Post by davidhr on May 11, 2021 7:43:37 GMT -5
A number of news items were in competition for top billing in this week’s review, but perhaps the most important related to Lara’s upcoming tour of France and eastern Europe. On her FB site, Lara posted the following:
-------------------------
Lara Fabian 50 World Tour
Postponement of June Concerts
Due to the latest government measures, all concerts scheduled for June 2021 will be postponed. We will come back to you shortly with new dates, and a few surprises! All previously bought tickets will be valid for the new dates.
-------------------------
Lara then added, “I'll get back to you very soon with further information...
Thank you for your patience and understanding... I'm so excited to be back on stage for you to live together more moments of music and joys ❣️ ♥️ 💋️ 💋 The reunion will only be more intense ❤️ Love.”
For those of you who have been following the situation in France, or reading the recent News Updates, this can come as no surprise. We already know that her Quebec concerts were postponed until June 2022. We’ll see if that’s the ultimate destination for some of these postponed ones, although the timing will be tricky. The announcement indicates all will be made up, and there really are not enough days in the month to do all of them plus the ones in Quebec. If by any sllght chance Lara was no longer going to be involved with Star Academie, she could of course have them this winter, though that is very unlikely.
In another big event this past week: relieved from her Star Academie duties for the first time in months, Lara still appeared on the airwaves in Quebec, on the show Bonsoir, Bonsoir! on ICI TV. Once again she indicated she had experienced things on the show that go beyond singing, and how nourishing it was to give something away [i.e., her expertise] without expecting anything.
She was joined on the show by Lunou Zucchini, the second place finisher. Lunou said she was super proud of William, the winner, and it would have put great pressure on her if she were to have won. She had tried various other professions, such as nursing or communications, and had thought she wanted to be an actor, specializing in musical theatre. But that hadn’t worked out…whereas now it appears singing will. Nevertheless, she now has to decide what she really wants to say, and release music that will “look like me and please me”.
The highlight of the show was a duet Lara and Lunou sang for Mother’s Day, “Allô maman, bobo”, which is available on many Facebook sites and on youtube at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k92mCE1cPTU
It got a wonderful reaction from the audience, as noted in (https://vedettequebec.com/2021/05/07/le-duo-de-lara-fabian-et-lunou-a-bonsoir-bonsoir-fait-reagir-partout-au-quebec/):
----------------------------
The duo of Lara Fabian and Lunou at Bonsoir Bonsoir is reacting everywhere in Quebec
A few days after the grand finale of Star Académie, the finalist Lunou Zucchini and the director Lara Fabian were passing on the set of Bonsoir Bonsoir .
Indeed, they were present to offer a musical duet to the public.
The two women sang Alain Souchon's song 'Allô Maman bobo 'as a duet . Viewers agree that it made for a magical TV moment.
Unsurprisingly, the video generated hundreds of comments across the web. Definitely, this service pleased the viewers.
Here are some of the many reactions:
"Magnificent performance by two wonderful endearing women. Thank you for these moments of sweetness! ”
“What a beautiful interpretation !! Their voices blend so well. Nice moment on TV. Lara what a GRAND LADY! We appreciate it a lot. ”
"An exceptional duet, a magic of two voices which agree perfectly on a very touching song, thank you, I am a fan of the two great singers and for me Lunou is my winner."
"A beautiful sweetness for the heart and our ears!" "Thank you, a duet and the cello just perfect! Lunou such an enveloping voice."
“Masterful interpretation, pure delight for the ears! Your voices harmonize very well! Thank you, thank you, thank you, hoping to hear from you again! ”
------------------------------------------
Pictures from the show are available on Lara’s Facebook and Instagram sites at
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=334739241343709&set=pcb.334739348010365
or
as well as from the Bonsoir Bonsoir site,
www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/photos/pcb.1922603761231144/1922601711231349/
[See more photos in the 'interesting photos of the week section, below]
A concluding article about the Star Academie show emphasizing the work of the teachers and Lara can be found at (https://showbizz.net/tele/coup-de-chapeau-a-la-directrice-et-aux-professeurs-de-lacademie?). Here’s the translation:
----------------------------------------------------------
Hats off to the director and professors of the Academy
A group of professionals that we would like to see again next year.
The season of Star Académie came to an end on Sunday with the greatest emotion, as William was crowned the big winner. Discovery and talent have been present this season, as have the viewers who were very numerous to fall under the spell of the brilliant cohort that was presented to us. But beyond what these young artists were able to offer us as entertainment, another element has been particularly striking this season: the work of the director Lara Fabian and teachers Gregory Charles and Ariane Moffatt.
