Post by davidhr on Jan 4, 2022 8:28:54 GMT -5
Lara may still be away in Belgium for her holiday vacation, which may explain the lack of any New Year’s greeting to fans, so, as in the case of Christmas, fan web sites have filled in the gap. These include: from Lara Fabian est ton autre,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=457989419029198&set=a.216252733202869
From the Lara Fabian Lockdown Sessions,
www.facebook.com/irina.popova.9461/videos/1985648628180022
(also provided by lespapillonblancs, and the Lara Fabian America sites)
From the Lara Fabian Web FB site,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=334568302003504&set=a.136043105189359
And from Tamer Nassar and then Vesku Salonsaari on the Lara Fabian, Par Amour Facebook group
m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2145616552255781
m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10221488107856961
That’s basically it for the news of the past holiday week; Lara’s “Year in Review 2021” follows the end of this Update.
Now for the latest extract from Lara’s book “Je passe a table”.
------------------------
Sixth Story: Great Crossroads of Life
End of cycle
My adolescence is ending
I spend many weekends singing in piano bars, accompanied by my dad on guitar and Victor on piano. But that's not new, everyone knows it.
What is also known is that I will be spotted in this famous Brussels piano-bar, the Black Bottom, by a headhunter who is looking for a singer for the Eurovision.
More exactly to represent Luxembourg at Eurovision. That year, in 1988, I will sing my song in front of seven hundred million viewers in Dublin, Ireland, and will finish fourth, the year Celine Dion will win for Switzerland.
I don't know it yet, but what is taking shape as the weave of my next fifteen years is already there, before my eyes.
Ireland, piano bars and my meeting with Rick, who will change my life forever.
Return of the Eurovision. Nathalie and Rick
After the Eurovision, I go back home. I go back one weekend to the Black Bottom, the piano-bar where it all started. And there, I meet Nathalie, this incredible girl who will become my best friend. She tells me that she remembers me, that she often comes to this bar and that she remembers the famous night when a fight broke out while I was singing.
I can't believe my ears. It was really my destiny to meet her. It's only later that I will understand why.
The next day, she comes to pick me up in front of the small apartment where I still live with my parents. She took me to the Cinecitta exhibition in Ghent.
At the entrance, on a big screen and to the music of Michel Legrand, Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac sing ‘Nous somes de soeurs jumelles’, like an omen, and Nathalie and I will never leave each other again.
Since my return from Dublin, I have a soft heart, the repartee of a slug. My friend can see that I am inconsolable and like any suffering person, I need to tell my story. She listens to me.
I explain to her that from the Eurovision, I didn't bring back only a fourth place...a single that sold more than half a million copies. It was bad to know me.
I also reported a shaky love affair with a married man who had children. A small one and another one to be born. This boy, twelve years older than me, bass player and singer, represented his own country at the Eurovision the same year.
I'll spare you my delusions and tribulations, but in summary, let's say that what I did "for love", at that time, was excessive.
I confide in Nath that I am experiencing some tensions at home, and for good reason. I stole my passport from the drawer of my parents' room. I signed the exit paper myself, imitating my father's signature, and flew to Dublin, without telling anyone, to join the "man of my life"...
All this while not giving a damn about all the final exams that would have allowed me to get my diploma.
I'll do a grand jury of the high school in Sicily, it will be royal...everything will be fine. [Grand jury: single examination preceded by three months of intense study which summarizes the school year that one starts again].
But yes, Lara, everything will be fine. It will be more expensive, but it will be fine.
End of high school
In reality, in the end, despite my repeated weeks of absence, the school administration allowed me to retake my exams, in an attempt to save my last year of high school.
It will not be a great success.
I remember one particular evening when my parents had already left for Sicily on vacation and I was left alone at home. Naath came to join me after the famous exams. I was going to cook a good dish of pasta to cheer me up. I was so depressed, aware that I had missed the turn, that I missed the cooking of the pasta too.
Nathalie often reminds me of that moment when I was crying over the big pot of boiling water, repeating like a parrot that my father was going to kill me and that I was going to hurt my mother. On that one, I had been quite visionary.
After all that, I went to Italy to work on passing that grand jury. I had to do it twice to pass. And it cost my parents an arm, an eye and a tennis elbow.
On the other hand, I have "put the knife back in" by still making secretly, with the help of some of my relatives, untimely return trips between my island and the one of the "man I love". But beyond the feelings that seemed really sincere, he finally decided to take his responsibilities and to put an end to our romance.
As my dad always told me, all good things must come to an end.
Shit.
One February 14th, Roy drove me to Dublin Airport. He put me on a plane to Brussels.
That was the last time I saw him in my life.
Ryanair staff witnessed the worst Bailey's bender ever by an eighteen year old passenger...
It must be said that I have always had a sense of drama.
On my final return from Ireland, Nath gave me the gift of her friendship and her presence. She introduces me to her whole family, "The Slachmuylders", which will become a bit mine.
I finally come to my senses, beyond the sorrow that regularly inhabits me. I find a small job as a saleswoman and beautician trainee in a very popular smoke shop in downtown Brussels.
It's true that I was not very careful about the expenses and I solicited a lot from my family financially. The least I can do at this moment is to show my good faith to dad by bringing home some Belgian francs.
On the nights before the breakup with my Irishman, when we were far away, I remember that I would have done anything to talk to him. So on those evenings, with my arms full of bags of coins weighing a dead donkey, I would walk to the phone booth on the corner of my street and hang on to the orange phone for hours to talk to my sweetheart.
There were also various plane tickets and, most importantly, the famous phone bill from the home office that almost gave my father a heart attack when he opened the envelope.
In short, I had to keep my nose clean and show my face for a while.
At the time, Nath would sometimes pick me up at work and we would have a little dinner. Later in the year, on our big nights out with the girls, she suggests that we go for a drink in one of those trendy places, Le Crescendo.
It seems that a really remarkable young pianist and singer works there. A certain Rick.
Yes, she introduced me to the boy with long black hair who will change my life.
In addition to entertaining the customers with his undeniable talent, he prepares wonderful cocktails. It's the Ascension, I'll never forget it.
