guillaume Lafond
“My best moment, I think it was my first evaluation, when I spoke to the teachers about where I wanted to go. They just gave me confidence and said: "Let's go, you can do it, if you believe in your business, do it!". And it just made me realize I could do it."
Rosalie Ayotte
“My highlight at the academy, I think it's really when I did my composition "Les collines". When I wrote it, and also when I "performed" on variety, when I was in danger, and when I was voted by the public. It was really a surprising moment, but it was really a beautiful moment, and it confirmed to me that I was in the right place."
Queenie Clement
“My highlight of the season was when my choir, the Unity choir, came to 'perform' at 'Star Académie', during Black History Month, to do the 'medley' highlighting the contributions. from black musicians to the history of music. My husband was in the choir, and I was incredibly proud to be a part of that number, and incredibly proud that the production took the time to organize this with Gregory Charles, to demonstrate this part of the story of black music."
William Cloutier
“I think what struck me the most was at the end of the course, when I made my composition to defend my place, in the men's semi-final. To have sung my composition, it was a decisive moment. I was saved by the public, and nothing has been greater than this feeling to date, for me, in the adventure. It was the most beautiful gift. "
Lunou Zucchini
"There are so many! I will stop at one or two ... The visit to the Maison Symphonique, and the rehearsals with the Metropolitan Orchestra. For me, it was striking. There was an energy in the room, the sound, the acoustics of the room, with all the "gang", for me, it was such a beautiful moment ... And to sing with Lara, it was really grandiose. Otherwise, the first time that I was in danger and that I did "Le parc Belmont", because it was the first time that I was in a context where I sang alone to defend my place, and it was the public who chose me. I was very flattered and grateful.”
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The articles above referred to an upcoming tour that William and Lunou will do in Quebec. Here’s a bit more about it (https://www.lecarre150.com/spectacle/detail/Star-Academie/La-tournee-du-gagnant-de-Star-Academie-2021/27-03-2022-19-00):
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After seducing Quebec for 12 weeks on TVA, the two finalists of the 2021 edition of Star Académie will meet their audience during a major tour of shows, which will take them to the four corners of Quebec from Spring 2022. Musicor Spectacles is inviting spectators to a double stage, while William Cloutier and Lunou Zucchini will share the stage. An extraordinary opportunity to discover two musical universes.
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Not everybody was happy with the way things progressed and turned out on this year’s show (e.g., montrealcampus.ca/2021/05/02/star-academie-une-diversite-rapidement-eliminee/):
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Star Académie: diversity quickly eliminated
The big comeback of Star Académie on TVA took place under the sign of cultural and bodily diversity. However, the public, called to vote every week to save a candidate from elimination, has voted only once in eleven weeks in favor of a candidate from diversity. Why? A pure-wool Quebec audience concentrated in the regions would be one possible explanation, according to specialists.
The cast of Star Académie this year is undoubtedly one of the most diverse in the history of Quebec reality TV. It brought together candidates of Iranian, Armenian and Haitian origin, among others. However, it appears that out of the six semi-finalists of the flagship TVA show, only one candidate, Queenie, came from diversity. And the final, which will pit Lunou Zucchini against William Cloutier on Sunday May 2, will be entirely made up of white people.
The show's executive producer, Jean-Philippe Dion, says he's proud of Star Académie's 2021 cohort. “We have chosen the best possible artists. In any case, our decisions were made to choose diversity”, he emphasizes at the Montreal Campus. He concedes that this diverse cohort may have destabilized many viewers. “I think that for young people, diversity is totally natural. But I think there is an education to be done among the Quebec public. Perhaps for some people in the older audience, the presence of diversity can be unsettling”, he says.
A diversity that is disappearing
On the waves of 98.5 on April 14, comedian Mariana Mazza said she was disappointed with the outcome of the popular show. “Star Académie has never had so many ethnic faces […], but yet there are almost more […]. Once again, we are heading towards a completely white final. And I don't think it's because of their color that they don't make it to the final, but I think that in our unconscious we go back to our comfort, we want people from the region, we want people from home”, she maintained.