It only took us a week of everyday life to be completely overwhelmed by the charisma, talent and benevolence of these three professionals, who allowed us to discover them differently. Of course, it was not a first contact with them and we were already perfectly aware of their know-how. On the other hand, the truth, the humanity, the respect and the concern with which they welcomed the progress of each of the candidates were frankly beautiful to see.
We particularly appreciated the teachings of Ariane Moffatt, which allowed several Academicians to deploy their writing and creative talents. Comely and inspired, Ariane Moffatt was particularly at ease in this training context. Likewise, the sincerity with which Gregory Charles worked with the candidates each week, not depriving himself of constructive comments at every turn, was frankly refreshing. While coaches' comments to The Voice often struck us as untrue or intentionally evasive or metaphorical, Gregory Charles set the tone for this important role. Hence the considerable progress that we have witnessed during the season.
But the real discovery this season was without a doubt Lara Fabian. While she was hesitant about the title of director at the start of the adventure, she embodied it with beauty, humor, intelligence and virtuosity. Like Gregory Charles, she never stopped telling the candidate the truth, even if it could be difficult, even brutal. On the other hand, she also welcomed everyone's fears and anxieties, like a mother, with empathy, complicity and mutual aid. If Quebecers had already fallen under her spell, many years ago, when she arrived from Belgium with her background, her voice and her immense heart, this role of director will have only improved everything.
It goes without saying that we very much wish to find these three artists in the same role next year. Obviously, the return to normal life, which begins very slowly, could bring these artists back on stage and complicate things for a participation in Star Académie next year. However, we hope that they will know how to knit a little space in their schedules, which we presume already busy, to teach us once again the benefits and beauties of music from all angles.
--------------------------------
All the people writing in responding to this article agreed with it 100%, often mentioning Lara in highly superlative terms. Clearly, this show was made for her to excel – and congratulations to her for putting in the effort to bring it to fruition. The teachers should all certainly be invited back; the Star Academie averaged 1.4 million viewers on TVA, and its success was noted in their financial report (https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/tva-group-reports-q1-2021-results-832154055.html). The final garnered the highest ratings of the season, over 1.5 million viewers, peaking at close to 1.8 million viewers at the time of the unveiling of the winner, and it easily won its time period (https://www.journaldequebec.com/2021/05/03/star-academie--les-cotes-decoute-explosent-pour-la-finale-1).
And then as her own conclusion to her Star Academie experience,e Lara gave a long interview; it can be heard at:
www.qub.radio/balado/emmene-moi-partout-le-balado-de-star-academie. Here are some of the highlights:
**Lara started out by answering questions about her personal history, coming to Quebec, being an international star, etc.
** She also took the time to talk about the outfits being auctioned for the Fondation Leski.
(You can see a clip of this at www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/videos/474676623807769). She also mentioned the experimental Lockdown Sessions album.
**A humorous review discussion of Lara’s career provided on the show can be seen at www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/videos/936713183810058/
**Lara said that her lack of confidence in herself, as portrayed on the documentary “Lara”, was due to being in a misogynistic industry/society. This was most evident when it came to writing her own songs, which, for a female singer, was not usual [in French-speaking countries]. People assumed she was being supported in that area by someone else – and that inherent supposition in effect, led her to feel she needed to. [And she did have Rick Allison working with her for many years].
**When asked which of her songs was her favorite, she said “Most likely 'La difference' for what it’s done in the past 3 decades, what it created in people’s hearts, how it impacted families, what it conjured, for what it has healed.”
**But – she continued, “For me, personally, I’d say 'Broken Vow' because it’s been sung by some of the greatest of the industry and because nobody knows it's my song, except when I sing it. So Broken Vow is the song I’m most proud of, academically speaking.”
**The host commented that while Lara said the music business was male dominated, she was actually a business woman – she had her own record company, she produced her own tour. Is the sensitivity an artist needs an obstacle to being a business woman? Lara replied that it is, because people take advantage of this vulnerability, which is why you need skilled people at each level, to protect and guide you. She said that was crucial, because usually it is men who she has to face in these leading positions in society; they think of you “as this dumb blond who sings and laughs with her mouth wide open”. [For many years, a general complaint of fans was that she did not seem to have such skilled people, or didn't listen to them, as Celine Dion wondered].