We end up singing duets and solos about everything we know in the early morning.
At this moment, it is obvious that I am at a great crossroad of my destiny. It is obvious that I have just had one of the most important meetings of my life.
It is obvious that nothing will ever be the same again.
Rick is an American at heart even though he is a Belgian by right. He writes, he composes, he produces, he arranges, he manages, but most of all, he believes in me much more than I do. So, without wasting a minute, he invites me into a studio in Brussels, he shows me his compositions. I show him the one I just wrote, an ode to my lost love... Je ne m’arreterai pas de t’aimer.
We will be inseparable for fourteen years.
At that time, at home, all was not well because of my antics. My father is a bit sensitive. And even if my mother continues to "protect" us and to spoil us with her well-dressed tables, it will be complicated to soften the father's bad moods.
For the moment, we don't understand each other.
I regularly sing at the piano bar of the Crescendo with Rick and spend a little too much time in his company.
Dad asks questions: who is this hairy new Jules? what is he doing here?
Already with the Irishman it didn't go very well, daddy doesn't understand why I'm putting the cover back on before I even breathe a little.
Then no kidding, who is this who has no family, no home, who only has a rotten old Golf, shoes with holes and an electric guitar?
What are these incomprehensible pseudo-rock drama songs we are writing?
He, who used to have country music dreams for me, has a hard time understanding the direction I'm going in. Nevertheless, as the months go by, things calm down and he gives me his money to produce my first album.
All of his savings, which for me is a life's work.
He helps me finance our music, but also everything involved in my big trip to Quebec that we will do very soon.
In all this, my mom would like to know a little bit more about this hairy guy with an American name. In fact, why not organize one of her secret dinners? She will invite Nath too. Mama will make us a wonderful dish of meatballs, meatballs with tomato sauce.
It is simple. Everybody likes it.
It warms the hearts.
And who knows, it might even bring Rick and my parents back together before this goodbye..
Looking back, I think that deep down Dad trusted me, because none of this would exist without him. But as he says with sincerity today, beyond the fact that I am his child and that he loves me, he could not have imagined the fate that awaited me.
-----------------------------------
Honest as always...
Interesting photo(s)/video(s) of the week: this week including audios, e.g., from
Music Evolution:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCeNFRGVKgTX5HgST5ZgFO-g/videos
and
Андрей Павел
www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ypMe1WZuLnpyaj0Qzd72Q
Hold On to My Heart:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ygfeg4tvnc
Alternate version of ‘Don’t Go Away’ (Parce que tu pars):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYvyHPf2Mt8
No Show
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tlVDqSNHLc
I Want You That Bad
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r24dAQdpaNE
Ivy (which we have heard before)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYab6hIueq0
Note that the origin of most of these unreleased songs is obscure, but would seem to date from Lara’s time with Sony…
And a final picture, from the Star Academie, looking forward,
www.facebook.com/staracademietva/photos/a.361601375242829/765727814830181
with the text: “The big countdown has begun! ⏳😱
The final audition is in 7 DAYS!
Guylaine, Gregory and Lara can't wait for you to see this.
Who will be among us? 🙋♀️🌟🙋♂️
__________
⭐︎ The final audition: January 10-13, 7:30 p.m.
⭐︎ The variety: Sunday 7pm, starting January 16
TVA & TVA+ See less
As noted, by next week at this time the final audition for the initial placement of Star Academicians will be taking place, which means Lara will (hopefully) be back in Quebec, ready to go for the next season. A belated Happy New Year to everybody – hopefully it will be a happy and HEALTHY one for all of us.
On to:
LARA’S YEAR IN REVIEW 2021
At the end of last year’s ‘Year in Review 2020’ we speculated that the coming year would likely accelerate Lara’s transition from touring, producing and promoting new CDs, to one in which she focused primarily on transmitting her knowledge. This was in line with what Lara explicitly stated that the ‘second half of her career’ would be primarily about. And, with the help of the continuing pandemic, it did come to pass.
Lara’s year can be divided into four general segments:
(1) The Star Academie (January – May)
(2) Vocal cord ‘irregularities’ (June-September)
(3) Lara’s book, “Je passe a table” (November-December)
(4) Return of Star Academie (November-December)
We’ll discuss each of them in turn, and then review the other notable events of the year.
(1) The highlight of the year for Lara was her appearance as Director on the Star Academie show in Quebec. The show appeared on Sunday nights for 12 weeks from mid-January to the beginning of May. Lara appeared with two other judges to evaluate the contestants; but in addition, she held a half-hour ‘teaching class’ Monday through Thursday. So she was on TV a lot, and it fulfilled her desire to be in a position to 'transmit her knowledge’. Yes, she taught them techniques and tricks about singing, but it seemed like the most intense lessons were a form of therapy. Here’s a quote from Lara that she put on her FB and Instagram sites, referring to one of the daily Star Academie shows (4/6 – NOTE – the dates given throughout this review refer to the date of the News Update in which the issue is discussed):
------------------------------------------------
′′Being in bond, at the heart of the living..."
Tonight at the Academy you will see a very special class... A moment when we connected from heart to heart.
This week I offered my Academicians to have a special experience, and open chapters of our lives with modesty and delicacy.
I invited them to share what's hitting and hustling them... Together with Gabriel (my husband) and Kayla (my dog) in emotional support, we experienced some very strong emotions.
While connecting with love, empathy and kindness, we have addressed very difficult things to address.
The emotion was palpable, as we managed to say the wounds that haunt us... We welcomed all the parts of us, that make our humanity.
Thank you to my little hearts for their generosity and trust.
----------------------------------------
Also from (4/6), the commentary: Throughout the season, Lara has made a concerted effort to open up the hearts of the contestants – almost as if in order to be a great singer, you must undergo therapy, become vulnerable, expose yourself, so that you can reach the audience. This is often her advice to the singers in their sessions with her. It is something that she has implied she didn’t know how to do when she was young, so she’s giving them a head start now.