An opinion shared by the director of the Media School of the University of Quebec in Montreal and television specialist, Pierre Barrette. “When it is the production that chooses candidates, there is diversity. But when the decision is up to the true TVA audience, diversity disappears in favor of a much purer vision of Quebec”, he says. The network's slogan is “TVA, we recognize each other”. Pierre Barrette also reminds the target audience of the show. “This type of program plays on the idea that diversity is good in itself, but it is aimed at an audience that is very traditional, aging and concentrated in the regions”, he emphasizes.
For his part, Jean-Philippe Dion does not believe that the public vote is influenced by the skin color of the candidates. "I rather believe that the public's vote depends on several factors, such as the song chosen or the personality of the candidates, and those who come from the regions benefit from a strong mobilization on the part of their community”, he believes. Star Académie press relations declined requests for an interview from the Montreal Campus with a dislodged candidate of diversity.
Mostly white in our screens
Vanessa Destiné is a journalist and TV columnist, in addition to being known for her defense of anti-racism and intersectional feminism. She does not adhere to the skin color thesis to justify the public vote at Star Académie. “During my career, I have observed that white people are always ready to discover new faces”, she says. She nevertheless observes a lack of interest in certain communities in Quebec television. “I hardly listen to Quebec television at all anymore because of the lack of diversity. And I noticed that several other black people shun Star Académie for the same reasons”, she notes. "In terms of diversity on screen, we are lagging behind the United States and the rest of Canada, that's for sure”, she believes.
Vanessa Destiné does not believe that Star Académie is a convincing sample to assess discrimination on television. "I mean, there is Luce Dufault's daughter in the final", she recalls. “The public likes to vote for people who are already famous, like children of stars. It's the whole show that's biased, it's not a good sample”, she says with a laugh. Indeed, the final will pit the daughter of the popular singer against William Cloutier, also already known to the public thanks to his participation in the programs Mixmania 3 and La Cour des grands when he was a child.
To keep hope
Vanessa Destiné recalls that it is possible for people from diverse backgrounds to win a mainstream singing show. She mentions Yama Laurent, who triumphed at the sixth edition of La Voix in 2018. Pierre Barrette agrees. He does not believe that young people of diverse backgrounds who dream of participating in these shows should be discouraged. It is simply a question of becoming aware of the Quebec reality: "The public vote at Star Académie should not make them believe that Quebec is racist, but that there is a certain deep Quebec, and I am not saying that pejoratively, but this deep Quebec is not confronted on a daily basis with the diversity that we see in Montreal."
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One of the standard tropes of the theatre is “know your audience”. In past years on La Voix, or The Voice, we’ve seen white candidates with great operatic voices not advance because it was not the style of music that the audience appreciated. If the voting public in Quebec primarily gravitates toward the variety faire epitomized by the star guests who were on this program, then to expect them to support en masse any other type of music is unrealistic. And people with different backgrounds or ethnicities are unlikely to be able to sing or perform the types of music that does appeal to this audience as perfectly as those who were brought up with that same background. To the extent this constitutes ‘bias’, it would be a favoritism towards the type of music the majority of the viewing public feels most at home with, which is only to be expected. Singers of French variety music are unlikely to win a popularity contest in Nashville (though Guillaume Lafond did amazingly well with his country sound due to the overall excellence of his performances).
The situation is vastly different in the U.S. As noted in an article at www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/nearly-a-third-of-all-streams-in-the-us-last-year-were-of-hip-hop-and-rb-music/, hip-hop and R&B were the most popular streaming music styles, while rock was second and pop was third. As Pierre Barrette said in the article above: it is a question of becoming aware of the Quebec reality. Nevertheless, it is good to see different types of music being presented on the TV reality shows in Quebec – that is a victory in its own right.
On this last Star Academie show, it was announced that Lara has finally rescheduled the concerts in Montreal and Quebec that were postponed several times due to COVID. The new dates are:
June 14, 2022 at la Place des Arts de Montréal
June 15 and 16, 2022 in Montréal
June 21, 2022 at the Centre Vidéotron de Québec
The first of those dates is not a rescheduling but an added date (likely the result of Lara’s greatly enhanced prominence in Quebec). Tickets are available at www.billets.ca/concerts/lara-fabian/, and on her URL site at larafabian.com
On the latter site one can see that her 14 June concerts in France and eastern Europe for June 2021 are still listed. The situation in France is that the country expects to reopen most venues except nightclubs by July. Here’s an article discussing it (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56934746):
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France will allow cafes, bars and restaurants to serve outside and relax a nightly curfew in a planned easing of lockdown measures starting next month.