**The interviewer continued by asking whether she has managed to avoid that stereotype? Lara said that she doesn’t want to avoid it, “Am I not pretty when I laugh with my mouth wide open?” She noted that Arielle Dombasle said that being the dumb blond girl has been the key to her accomplishments; she was the “barbie doll’ of French show business for a long time. Lara said that when you debut, if you work to demonstrate your strengths and qualities, you forget that you don’t have to do that [to prove yourself], all you have to do is “to be”. She made this mistake; today she doesn’t feel like she has to demonstrate or claim much, just to be and do her job. Instead of being cynical or sarcastic [to those who don’t respect her], she “believes in healing, hospitality, and most of all, sharing’.
**The interviewer noted that despite her exalted position, she still takes singing lessons; is it to practice or to learn? Lara said it was both, the vocal cords are muscles, and she needs to keep on learning from Pierre Yves Duschene. He does a lot of research on the voice, and as one gets older there are new obstacles to overcome and new things to learn every decade of your life – how to improve your voice, how to protect it, keep sounding young. It's like you can keep your body looking young and ‘hot’. It’s especially important for her because she regularly needs to sing ‘high Gs’ – she’s a vocal athlete who’s expected to provide a ‘vocal performance’ for people who come to see her.
**She was asked whether people will be able to come and get a vocal lesson from her? Lara said, “Yes, soon.” When asked whether it would be at the “Lara Academy”, she said she’d prefer a name like “Alpha” or “Fab”, and that it would be more holistic than academic. Not just vocal acrobatics and being able to properly enunciate – to sing well one needs to “fully claim our humanity”. In fact, singing is an expression of this humanity. It’s all about the emotions you transmit when you sing, so that you make the audience relate and feel emotional, even if you have only a small vocal range.
**She was asked, when she sings songs like Je t’aime, Je suis malade, Adagio, what goes through her head before she has to hit the high note? Is she afraid she won’t meet the audience’s expectations? Lara said she just reminds herself to breathe and open her mouth. It’s like eating something you like – you just open your mouth and enjoy it. “Singing is a natural gesture when you’re enjoying. You don’t have to process it intellectually. What you have to process intellectually is your intention: what do I want to say with this song (which I may have sung thousands of times)? That’s what she has to think about.
**Picking up on that, the interviewer asked if she still thinks to say the same thing when she sings “Je suis malade”? Lara said she doesn’t, since she’s gone through enough sufferings to have plenty of emotions to sing about; because of her journey she’s been able to evolve her interpretation.
**It was noted that she said she hated watching herself perform – and Lara reaffirmed that! – but yet there are plenty of youtube videos of people reacting to her perform [“reaction” videos] – does she watch those? Lara replied that she had to, because her father had sent her the link to one which he said was going viral [of Je suis malade], so she wanted to see what was touching the people. It was important to understand because “when I’m pouring my heart out and giving you my pain to connect to you, which is what I’m doing when I’m singing, I know what I’m doing, but I don’t know what I’m doing to you. So I had to watch the reaction video, all of it, I’m not going to lie. Not to watch myself but to understand what’s happening.” She concluded that there’s a bit of everything. “Did you hear what these people had to say? It’s just magical. If that is music, then I have a reason to exist.”
**The interviewer noted that especially in the one particular video, the reactors don’t speak French. Lara said, “Yes, it’s crazy, isn’t it? It goes to show that emotions are not limited by language barriers.”
**She was asked how does she know which language fits a particular song and its emotion? Lara said she knows instinctively if the lyrics are to be in French, English or Italian, depending on the melody. She gave as an example – try singing Je t’aime in your head in English. She’s been trying to translate it into English for 2 years – it just doesn’t work. Or try singing Je suis malade in English? However it could be sung in Italian, because of the Latin side of drama.
**The interviewer said plenty of words have been used in association with her, and he wanted her reaction to some of them. Here are Lara’s responses:
-Chanteuse a voix (singer of voice): “A biker on a bike”. “An island surrounded by water”. “Have you ever heard a singer without a voice? I haven’t.” I’ve heard singers with a small vocal range, spanning 7 notes. I’ve heard coloratura sopranos who hit G5s or G6s. But I’ve never heard singers without voices. I guess I’m happy to be called ‘singer with a voice’ because that’s the main characteristic of my job.”
-Diva: Lara asked if he meant ‘etymologically speaking’? When told he wanted her definition, she said “etymologically speaking it means divine, touched by grace”, and then she gave various examples of famous female singers. When the reviewer then said, “What if I tell you that you belong in this category, do you like it?”, Lara said, “It moves me a lot. I feel very privileged.”