And from an article in ‘7 Jours’ (4/27), Lara's analysis of her work on the show:
--------------------------
"I retain above all the human commitment "
Lara Fabian has been a full manager who has never shied away from telling candidates the real stuff. She has also been a guide, teacher and confidante for Academicians. “What I remember from their contact is the human commitment that it triggered in me, this desire to give them everything I could in all spheres of my knowledge. I knew it was my place to pass on, but the title of director is just a title, and it doesn't really tell the story of what I did. I believe that I am the human that I promised myself to be and I try to be also the most honest so that, for them, the experience by my side is worth the candle. I will particularly remember from the candidates that their hearts are plugged in the right place and the ability to be interdependent, to link up with each other to help each other”, said the one who admits to having learned about herself through this adventure. “I was able to learn about my ability to give myself entirely as a teacher, I also learned that my power to move was even greater than I initially thought, which I thought was impossible, but I am touched by them. There is a part of me that recognizes itself in them and that would like so much never to lack kindness. I believe my tears have often taken their meaning in their candor, but also in my desire to be as benevolent and transparent as possible. I also learned a lot from these 15 candidates, every second of my sharing with them.”
Lara Fabian
Director of Star Académie
-----------------------------------
Throughout this process, Lara greatly enhanced her standing with the Quebec public. As noted in an interview with La Presse.ca (11/9), “Lara Fabian has been rediscovered a bit in recent years, first as a judge at La Voix, then as director of Star Académie last winter, where her warm and welcoming nature was revealed more. “It's normal, it opened the door more to the person than to the artist,” said the singer, who wanted the second part of her career to be more devoted to transmission.”
It did, however, take up a lot of her time and energy – on weekdays she even slept at the Academie building. So her interactions with her fans during this time were mostly confined to this area.
(2) After Lara had ‘emerged’ from her intense focus on the Star Academie, and was getting ready for some summer activities, misfortune struck. At the beginning of July, Lara was told she had to rest her voice completely due to what her ENT doctor called vocal (cord) irregularities (7/1, 7/6). This caused her to miss the Canada Day special (Lumieres sur la fete du Canada), which would have been one of the few opportunities for English speaking Canada to reacquaint themselves with her. She followed the doctors orders, her voice apparently healed, and she returned to public interactions in mid-September (9/14).
(3) Lara’s main creativity, while remaining silent, was channeled into an activity she could perform, and that was producing her memoir/cook book, “Je passe a table”. It was first announced in mid-May (5/18); then the actual announcement took place in August (8/10, 8/17), a promo video appeared in early November (11/2) and the book was released in Quebec on 11/3. As Lara said on her FB site (11/2):
--------------------------
“I present to you my first book "Je passe à table", published this November 3 in Quebec.
Through the pages, I open the door for you, and invite you to come home... to discover everyone that I want to share with you... I'm telling myself how a friend would do it around a table and a good meal...
Between unreleased anecdotes, cooking recipes that I love, and photos from personal archives, this book is a space I found myself in to reveal a part of me that has never been revealed to you...
---------------------------
And, to explain further, Lara said in the Journal de Montreal (11/2):
----------------------
“The table is something that has always been present in my life. First by the transmission that my mother bequeathed to me, which came from her mother to her. I am the fifth generation of women to inherit this love of the table. I have nurtured and been through so many beautiful things, and others that are difficult - beauty can be complex sometimes! - so it seemed normal to me. Cooking is my way of life. What interests me most are the stories we create around a table, around the fact that we are together, and not just what we eat. Sometimes it can be absolutely simple, and may be enough to nurture the bond more than the rest."
------------------------------
Lara is true to her words – the stories she includes in this book ring with honestly, exposing her joys, sorrows, strengths and weaknesses in a forthright manner.
She had numerous publicity appearances promoting this book, which she said was the only way she could think to write an ‘autobiography’ half-way through her life and have it be interesting.
There were several further notable features – to encourage fan involvement, she suggested that fans make those recipes and send Lara a picture for her to publicize (11/30); and an ebook was made available worldwide (12/7). The hard copy of the book will be available in Europe in early 2022.
(4) The last main feature of the year was the announcement that, as expected, Lara would return as director for the next season of Star Academie. Pictures were made available (11/23), several videos promoting it appeared (12/7; 12/21) and Lara gave various interviews which included segments on why she signed back on, and what she hoped to accomplish (again).
(5) Underlining all the events that did take place, were the ones that didn’t. We had noted at the end of last year’s Year in Review that a ‘forked path’ lay in front of her: resumption of her World Tour if the pandemic receded, or further cancellations if it did not. And of course it didn’t, so Lara had to cancel all her concerts (5/22), those for Quebec, France and eastern Europe. They were rescheduled for June, September and October in 2022 (6/15) as part of what is now being called “Best of Lara Fabian World Tour (7/6).
Given these five occurrences, Lara did very little public singing in 2021 – not required on Star Academie (except for brief examples and one show), prohibited by her vocal problems, not needed for her book, and prevented by COVID. Perhaps this is why when she was preparing for her Canada Day vocal event, her vocal cords became strained. That might be a lesson for her going forward, as some of these same situations may still apply.
There were other, less encompassing components to Lara’s year:
(6) Lara’s last album, The Lockdown Sessions, was released in December of 2020 but it kept popping up in interviews and some activities this year as well. The CDs that were made were sold out, so more were produced (1/19); vinyls were made and distributed (3/9). There was even a quite positive review of it (3/30). Lara eventually started advertising it (5/11). In her store (larafabian.com), Lockdown items became available, e.g., a mug, a tote bag (5/25). In December, she offered 25% off its purchase (12/14); and, to top it off, she made it available for listening and even downloading on various digital platforms (12/21). She said she was pleasantly surprised how popular these ‘experimental’ songs proved to be with her audience.
(7) Lara continued to take seriously her role as spokesperson for the Leski Foundation, which provides support animals for people in need. Comments concerning it appeared numerous times during the year [(2/2), (2/9), (4/6), (5/11), (5/18), (5/25)] and the highlight being her auctioning 13 concert outfits for their benefit, which raised nearly $20,000. In another charity venture, she donated her personal gold record (of ‘Lara Fabian Live’) to the Belgian telethon, Televie (9/21).
