On December 21, 2002, Nolween Leroy, then a law student, won the second season of Star Academy. The start of a flourishing career. Twenty-one years and eight albums later, the singer goes on the other side of the mirror to settle in the coach chair of The Voice Kids, whose 9th edition begins this Tuesday, July 4 on TF1, still hosted by the inseparable Nikos Aliagas. To her, the tough task of choosing – or not – very young candidates on their vocal performance alone.
Like Jenifer before her, or Slimane and Kendji Girac (discovered by the TF1 show) with whom she shares the adventure this year, Nolwenn Leroy has used her experience in the face of (very) young tele-hook talents. A homecoming that allowed her, she says, to let go. Confidences.
Point : Twenty-one years after successfully completing your first and only casting call for Star Academy, here you are auditioning in The Voice Kids… What did you experience in this new role?
Nolwenn Leroy: Lots of emotions and empathy. I actually had a more or less similar experience more than 20 years ago, and it’s obviously very strong to relive that. I know exactly what it feels like when you arrive on a set in full light, this moment when you have to give everything, the anguish that accompanies it. This is perhaps what made me hesitate to accept this role of coach. The adventure of a tele-hook is such an upheaval. I had to free myself. But today, I find it fabulous to be able to give talents the chance to reach their dream.
What did you need to get rid of?
You have to put yourself in the context of the time. In season 2 of Star Academy, the exhibition was huge. We weren’t prepared for that. And fortunately, I want to say. This is both a huge opportunity and a difficult exposure to manage. You have to register for the long term. And the road is long. I needed time to write my own story, my songs, to build myself as an artist. I had to prove things to myself to feel in my place and legitimate.
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You have long refused to become a coach. Why did you accept this year?
With the production, we had already been in contact in the past but I did not feel ready to take on this responsibility. I think that scared me a bit. Anyway, I’m still a little freaked out (She smiles). But last year, when I was offered the new role of “mystery coach” in the adult version, I immediately agreed. There was a very positive side to drafting candidates. And then, my involvement was less compared to the other coaches. It was a way to integrate the family The Voice gently, taking my time to find out how the show is going. I loved his benevolence, even if the expression is overused.
Did that reassure you?
Absolutely ! It gave me confidence and the desire to continue the adventure in The Voice Kids. I don’t do anything lightly, I ask myself a lot of questions and I move forward in stages. This annoys some people, but I can’t help it. That’s my nature. But once I commit, I do it with all my heart. I needed to get away from tele-hook to better come back to it. Today, the circle is complete. I am very happy and proud to be here.
In the children’s version, our role is more to arouse vocations, to give advice, which they can use both in music and in another way. Giving them confidence is the most important thing for me. Cause that’s what I was missing…
In the blind auditions, we find you laughing, and even playful with your comrades, very far from the somewhat withdrawn image that we have of you. we go‘impression that you have split the‘armor…
I think I let myself go. When you grow up under the cameras, you develop a certain form of caution. But The Voice Kids is not a program like the others. Faced with these children, we are disarmed. I had the feeling of being able to be who I am in life, on edge, permanently connected to my emotions, free to cry, to be indecisive or to laugh.
Your son, Marin, has today‘6 years old, the age of certain “talents”. Does it change your view of them?
Yes, of course. We project ourselves, we imagine our own child in this situation. There too, it coats a natural empathy. I also thought of myself at the same age. I who am always scared, could I have participated in this program? I am very admiring of the courage of the little bits who go up on this stage…
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Isn’t it all the more difficult to say no to them?
It made me wonder, actually. I thought long and hard, once again (She laughs). And finally, in children, there is not the same urgency as in adults, for whom The Voice represents perhaps the last chance to break through. Coaches can really change their destiny. It’s a huge responsibility! In the children’s version, our role is more to arouse vocations, to give advice, which they can use both in music and in another way. Giving them confidence is the most important thing for me. Cause that’s what I was missing…
What did this experience bring you?
I didn’t expect it at all but I learned a lot about myself. I broke a lot of locks. This show made me grow. It helped me in managing my emotions, in my relationship with TV. I can’t say that it reconciled me with myself, because it’s not a trauma either. But it calmed me down. It was almost an initiatory experience… (She laughs.)
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Another new experience for you: comedy. You are currently filming for Broceliande, the next TF1 series in which you play the main role alongside Marie-Anne Chazel and Thomas Jouannet, among other actors! You seem determined to broaden your palette…
I was talking earlier about my fear of getting started, about my way of sometimes being too thoughtful… This was also the case for comedy. I had had offers in the past but I didn’t feel ready. I wanted to prepare well for this exercise. I loved making an appearance in Captain Marleau [diffusée désormais sur France 2, NDLR]. But here, I have the leading role and I have to be up to it. Fortunately, I am lucky to have extraordinary actors around me. Every day, I feel like I’m living a masterclass… At 40, I’m at a bit of a crossroads and I love finding myself in this learning dynamic. It boosts me and nourishes me…
2023-07-04 07:30:09
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