-Academy director: “Gift, privilege. I just figured out what makes sense in my life today. The feeling of converging towards the conversion of my existence, with a lot of simplicity. I’ve always known that I was not going to go on tour, make albums until I’m 80 years old, if I live until then. I’ve always known that something was going to happen, that I was going to find a way to turn my art into something else. That moment is now. I’m not saying I won’t write more albums, or I won’t go on tour any more, but writing albums, promoting and touring has been constant all my life, it never really stopped. 14-15 albums in a career of 30 years equals to an album every 2 years, including a tour. It’s obvious I never really stopped. I can’t wait to slow down and convert these 30 years into pure and recurrent transmission, and make it the biggest part of my life.“
**The interviewer noted that she had told the Star Academie contestants that this was one of the most beautiful opportunities she’d been given; has it made her rethink the rest of her career? Lara replied, “Most likely, but it won’t necessarily deconstruct my career, it will just enrich the rest of it. Converting doesn’t equal erasing or extracting what you used to be.” She indicated it just added something to her life – and repeated it was probably one of the most beautiful things that had ever happened to her.
**The host concluded by thanking her and saying that “we, as an audience, felt like we were part of your classes. It was very fun. Thank you for giving your heart and soul to this adventure. I don’t know how to say it otherwise but you were really involved and for a woman of your status, seeing you give your all for young aspiring singers, it is very inspiring, thank you.”
----------------------------
To which we say: “Amen”. The viral video mentioned above can be seen at
www.facebook.com/zapatou/videos/295752932269210
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pivHvcofIcI
It’s a compilation of many reactions from English speaking people when first listening to Lara singing Je suis malade from her live PBS show “From Lara with Love”. It is certainly well worth seeing, if you haven’t already, although it's mostly their facial reactions.
BTW, given the mention of the “Lara” documentary, a version with English subtitles is available on youtube at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z_qa1-a-YM (Part 1)
and
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0jq0fn6dyM (Part 2)
Ast Sunday was Mother’s Day in Quebec, Lara left the following pictures on her FB and Instagram sites,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=336511064499860&set=a.259330805551220
or
with the caption, “Happy Holiday to all mothers ...
I'm pinching myself ... I'm lucky ...
🥰💗🥰”
Further in connection with this day, she wrote the following (thanks to the “Lara Fabian est ton autre site” for the post):
-------------------------------
After the unique and extraordinary adventure of the Star Academy, I'm back!!!
And I am speaking to you for this Mother's Day weekend!
Wishing you all to connect or reconnect around this beautiful event. May music continue to be our joy and fill our lives, Happy Mother's Day, joyfully enjoy my flowery album Lockdown Sessions! I kiss you, Love Lara.
-------------------------------
Not only did this serve to ‘reintroduce herself’ to her fans, it also emphasized that the Lockdown Sessions are available in various formats, disc/vinyl/digital. In that regard, Lara released the following:
--------------------------------------
“New autographed exclusive copies of Lockdown Sessions are now available at www.larafabian.com
Thanks to everyone who has already enjoyed these new songs...
thank you for your words ❤️
What's your favorite song among the Lockdown Sessions?
🌸🌸🌸
-------------------------------------
As a reminder, Lara put a video on her site this morning advertising the auction of her performing outfits for the Leski Foundation, at
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/298649401981634
with the accompanying caption, “I'm auctioning off 13 special clothes I've worn on different occasions during my career... They will be sold from May 12 to 23 at a charity auction for the benefit of the @fondation_leski
You can find all the information on:
www.fondationleski.com or swipe up on my storie ♥️❤️💗”
Interesting photo(s) of the week:
This week saw the anniversary of Maurane’s death (May 7th, 2018) and Lara posted the following picture on her FB site, from their singing of “Tu es mon autre”,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=335087101308923&set=a.259330805551220
with the caption, “And your voice is always right... ❤️🖤”
And then more Lara, looking especially beautiful ,on BonsoirBonsoir!, from the LaraFabian_fanpage_
And, several full-size views of two of those pictures, first from BonsoirBonsoir
www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/photos/a.1254975647993962/1922473234577530/
and then from Lara Fabian America
www.facebook.com/larafabianamerica/photos/a.390576794773579/1124387284725856/
Now that Lara is “back”, in her words, from the ‘exhaustive’ (her word) and all-encompassing effort she expended with Star Academie, one can expect some more interactions with fans, including an eventual indication of when the postponed June concerts are to be held. Meanwhile, stay safe everybody.