(8) While Lara did not release a new album, she was involved in the release of a single, “Chez Nous”, a duet with Felix Lemelin (11/9; 11/16) which will also appear on his new album in 2022. A video of it was made available (11/23), and it was featured in an article (11/30). As you may remember, she first met him on La Voix, and considers him a ‘member of her soul family’; she and Gabriel wrote the song.
(9) And speaking of musical companions, Rick Allison’s name surfaced several times this year, primarily associated with the 20th anniversary of the release of Lara’s album “Nue” on August 20th (7/13; 8/24; 8/31). Rick had produced and co-wrote the album, and now had various comments associated with it, including about the unlisted piano nocturne at the end played by Matt Herskowitz (7/21+correction). The album was re-issued and there was also a vinyl reissue of “J’y crois encore”. In addition, Rick commented on the writing of Je t’aime (7/27) and, most surprising of all, hinted at his possible involvement in Lara’s new album (8/17).
(10) Lara did a number of health and beauty features during the year, emphasizing exercising in January, and then Cellicosmet & Cellmen skin products (2/23) and Maison Jacynthe (beauty oils) (11/30). Beauty seemed to be an issue, and when Lara appeared on her social media pages without makeup it got much reaction (10/5). There was also a feature with Marcus Villeneuve, her hairdresser (11/30). A related issue was Lara often appearing with glasses, and she took various opportunities to mention Marie-Sophie Dion's eyeglass bar (5/25; 6/1; 9/14).
(11) A new album is in the works: Lara indicated in an interview with ‘7 Jours’ (4/27) that she was indeed working on a new album. This was following her singing with a symphonic orchestra as part of one of the last Star Academie shows (see notable TV and Radio show listing, below). Here’s the exchange:
----------------------------------------
Lara: As soon as Star Académie ends, I will enter a period of composing an album and I must also resume shows.
What can we expect from this new album?
LF: A return to the essentials, which will be much closer to the songs we heard last night than to those I have been able to do on record in recent years.
--------------------------------------------
She also was quite happy with the sound of the symphonic orchestra, and implied she'd like to be able to sing with it again (perhaps even on the new album).
(12) Various odds and ends: Lara participated in a ‘Keys of Success’ seminar (6/8; 6/29); she commented on the floods in Belgium (7/20); and she also commented (indicating amazement) on what has become a ‘thing’ – reaction videos on youtube to Lara’s singing, often by English speakers who don’t really understand the language (5/11).
(13) These are some of the more notable TV and Radio shows she participated in during the year (there were many more associated with the Star Academie):
--------------------------------
**“Priere de ne pas enoyer de fleurs” (ICI TV) – imagining one’s favorite artist has passed away, and what the posthumous celebration looked like – a comedy(!) (1/12)
**“Pour une histoire d’un Soir” (TeleQc) – duet with Marie Carmen of the song “Entre l’ombre et la Lumiere” (2/16)
** Lara singing duets with Star Academicians on the show, symphonic style, with the Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra (4/20)
** On the show Bonsoir bonsoir (Ici TV), duet with Lunou Zucchini of "Allo maman bobo" for Mother’s Day (5/11)
** Qub.radio – Lara’s own conclusions about the Star Academie show (5/11)
** Sucre Sale (TVA) – Star Academie stuff, Lara’s family, going to ‘eyeglass’ bar, etc. (5/25)
** Diomande Le Programme (radio) – languages, and a bit of “Je t’aime” a capella (6/22)
** Pour emporter (with Marie Laberge’s definition of Lara) (9/14)
** En direct de l’univers (surprise guest for Roxanne Bruneau) – sang powerful version of Je t’aime (10/26; 11/2)
** Ici radio – book interview (11/2)
** Tout le monde en parle (ICI radio) – book+more (11/16)
------------------------------------
Often the subject matter was wide-ranging, covering many interesting topics.
(14) That was similarly the case for the notable print interviews of the year:
-------------------------------------
**Clin d’oeil (1/26)
**7 jours (2/16)
**7 jours (4/6)- on Star Academie
**7 jours (4/27) – on new album
**J. of Montreal – Star Academie remembrances (5/4
**Showbizz.net – Hats off to director and professors of the Academie (5/11)
**7 jours– Taking stock of Star Academie experience (5/18)
**J. of Montreal – book promo (11/2)
**Showbizz.net – next season of Star Academie (11/2)
**Lapresse.ca – book discussion (11/9)
**7 jours – book + (11/9)
**Knack for languages (12/7)
**Flash magazine (12/21) – book
------------------------------------
(15) Finally, for the interesting photo(s)/videos of the year, special notice is made of the (inadvertent) biggest contributors:
** Of course Lara’s FB and Instagram sites for the pictures and videos she and her team post
**Lara The Ring Fabian for her wonderful English translations of many of Lara’s interviews
** the larafabian_fanpage_ on Instagram for the inordinate amount of effort they put in to create their wonderful collages of Lara pictures
**Lara Fabian America on Facebook for their inspiring ‘good morning’ pictures of Lara
**Lara Fabian The Netherlands on Facebook for their many multi-part pictures of Lara
**Lara’s youtube channel, where one can find many of her official videos and songs.
**The Lara Fabian Multimedia site on youtube provides audios of songs from Lara’s live shows
**The Lara Fabian Tribute Channel on youtube puts wonderful pictures and clips of Lara to her songs
[Apologies for those I’ve overlooked here…]
As to what may happen in 2022: at the risk of sounding like a broken record, once again the full trajectory of Lara’s year depends on the course of the pandemic. It would be a travesty if Lara had to cancel her concert tour for the third time, although there is less of a tendency now for countries to close down to the extent they had previously. If the tour does take place, Lara will do a lot of singing, so hopefully her voice will remain in good stead – and it will put back, for a year at least, the transition to her main focus being on transmission. Otherwise, health-concerns aside, one can expect her to be involved with the Star Academicians once again, seemingly enjoying herself greatly, for the first quarter of the year. And maybe a new album will surface, going back to her old, more intense ballads, perhaps even with symphonic accompaniment. One can always dream.