The four-stage plan outlined by President Emmanuel Macron aims to largely reopen the country by 30 June.
Foreign tourists with a Covid-19 "health pass" will be allowed to visit France again from 9 June.
France's infection rate has fallen since introducing a third lockdown, but numbers remain high in some areas.
Detailing his much-anticipated plans to a group of French newspapers, Mr. Macron said he wanted ease France's restrictions in four stages:
On 3 May, secondary-school and high-school pupils will start returning to in-person classes. Rules on traveling will end.
On 19 May, a current 19:00 (17:00 GMT) nightly curfew will be pushed back to 21:00. Cafes and restaurants will be able to reopen outside. Non-essential shops, cinemas, museums and theatres will be able to open, with restrictions on visitors.
On 9 June, the curfew will pushed back again to 23:00. A "health pass" will be introduced for those attending stadiums and large events, and for foreign tourists entering the country
On 30 June, the curfew will be lifted completely but nightclubs will remain shut
While President Macron said he hoped the measures would ease across the whole country, an "emergency brake" could be used "in territories where the virus is too present".
Foreign tourists from outside the EU will be able to enter France on 9 June. But they will need to show a pass sanitaire - or health pass - the details of which have not yet been revealed.
A pass will also be needed to attend large events.
"The health pass should not be mandatory for access to everyday things such as restaurants, theatres and cinemas or to go see friends," Mr Macron said. "But for places with big crowds, such as stadiums, festivals, trade fairs or exhibitions, it would be absurd not to use it".
France entered a third national lockdown on 3 April, as it battled a surge in cases that threatened to overwhelm hospitals. The daily number of new cases has fallen since then, from around 40,000 to 27,000 on average over the past week.
A further 324 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The total number killed by the pandemic in France is now at least 104,079, Johns Hopkins University estimates.
The president was strongly criticized for rejecting calls to order a third national lockdown earlier to bring down a spike in infections.
Mr Macron said it was time to start "resuming our French-style way of life", and people needed "conviviality", culture and sport. But he added that people needed to remain "careful and responsible".
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All of this sounds somewhat promising, but…Lara has four concerts in France, including two in Paris, before June 9 when the first major relaxation relevant to her events takes place. And even after that, apparently indoor concert halls will only allow 1/3 capacity. Would it really be economical for Lara to perform under those circumstances? As for Eastern Europe, how safe would it be for Lara (or an audience) to go? We’re now only one month away, and some decision has to be made if the possibility of a further cancellation is being considered. If they are cancelled (most likely, IMHO), maybe she can find some time next June (2022), working around the Quebec concerts. It’s not out of the question that she would cancel some (or all) of them.
In other news, Lara is making a major push to support the Leski foundation, for whom she is spokesperson. @larafabianofficial and the @fondationleski are organizing an exceptional # VenteAuxAuctions to support the Foundation. 13 stage outfits she has worn will be auctioned on Followmybid, a site specializing in organizing sales auctions, and open internationally (https://app.followmybid.com/fr-CA/encanleski/).The auction aims to raise funds to allow #Leski to continue to support people in need. The auction starts on May 12 and continues to May 23, 2021. Independently, donations can also be made directly to www.fondationleski.com/. The pictures of the available outfits can be seen at www.facebook.com/larafabiancoeurdelumiere/photos/pcb.822523681718593/822519978385630/.
Interesting photo(s) of the week: perhaps the last batch that will be available this spring from the Star Academie, from posts on Lara’s Instagram site:
http://instagram.com/p/COY2nILBIHg
and
http://instagram.com/p/COWE-WEBRTA
The people at TVA who have dressed and presented Lara to the Quebec public did a great job each show, giving her very different looks and outfits one week to the next. Never has she looked so good, or so creative. Bravo to them!
Lara’s life will now presumably return to normal, though she will probably not be completely out of the spotlight. It will likely be a bit of a come-down given the frenetic activity of the last few months; the silver lining is that she will be able to spend more time with her family, at least for a while, and maybe longer depending on the fate of the June concerts. Stay safe everybody…
David