David
-------------------------
Lara Fabian 50 World Tour
Postponement of June Concerts
Due to the latest government measures, all concerts scheduled for June 2021 will be postponed. We will come back to you shortly with new dates, and a few surprises! All previously bought tickets will be valid for the new dates.
-------------------------
Lara then added, “I'll get back to you very soon with further information...
Thank you for your patience and understanding... I'm so excited to be back on stage for you to live together more moments of music and joys ❣️ ♥️ 💋️ 💋 The reunion will only be more intense ❤️ Love.”
For those of you who have been following the situation in France, or reading the recent News Updates, this can come as no surprise. We already know that her Quebec concerts were postponed until June 2022. We’ll see if that’s the ultimate destination for some of these postponed ones, although the timing will be tricky. The announcement indicates all will be made up, and there really are not enough days in the month to do all of them plus the ones in Quebec. If by any sllght chance Lara was no longer going to be involved with Star Academie, she could of course have them this winter, though that is very unlikely.
In another big event this past week: relieved from her Star Academie duties for the first time in months, Lara still appeared on the airwaves in Quebec, on the show Bonsoir, Bonsoir! on ICI TV. Once again she indicated she had experienced things on the show that go beyond singing, and how nourishing it was to give something away [i.e., her expertise] without expecting anything.
She was joined on the show by Lunou Zucchini, the second place finisher. Lunou said she was super proud of William, the winner, and it would have put great pressure on her if she were to have won. She had tried various other professions, such as nursing or communications, and had thought she wanted to be an actor, specializing in musical theatre. But that hadn’t worked out…whereas now it appears singing will. Nevertheless, she now has to decide what she really wants to say, and release music that will “look like me and please me”.
The highlight of the show was a duet Lara and Lunou sang for Mother’s Day, “Allô maman, bobo”, which is available on many Facebook sites and on youtube at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k92mCE1cPTU
It got a wonderful reaction from the audience, as noted in (https://vedettequebec.com/2021/05/07/le-duo-de-lara-fabian-et-lunou-a-bonsoir-bonsoir-fait-reagir-partout-au-quebec/):
----------------------------
The duo of Lara Fabian and Lunou at Bonsoir Bonsoir is reacting everywhere in Quebec
A few days after the grand finale of Star Académie, the finalist Lunou Zucchini and the director Lara Fabian were passing on the set of Bonsoir Bonsoir .
Indeed, they were present to offer a musical duet to the public.
The two women sang Alain Souchon's song 'Allô Maman bobo 'as a duet . Viewers agree that it made for a magical TV moment.
Unsurprisingly, the video generated hundreds of comments across the web. Definitely, this service pleased the viewers.
Here are some of the many reactions:
"Magnificent performance by two wonderful endearing women. Thank you for these moments of sweetness! ”
“What a beautiful interpretation !! Their voices blend so well. Nice moment on TV. Lara what a GRAND LADY! We appreciate it a lot. ”
"An exceptional duet, a magic of two voices which agree perfectly on a very touching song, thank you, I am a fan of the two great singers and for me Lunou is my winner."
"A beautiful sweetness for the heart and our ears!" "Thank you, a duet and the cello just perfect! Lunou such an enveloping voice."
“Masterful interpretation, pure delight for the ears! Your voices harmonize very well! Thank you, thank you, thank you, hoping to hear from you again! ”
------------------------------------------
Pictures from the show are available on Lara’s Facebook and Instagram sites at
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=334739241343709&set=pcb.334739348010365
or
http://instagram.com/p/COjQPq8hAPW
as well as from the Bonsoir Bonsoir site,
www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/photos/pcb.1922603761231144/1922601711231349/
[See more photos in the 'interesting photos of the week section, below]
A concluding article about the Star Academie show emphasizing the work of the teachers and Lara can be found at (https://showbizz.net/tele/coup-de-chapeau-a-la-directrice-et-aux-professeurs-de-lacademie?). Here’s the translation:
----------------------------------------------------------
Hats off to the director and professors of the Academy
A group of professionals that we would like to see again next year.
The season of Star Académie came to an end on Sunday with the greatest emotion, as William was crowned the big winner. Discovery and talent have been present this season, as have the viewers who were very numerous to fall under the spell of the brilliant cohort that was presented to us. But beyond what these young artists were able to offer us as entertainment, another element has been particularly striking this season: the work of the director Lara Fabian and teachers Gregory Charles and Ariane Moffatt.