David
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=457989419029198&set=a.216252733202869
From the Lara Fabian Lockdown Sessions,
www.facebook.com/irina.popova.9461/videos/1985648628180022
(also provided by lespapillonblancs, and the Lara Fabian America sites)
From the Lara Fabian Web FB site,
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=334568302003504&set=a.136043105189359
And from Tamer Nassar and then Vesku Salonsaari on the Lara Fabian, Par Amour Facebook group
m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2145616552255781
m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10221488107856961
That’s basically it for the news of the past holiday week; Lara’s “Year in Review 2021” follows the end of this Update.
Now for the latest extract from Lara’s book “Je passe a table”.
------------------------
Sixth Story: Great Crossroads of Life
End of cycle
My adolescence is ending
I spend many weekends singing in piano bars, accompanied by my dad on guitar and Victor on piano. But that's not new, everyone knows it.
What is also known is that I will be spotted in this famous Brussels piano-bar, the Black Bottom, by a headhunter who is looking for a singer for the Eurovision.
More exactly to represent Luxembourg at Eurovision. That year, in 1988, I will sing my song in front of seven hundred million viewers in Dublin, Ireland, and will finish fourth, the year Celine Dion will win for Switzerland.
I don't know it yet, but what is taking shape as the weave of my next fifteen years is already there, before my eyes.
Ireland, piano bars and my meeting with Rick, who will change my life forever.
Return of the Eurovision. Nathalie and Rick
After the Eurovision, I go back home. I go back one weekend to the Black Bottom, the piano-bar where it all started. And there, I meet Nathalie, this incredible girl who will become my best friend. She tells me that she remembers me, that she often comes to this bar and that she remembers the famous night when a fight broke out while I was singing.
I can't believe my ears. It was really my destiny to meet her. It's only later that I will understand why.
The next day, she comes to pick me up in front of the small apartment where I still live with my parents. She took me to the Cinecitta exhibition in Ghent.
At the entrance, on a big screen and to the music of Michel Legrand, Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac sing ‘Nous somes de soeurs jumelles’, like an omen, and Nathalie and I will never leave each other again.
Since my return from Dublin, I have a soft heart, the repartee of a slug. My friend can see that I am inconsolable and like any suffering person, I need to tell my story. She listens to me.
I explain to her that from the Eurovision, I didn't bring back only a fourth place...a single that sold more than half a million copies. It was bad to know me.
I also reported a shaky love affair with a married man who had children. A small one and another one to be born. This boy, twelve years older than me, bass player and singer, represented his own country at the Eurovision the same year.
I'll spare you my delusions and tribulations, but in summary, let's say that what I did "for love", at that time, was excessive.
I confide in Nath that I am experiencing some tensions at home, and for good reason. I stole my passport from the drawer of my parents' room. I signed the exit paper myself, imitating my father's signature, and flew to Dublin, without telling anyone, to join the "man of my life"...
All this while not giving a damn about all the final exams that would have allowed me to get my diploma.
I'll do a grand jury of the high school in Sicily, it will be royal...everything will be fine. [Grand jury: single examination preceded by three months of intense study which summarizes the school year that one starts again].
But yes, Lara, everything will be fine. It will be more expensive, but it will be fine.
End of high school
In reality, in the end, despite my repeated weeks of absence, the school administration allowed me to retake my exams, in an attempt to save my last year of high school.
It will not be a great success.
I remember one particular evening when my parents had already left for Sicily on vacation and I was left alone at home. Naath came to join me after the famous exams. I was going to cook a good dish of pasta to cheer me up. I was so depressed, aware that I had missed the turn, that I missed the cooking of the pasta too.
Nathalie often reminds me of that moment when I was crying over the big pot of boiling water, repeating like a parrot that my father was going to kill me and that I was going to hurt my mother. On that one, I had been quite visionary.
After all that, I went to Italy to work on passing that grand jury. I had to do it twice to pass. And it cost my parents an arm, an eye and a tennis elbow.
On the other hand, I have "put the knife back in" by still making secretly, with the help of some of my relatives, untimely return trips between my island and the one of the "man I love". But beyond the feelings that seemed really sincere, he finally decided to take his responsibilities and to put an end to our romance.
As my dad always told me, all good things must come to an end.
Shit.
One February 14th, Roy drove me to Dublin Airport. He put me on a plane to Brussels.
That was the last time I saw him in my life.
Ryanair staff witnessed the worst Bailey's bender ever by an eighteen year old passenger...
It must be said that I have always had a sense of drama.
On my final return from Ireland, Nath gave me the gift of her friendship and her presence. She introduces me to her whole family, "The Slachmuylders", which will become a bit mine.
I finally come to my senses, beyond the sorrow that regularly inhabits me. I find a small job as a saleswoman and beautician trainee in a very popular smoke shop in downtown Brussels.
It's true that I was not very careful about the expenses and I solicited a lot from my family financially. The least I can do at this moment is to show my good faith to dad by bringing home some Belgian francs.
On the nights before the breakup with my Irishman, when we were far away, I remember that I would have done anything to talk to him. So on those evenings, with my arms full of bags of coins weighing a dead donkey, I would walk to the phone booth on the corner of my street and hang on to the orange phone for hours to talk to my sweetheart.
There were also various plane tickets and, most importantly, the famous phone bill from the home office that almost gave my father a heart attack when he opened the envelope.
In short, I had to keep my nose clean and show my face for a while.
At the time, Nath would sometimes pick me up at work and we would have a little dinner. Later in the year, on our big nights out with the girls, she suggests that we go for a drink in one of those trendy places, Le Crescendo.
It seems that a really remarkable young pianist and singer works there. A certain Rick.
Yes, she introduced me to the boy with long black hair who will change my life.
In addition to entertaining the customers with his undeniable talent, he prepares wonderful cocktails. It's the Ascension, I'll never forget it.
We end up singing duets and solos about everything we know in the early morning.
At this moment, it is obvious that I am at a great crossroad of my destiny. It is obvious that I have just had one of the most important meetings of my life.
It is obvious that nothing will ever be the same again.
Rick is an American at heart even though he is a Belgian by right. He writes, he composes, he produces, he arranges, he manages, but most of all, he believes in me much more than I do. So, without wasting a minute, he invites me into a studio in Brussels, he shows me his compositions. I show him the one I just wrote, an ode to my lost love... Je ne m’arreterai pas de t’aimer.
We will be inseparable for fourteen years.
At that time, at home, all was not well because of my antics. My father is a bit sensitive. And even if my mother continues to "protect" us and to spoil us with her well-dressed tables, it will be complicated to soften the father's bad moods.
For the moment, we don't understand each other.
I regularly sing at the piano bar of the Crescendo with Rick and spend a little too much time in his company.
Dad asks questions: who is this hairy new Jules? what is he doing here?
Already with the Irishman it didn't go very well, daddy doesn't understand why I'm putting the cover back on before I even breathe a little.
Then no kidding, who is this who has no family, no home, who only has a rotten old Golf, shoes with holes and an electric guitar?
What are these incomprehensible pseudo-rock drama songs we are writing?
He, who used to have country music dreams for me, has a hard time understanding the direction I'm going in. Nevertheless, as the months go by, things calm down and he gives me his money to produce my first album.
All of his savings, which for me is a life's work.
He helps me finance our music, but also everything involved in my big trip to Quebec that we will do very soon.
In all this, my mom would like to know a little bit more about this hairy guy with an American name. In fact, why not organize one of her secret dinners? She will invite Nath too. Mama will make us a wonderful dish of meatballs, meatballs with tomato sauce.
It is simple. Everybody likes it.
It warms the hearts.
And who knows, it might even bring Rick and my parents back together before this goodbye..
Looking back, I think that deep down Dad trusted me, because none of this would exist without him. But as he says with sincerity today, beyond the fact that I am his child and that he loves me, he could not have imagined the fate that awaited me.
-----------------------------------
Honest as always...
Interesting photo(s)/video(s) of the week: this week including audios, e.g., from
Music Evolution:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCeNFRGVKgTX5HgST5ZgFO-g/videos
and
Андрей Павел
www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ypMe1WZuLnpyaj0Qzd72Q
Hold On to My Heart:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ygfeg4tvnc
Alternate version of ‘Don’t Go Away’ (Parce que tu pars):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYvyHPf2Mt8
No Show
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tlVDqSNHLc
I Want You That Bad
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r24dAQdpaNE
Ivy (which we have heard before)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYab6hIueq0
Note that the origin of most of these unreleased songs is obscure, but would seem to date from Lara’s time with Sony…
And a final picture, from the Star Academie, looking forward,
www.facebook.com/staracademietva/photos/a.361601375242829/765727814830181
with the text: “The big countdown has begun! ⏳😱
The final audition is in 7 DAYS!
Guylaine, Gregory and Lara can't wait for you to see this.
Who will be among us? 🙋♀️🌟🙋♂️
__________
⭐︎ The final audition: January 10-13, 7:30 p.m.
⭐︎ The variety: Sunday 7pm, starting January 16
TVA & TVA+ See less
As noted, by next week at this time the final audition for the initial placement of Star Academicians will be taking place, which means Lara will (hopefully) be back in Quebec, ready to go for the next season. A belated Happy New Year to everybody – hopefully it will be a happy and HEALTHY one for all of us.
On to:
LARA’S YEAR IN REVIEW 2021
At the end of last year’s ‘Year in Review 2020’ we speculated that the coming year would likely accelerate Lara’s transition from touring, producing and promoting new CDs, to one in which she focused primarily on transmitting her knowledge. This was in line with what Lara explicitly stated that the ‘second half of her career’ would be primarily about. And, with the help of the continuing pandemic, it did come to pass.
Lara’s year can be divided into four general segments:
(1) The Star Academie (January – May)
(2) Vocal cord ‘irregularities’ (June-September)
(3) Lara’s book, “Je passe a table” (November-December)
(4) Return of Star Academie (November-December)
We’ll discuss each of them in turn, and then review the other notable events of the year.
(1) The highlight of the year for Lara was her appearance as Director on the Star Academie show in Quebec. The show appeared on Sunday nights for 12 weeks from mid-January to the beginning of May. Lara appeared with two other judges to evaluate the contestants; but in addition, she held a half-hour ‘teaching class’ Monday through Thursday. So she was on TV a lot, and it fulfilled her desire to be in a position to 'transmit her knowledge’. Yes, she taught them techniques and tricks about singing, but it seemed like the most intense lessons were a form of therapy. Here’s a quote from Lara that she put on her FB and Instagram sites, referring to one of the daily Star Academie shows (4/6 – NOTE – the dates given throughout this review refer to the date of the News Update in which the issue is discussed):
------------------------------------------------
′′Being in bond, at the heart of the living..."
Tonight at the Academy you will see a very special class... A moment when we connected from heart to heart.
This week I offered my Academicians to have a special experience, and open chapters of our lives with modesty and delicacy.
I invited them to share what's hitting and hustling them... Together with Gabriel (my husband) and Kayla (my dog) in emotional support, we experienced some very strong emotions.
While connecting with love, empathy and kindness, we have addressed very difficult things to address.
The emotion was palpable, as we managed to say the wounds that haunt us... We welcomed all the parts of us, that make our humanity.
Thank you to my little hearts for their generosity and trust.
----------------------------------------
Also from (4/6), the commentary: Throughout the season, Lara has made a concerted effort to open up the hearts of the contestants – almost as if in order to be a great singer, you must undergo therapy, become vulnerable, expose yourself, so that you can reach the audience. This is often her advice to the singers in their sessions with her. It is something that she has implied she didn’t know how to do when she was young, so she’s giving them a head start now.