It only took us a week of everyday life to be completely overwhelmed by the charisma, talent and benevolence of these three professionals, who allowed us to discover them differently. Of course, it was not a first contact with them and we were already perfectly aware of their know-how. On the other hand, the truth, the humanity, the respect and the concern with which they welcomed the progress of each of the candidates were frankly beautiful to see.
We particularly appreciated the teachings of Ariane Moffatt, which allowed several Academicians to deploy their writing and creative talents. Comely and inspired, Ariane Moffatt was particularly at ease in this training context. Likewise, the sincerity with which Gregory Charles worked with the candidates each week, not depriving himself of constructive comments at every turn, was frankly refreshing. While coaches' comments to The Voice often struck us as untrue or intentionally evasive or metaphorical, Gregory Charles set the tone for this important role. Hence the considerable progress that we have witnessed during the season.
But the real discovery this season was without a doubt Lara Fabian. While she was hesitant about the title of director at the start of the adventure, she embodied it with beauty, humor, intelligence and virtuosity. Like Gregory Charles, she never stopped telling the candidate the truth, even if it could be difficult, even brutal. On the other hand, she also welcomed everyone's fears and anxieties, like a mother, with empathy, complicity and mutual aid. If Quebecers had already fallen under her spell, many years ago, when she arrived from Belgium with her background, her voice and her immense heart, this role of director will have only improved everything.
It goes without saying that we very much wish to find these three artists in the same role next year. Obviously, the return to normal life, which begins very slowly, could bring these artists back on stage and complicate things for a participation in Star Académie next year. However, we hope that they will know how to knit a little space in their schedules, which we presume already busy, to teach us once again the benefits and beauties of music from all angles.
--------------------------------
All the people writing in responding to this article agreed with it 100%, often mentioning Lara in highly superlative terms. Clearly, this show was made for her to excel – and congratulations to her for putting in the effort to bring it to fruition. The teachers should all certainly be invited back; the Star Academie averaged 1.4 million viewers on TVA, and its success was noted in their financial report (https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/tva-group-reports-q1-2021-results-832154055.html). The final garnered the highest ratings of the season, over 1.5 million viewers, peaking at close to 1.8 million viewers at the time of the unveiling of the winner, and it easily won its time period (https://www.journaldequebec.com/2021/05/03/star-academie--les-cotes-decoute-explosent-pour-la-finale-1).
And then as her own conclusion to her Star Academie experience,e Lara gave a long interview; it can be heard at:
www.qub.radio/balado/emmene-moi-partout-le-balado-de-star-academie. Here are some of the highlights:
**Lara started out by answering questions about her personal history, coming to Quebec, being an international star, etc.
** She also took the time to talk about the outfits being auctioned for the Fondation Leski.
(You can see a clip of this at www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/videos/474676623807769). She also mentioned the experimental Lockdown Sessions album.
**A humorous review discussion of Lara’s career provided on the show can be seen at www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/videos/936713183810058/
**Lara said that her lack of confidence in herself, as portrayed on the documentary “Lara”, was due to being in a misogynistic industry/society. This was most evident when it came to writing her own songs, which, for a female singer, was not usual [in French-speaking countries]. People assumed she was being supported in that area by someone else – and that inherent supposition in effect, led her to feel she needed to. [And she did have Rick Allison working with her for many years].
**When asked which of her songs was her favorite, she said “Most likely 'La difference' for what it’s done in the past 3 decades, what it created in people’s hearts, how it impacted families, what it conjured, for what it has healed.”
**But – she continued, “For me, personally, I’d say 'Broken Vow' because it’s been sung by some of the greatest of the industry and because nobody knows it's my song, except when I sing it. So Broken Vow is the song I’m most proud of, academically speaking.”
**The host commented that while Lara said the music business was male dominated, she was actually a business woman – she had her own record company, she produced her own tour. Is the sensitivity an artist needs an obstacle to being a business woman? Lara replied that it is, because people take advantage of this vulnerability, which is why you need skilled people at each level, to protect and guide you. She said that was crucial, because usually it is men who she has to face in these leading positions in society; they think of you “as this dumb blond who sings and laughs with her mouth wide open”. [For many years, a general complaint of fans was that she did not seem to have such skilled people, or didn't listen to them, as Celine Dion wondered].