And from an article in ‘7 Jours’ (4/27), Lara's analysis of her work on the show:
--------------------------
"I retain above all the human commitment "
Lara Fabian has been a full manager who has never shied away from telling candidates the real stuff. She has also been a guide, teacher and confidante for Academicians. “What I remember from their contact is the human commitment that it triggered in me, this desire to give them everything I could in all spheres of my knowledge. I knew it was my place to pass on, but the title of director is just a title, and it doesn't really tell the story of what I did. I believe that I am the human that I promised myself to be and I try to be also the most honest so that, for them, the experience by my side is worth the candle. I will particularly remember from the candidates that their hearts are plugged in the right place and the ability to be interdependent, to link up with each other to help each other”, said the one who admits to having learned about herself through this adventure. “I was able to learn about my ability to give myself entirely as a teacher, I also learned that my power to move was even greater than I initially thought, which I thought was impossible, but I am touched by them. There is a part of me that recognizes itself in them and that would like so much never to lack kindness. I believe my tears have often taken their meaning in their candor, but also in my desire to be as benevolent and transparent as possible. I also learned a lot from these 15 candidates, every second of my sharing with them.”
Lara Fabian
Director of Star Académie
-----------------------------------
Throughout this process, Lara greatly enhanced her standing with the Quebec public. As noted in an interview with La Presse.ca (11/9), “Lara Fabian has been rediscovered a bit in recent years, first as a judge at La Voix, then as director of Star Académie last winter, where her warm and welcoming nature was revealed more. “It's normal, it opened the door more to the person than to the artist,” said the singer, who wanted the second part of her career to be more devoted to transmission.”
It did, however, take up a lot of her time and energy – on weekdays she even slept at the Academie building. So her interactions with her fans during this time were mostly confined to this area.
(2) After Lara had ‘emerged’ from her intense focus on the Star Academie, and was getting ready for some summer activities, misfortune struck. At the beginning of July, Lara was told she had to rest her voice completely due to what her ENT doctor called vocal (cord) irregularities (7/1, 7/6). This caused her to miss the Canada Day special (Lumieres sur la fete du Canada), which would have been one of the few opportunities for English speaking Canada to reacquaint themselves with her. She followed the doctors orders, her voice apparently healed, and she returned to public interactions in mid-September (9/14).
(3) Lara’s main creativity, while remaining silent, was channeled into an activity she could perform, and that was producing her memoir/cook book, “Je passe a table”. It was first announced in mid-May (5/18); then the actual announcement took place in August (8/10, 8/17), a promo video appeared in early November (11/2) and the book was released in Quebec on 11/3. As Lara said on her FB site (11/2):
--------------------------
“I present to you my first book "Je passe à table", published this November 3 in Quebec.
Through the pages, I open the door for you, and invite you to come home... to discover everyone that I want to share with you... I'm telling myself how a friend would do it around a table and a good meal...
Between unreleased anecdotes, cooking recipes that I love, and photos from personal archives, this book is a space I found myself in to reveal a part of me that has never been revealed to you...
---------------------------
And, to explain further, Lara said in the Journal de Montreal (11/2):
----------------------
“The table is something that has always been present in my life. First by the transmission that my mother bequeathed to me, which came from her mother to her. I am the fifth generation of women to inherit this love of the table. I have nurtured and been through so many beautiful things, and others that are difficult - beauty can be complex sometimes! - so it seemed normal to me. Cooking is my way of life. What interests me most are the stories we create around a table, around the fact that we are together, and not just what we eat. Sometimes it can be absolutely simple, and may be enough to nurture the bond more than the rest."
------------------------------
Lara is true to her words – the stories she includes in this book ring with honestly, exposing her joys, sorrows, strengths and weaknesses in a forthright manner.
She had numerous publicity appearances promoting this book, which she said was the only way she could think to write an ‘autobiography’ half-way through her life and have it be interesting.
There were several further notable features – to encourage fan involvement, she suggested that fans make those recipes and send Lara a picture for her to publicize (11/30); and an ebook was made available worldwide (12/7). The hard copy of the book will be available in Europe in early 2022.
(4) The last main feature of the year was the announcement that, as expected, Lara would return as director for the next season of Star Academie. Pictures were made available (11/23), several videos promoting it appeared (12/7; 12/21) and Lara gave various interviews which included segments on why she signed back on, and what she hoped to accomplish (again).
(5) Underlining all the events that did take place, were the ones that didn’t. We had noted at the end of last year’s Year in Review that a ‘forked path’ lay in front of her: resumption of her World Tour if the pandemic receded, or further cancellations if it did not. And of course it didn’t, so Lara had to cancel all her concerts (5/22), those for Quebec, France and eastern Europe. They were rescheduled for June, September and October in 2022 (6/15) as part of what is now being called “Best of Lara Fabian World Tour (7/6).
Given these five occurrences, Lara did very little public singing in 2021 – not required on Star Academie (except for brief examples and one show), prohibited by her vocal problems, not needed for her book, and prevented by COVID. Perhaps this is why when she was preparing for her Canada Day vocal event, her vocal cords became strained. That might be a lesson for her going forward, as some of these same situations may still apply.
There were other, less encompassing components to Lara’s year:
(6) Lara’s last album, The Lockdown Sessions, was released in December of 2020 but it kept popping up in interviews and some activities this year as well. The CDs that were made were sold out, so more were produced (1/19); vinyls were made and distributed (3/9). There was even a quite positive review of it (3/30). Lara eventually started advertising it (5/11). In her store (larafabian.com), Lockdown items became available, e.g., a mug, a tote bag (5/25). In December, she offered 25% off its purchase (12/14); and, to top it off, she made it available for listening and even downloading on various digital platforms (12/21). She said she was pleasantly surprised how popular these ‘experimental’ songs proved to be with her audience.
(7) Lara continued to take seriously her role as spokesperson for the Leski Foundation, which provides support animals for people in need. Comments concerning it appeared numerous times during the year [(2/2), (2/9), (4/6), (5/11), (5/18), (5/25)] and the highlight being her auctioning 13 concert outfits for their benefit, which raised nearly $20,000. In another charity venture, she donated her personal gold record (of ‘Lara Fabian Live’) to the Belgian telethon, Televie (9/21).
(8) While Lara did not release a new album, she was involved in the release of a single, “Chez Nous”, a duet with Felix Lemelin (11/9; 11/16) which will also appear on his new album in 2022. A video of it was made available (11/23), and it was featured in an article (11/30). As you may remember, she first met him on La Voix, and considers him a ‘member of her soul family’; she and Gabriel wrote the song.
(9) And speaking of musical companions, Rick Allison’s name surfaced several times this year, primarily associated with the 20th anniversary of the release of Lara’s album “Nue” on August 20th (7/13; 8/24; 8/31). Rick had produced and co-wrote the album, and now had various comments associated with it, including about the unlisted piano nocturne at the end played by Matt Herskowitz (7/21+correction). The album was re-issued and there was also a vinyl reissue of “J’y crois encore”. In addition, Rick commented on the writing of Je t’aime (7/27) and, most surprising of all, hinted at his possible involvement in Lara’s new album (8/17).
(10) Lara did a number of health and beauty features during the year, emphasizing exercising in January, and then Cellicosmet & Cellmen skin products (2/23) and Maison Jacynthe (beauty oils) (11/30). Beauty seemed to be an issue, and when Lara appeared on her social media pages without makeup it got much reaction (10/5). There was also a feature with Marcus Villeneuve, her hairdresser (11/30). A related issue was Lara often appearing with glasses, and she took various opportunities to mention Marie-Sophie Dion's eyeglass bar (5/25; 6/1; 9/14).
(11) A new album is in the works: Lara indicated in an interview with ‘7 Jours’ (4/27) that she was indeed working on a new album. This was following her singing with a symphonic orchestra as part of one of the last Star Academie shows (see notable TV and Radio show listing, below). Here’s the exchange:
----------------------------------------
Lara: As soon as Star Académie ends, I will enter a period of composing an album and I must also resume shows.
What can we expect from this new album?
LF: A return to the essentials, which will be much closer to the songs we heard last night than to those I have been able to do on record in recent years.
--------------------------------------------
She also was quite happy with the sound of the symphonic orchestra, and implied she'd like to be able to sing with it again (perhaps even on the new album).
(12) Various odds and ends: Lara participated in a ‘Keys of Success’ seminar (6/8; 6/29); she commented on the floods in Belgium (7/20); and she also commented (indicating amazement) on what has become a ‘thing’ – reaction videos on youtube to Lara’s singing, often by English speakers who don’t really understand the language (5/11).
(13) These are some of the more notable TV and Radio shows she participated in during the year (there were many more associated with the Star Academie):
--------------------------------
**“Priere de ne pas enoyer de fleurs” (ICI TV) – imagining one’s favorite artist has passed away, and what the posthumous celebration looked like – a comedy(!) (1/12)
**“Pour une histoire d’un Soir” (TeleQc) – duet with Marie Carmen of the song “Entre l’ombre et la Lumiere” (2/16)
** Lara singing duets with Star Academicians on the show, symphonic style, with the Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra (4/20)
** On the show Bonsoir bonsoir (Ici TV), duet with Lunou Zucchini of "Allo maman bobo" for Mother’s Day (5/11)
** Qub.radio – Lara’s own conclusions about the Star Academie show (5/11)
** Sucre Sale (TVA) – Star Academie stuff, Lara’s family, going to ‘eyeglass’ bar, etc. (5/25)
** Diomande Le Programme (radio) – languages, and a bit of “Je t’aime” a capella (6/22)
** Pour emporter (with Marie Laberge’s definition of Lara) (9/14)
** En direct de l’univers (surprise guest for Roxanne Bruneau) – sang powerful version of Je t’aime (10/26; 11/2)
** Ici radio – book interview (11/2)
** Tout le monde en parle (ICI radio) – book+more (11/16)
------------------------------------
Often the subject matter was wide-ranging, covering many interesting topics.
(14) That was similarly the case for the notable print interviews of the year:
-------------------------------------
**Clin d’oeil (1/26)
**7 jours (2/16)
**7 jours (4/6)- on Star Academie
**7 jours (4/27) – on new album
**J. of Montreal – Star Academie remembrances (5/4
**Showbizz.net – Hats off to director and professors of the Academie (5/11)
**7 jours– Taking stock of Star Academie experience (5/18)
**J. of Montreal – book promo (11/2)
**Showbizz.net – next season of Star Academie (11/2)
**Lapresse.ca – book discussion (11/9)
**7 jours – book + (11/9)
**Knack for languages (12/7)
**Flash magazine (12/21) – book
------------------------------------
(15) Finally, for the interesting photo(s)/videos of the year, special notice is made of the (inadvertent) biggest contributors:
** Of course Lara’s FB and Instagram sites for the pictures and videos she and her team post
**Lara The Ring Fabian for her wonderful English translations of many of Lara’s interviews
** the larafabian_fanpage_ on Instagram for the inordinate amount of effort they put in to create their wonderful collages of Lara pictures
**Lara Fabian America on Facebook for their inspiring ‘good morning’ pictures of Lara
**Lara Fabian The Netherlands on Facebook for their many multi-part pictures of Lara
**Lara’s youtube channel, where one can find many of her official videos and songs.
**The Lara Fabian Multimedia site on youtube provides audios of songs from Lara’s live shows
**The Lara Fabian Tribute Channel on youtube puts wonderful pictures and clips of Lara to her songs
[Apologies for those I’ve overlooked here…]
As to what may happen in 2022: at the risk of sounding like a broken record, once again the full trajectory of Lara’s year depends on the course of the pandemic. It would be a travesty if Lara had to cancel her concert tour for the third time, although there is less of a tendency now for countries to close down to the extent they had previously. If the tour does take place, Lara will do a lot of singing, so hopefully her voice will remain in good stead – and it will put back, for a year at least, the transition to her main focus being on transmission. Otherwise, health-concerns aside, one can expect her to be involved with the Star Academicians once again, seemingly enjoying herself greatly, for the first quarter of the year. And maybe a new album will surface, going back to her old, more intense ballads, perhaps even with symphonic accompaniment. One can always dream.
David