**The interviewer continued by asking whether she has managed to avoid that stereotype? Lara said that she doesn’t want to avoid it, “Am I not pretty when I laugh with my mouth wide open?” She noted that Arielle Dombasle said that being the dumb blond girl has been the key to her accomplishments; she was the “barbie doll’ of French show business for a long time. Lara said that when you debut, if you work to demonstrate your strengths and qualities, you forget that you don’t have to do that [to prove yourself], all you have to do is “to be”. She made this mistake; today she doesn’t feel like she has to demonstrate or claim much, just to be and do her job. Instead of being cynical or sarcastic [to those who don’t respect her], she “believes in healing, hospitality, and most of all, sharing’.
**The interviewer noted that despite her exalted position, she still takes singing lessons; is it to practice or to learn? Lara said it was both, the vocal cords are muscles, and she needs to keep on learning from Pierre Yves Duschene. He does a lot of research on the voice, and as one gets older there are new obstacles to overcome and new things to learn every decade of your life – how to improve your voice, how to protect it, keep sounding young. It's like you can keep your body looking young and ‘hot’. It’s especially important for her because she regularly needs to sing ‘high Gs’ – she’s a vocal athlete who’s expected to provide a ‘vocal performance’ for people who come to see her.
**She was asked whether people will be able to come and get a vocal lesson from her? Lara said, “Yes, soon.” When asked whether it would be at the “Lara Academy”, she said she’d prefer a name like “Alpha” or “Fab”, and that it would be more holistic than academic. Not just vocal acrobatics and being able to properly enunciate – to sing well one needs to “fully claim our humanity”. In fact, singing is an expression of this humanity. It’s all about the emotions you transmit when you sing, so that you make the audience relate and feel emotional, even if you have only a small vocal range.
**She was asked, when she sings songs like Je t’aime, Je suis malade, Adagio, what goes through her head before she has to hit the high note? Is she afraid she won’t meet the audience’s expectations? Lara said she just reminds herself to breathe and open her mouth. It’s like eating something you like – you just open your mouth and enjoy it. “Singing is a natural gesture when you’re enjoying. You don’t have to process it intellectually. What you have to process intellectually is your intention: what do I want to say with this song (which I may have sung thousands of times)? That’s what she has to think about.
**Picking up on that, the interviewer asked if she still thinks to say the same thing when she sings “Je suis malade”? Lara said she doesn’t, since she’s gone through enough sufferings to have plenty of emotions to sing about; because of her journey she’s been able to evolve her interpretation.
**It was noted that she said she hated watching herself perform – and Lara reaffirmed that! – but yet there are plenty of youtube videos of people reacting to her perform [“reaction” videos] – does she watch those? Lara replied that she had to, because her father had sent her the link to one which he said was going viral [of Je suis malade], so she wanted to see what was touching the people. It was important to understand because “when I’m pouring my heart out and giving you my pain to connect to you, which is what I’m doing when I’m singing, I know what I’m doing, but I don’t know what I’m doing to you. So I had to watch the reaction video, all of it, I’m not going to lie. Not to watch myself but to understand what’s happening.” She concluded that there’s a bit of everything. “Did you hear what these people had to say? It’s just magical. If that is music, then I have a reason to exist.”
**The interviewer noted that especially in the one particular video, the reactors don’t speak French. Lara said, “Yes, it’s crazy, isn’t it? It goes to show that emotions are not limited by language barriers.”
**She was asked how does she know which language fits a particular song and its emotion? Lara said she knows instinctively if the lyrics are to be in French, English or Italian, depending on the melody. She gave as an example – try singing Je t’aime in your head in English. She’s been trying to translate it into English for 2 years – it just doesn’t work. Or try singing Je suis malade in English? However it could be sung in Italian, because of the Latin side of drama.
**The interviewer said plenty of words have been used in association with her, and he wanted her reaction to some of them. Here are Lara’s responses:
-Chanteuse a voix (singer of voice): “A biker on a bike”. “An island surrounded by water”. “Have you ever heard a singer without a voice? I haven’t.” I’ve heard singers with a small vocal range, spanning 7 notes. I’ve heard coloratura sopranos who hit G5s or G6s. But I’ve never heard singers without voices. I guess I’m happy to be called ‘singer with a voice’ because that’s the main characteristic of my job.”
-Diva: Lara asked if he meant ‘etymologically speaking’? When told he wanted her definition, she said “etymologically speaking it means divine, touched by grace”, and then she gave various examples of famous female singers. When the reviewer then said, “What if I tell you that you belong in this category, do you like it?”, Lara said, “It moves me a lot. I feel very privileged.”
-Academy director: “Gift, privilege. I just figured out what makes sense in my life today. The feeling of converging towards the conversion of my existence, with a lot of simplicity. I’ve always known that I was not going to go on tour, make albums until I’m 80 years old, if I live until then. I’ve always known that something was going to happen, that I was going to find a way to turn my art into something else. That moment is now. I’m not saying I won’t write more albums, or I won’t go on tour any more, but writing albums, promoting and touring has been constant all my life, it never really stopped. 14-15 albums in a career of 30 years equals to an album every 2 years, including a tour. It’s obvious I never really stopped. I can’t wait to slow down and convert these 30 years into pure and recurrent transmission, and make it the biggest part of my life.“
**The interviewer noted that she had told the Star Academie contestants that this was one of the most beautiful opportunities she’d been given; has it made her rethink the rest of her career? Lara replied, “Most likely, but it won’t necessarily deconstruct my career, it will just enrich the rest of it. Converting doesn’t equal erasing or extracting what you used to be.” She indicated it just added something to her life – and repeated it was probably one of the most beautiful things that had ever happened to her.
**The host concluded by thanking her and saying that “we, as an audience, felt like we were part of your classes. It was very fun. Thank you for giving your heart and soul to this adventure. I don’t know how to say it otherwise but you were really involved and for a woman of your status, seeing you give your all for young aspiring singers, it is very inspiring, thank you.”
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To which we say: “Amen”. The viral video mentioned above can be seen at
www.facebook.com/zapatou/videos/295752932269210
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pivHvcofIcI
It’s a compilation of many reactions from English speaking people when first listening to Lara singing Je suis malade from her live PBS show “From Lara with Love”. It is certainly well worth seeing, if you haven’t already, although it's mostly their facial reactions.
BTW, given the mention of the “Lara” documentary, a version with English subtitles is available on youtube at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z_qa1-a-YM (Part 1)
and
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0jq0fn6dyM (Part 2)
Ast Sunday was Mother’s Day in Quebec, Lara left the following pictures on her FB and Instagram sites,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=336511064499860&set=a.259330805551220
or
http://instagram.com/p/COqDwuZBsVm
with the caption, “Happy Holiday to all mothers ...
I'm pinching myself ... I'm lucky ...
🥰💗🥰”
Further in connection with this day, she wrote the following (thanks to the “Lara Fabian est ton autre site” for the post):
-------------------------------
After the unique and extraordinary adventure of the Star Academy, I'm back!!!
And I am speaking to you for this Mother's Day weekend!
Wishing you all to connect or reconnect around this beautiful event. May music continue to be our joy and fill our lives, Happy Mother's Day, joyfully enjoy my flowery album Lockdown Sessions! I kiss you, Love Lara.
-------------------------------
Not only did this serve to ‘reintroduce herself’ to her fans, it also emphasized that the Lockdown Sessions are available in various formats, disc/vinyl/digital. In that regard, Lara released the following:
--------------------------------------
“New autographed exclusive copies of Lockdown Sessions are now available at www.larafabian.com
Thanks to everyone who has already enjoyed these new songs...
thank you for your words ❤️
What's your favorite song among the Lockdown Sessions?
🌸🌸🌸
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As a reminder, Lara put a video on her site this morning advertising the auction of her performing outfits for the Leski Foundation, at
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/298649401981634
with the accompanying caption, “I'm auctioning off 13 special clothes I've worn on different occasions during my career... They will be sold from May 12 to 23 at a charity auction for the benefit of the @fondation_leski
You can find all the information on:
www.fondationleski.com or swipe up on my storie ♥️❤️💗”
Interesting photo(s) of the week:
This week saw the anniversary of Maurane’s death (May 7th, 2018) and Lara posted the following picture on her FB site, from their singing of “Tu es mon autre”,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=335087101308923&set=a.259330805551220
with the caption, “And your voice is always right... ❤️🖤”
And then more Lara, looking especially beautiful ,on BonsoirBonsoir!, from the LaraFabian_fanpage_
http://instagram.com/p/COlZTxrlgxW
And, several full-size views of two of those pictures, first from BonsoirBonsoir
www.facebook.com/BonsoirBonsoirRC/photos/a.1254975647993962/1922473234577530/
and then from Lara Fabian America
www.facebook.com/larafabianamerica/photos/a.390576794773579/1124387284725856/
Now that Lara is “back”, in her words, from the ‘exhaustive’ (her word) and all-encompassing effort she expended with Star Academie, one can expect some more interactions with fans, including an eventual indication of when the postponed June concerts are to be held. Meanwhile, stay safe everybody.
David