"The Voice" Gives A Second Chance

Several contestants for this Sunday’s blind auditions of “La Voix” had previous experience of this type of televised competition. This was particularly the case for Jacques Larin, who took part in the first edition of “Star Académie” last year, but also for Virginie Péloquin, who took part in the very first season of “La Voix” in 2013.

The young girl, who was just coming out of puberty at the time, was recruited into Marc Dupré’s team before she was eliminated in the duel phase.

“I had opportunities after that experience, but I was very young at the time. I was the shy little girl. I didn’t get them.”

Ten years later, Virginie Péloquin came back to try her luck with the maturity of a 29-year-old woman.

“I’ve always sung. For several years I have also been composing my own songs and making my own music that I share on social networks. But it’s always difficult to have visibility. Trying my luck again is an opportunity to showcase my talent and get people to listen to my songs.”

The Montreal native now feels much better equipped to launch a career in the music industry.

“It’s easier for me because I have more experience. I have confidence in myself, I recognize my talent. I enjoyed every moment of my blind audition because I know it’s a privilege to be back on this stage a second time.”

Mario Pelchat is the only one who pressed the button on his rendition of “I’ll Never Love Again,” which delighted the young woman.

“It’s perfect, I was hoping not to have to choose. I like Mario a lot, he’s very down to earth. I’m very happy that he chose me.”

She now hopes that the audience will follow her and maybe her songs will be played on the radio. “I want to be able to make a living from music and at the same time convey messages through my voice.”

An original profession

If Virginie Péloquin has the singer Rihanna’s face tattooed on her thigh, as we saw during her on-screen performance, it’s because the two women share the same painful experience.

“I’ve been a victim of domestic violence in the past, and when I found out she’d been through the same thing with her ex, Chris Brown, I became interested in her work. I became a “fan” of his music, I like it very much.

While waiting to make a living from her passion, Virginie surprisingly has a job in the construction industry. “I’m a house painter. I am very active, imaginative and very manual. There have been several times in my life that I’ve had to paint my apartment or my mother’s house, and I’ve enjoyed it. I decided to do it, took a course and now I work for a big company. I love my job. I’m a little tomboy at heart.

Adam El Mouna, 19, Sainte Catherine

Singing comes naturally to Adam El Mouna.

“I realized that I got through all the hard times in life thanks to music and musical improvisation. Improvising is something authentic when I do it, it allows me to release my emotions that I’m not necessarily used to showing. It’s very therapeutic.” He was reassured that the four red armchairs turned around for his rendition of “Il est ou le bonheur.”

“It confirmed to me that I have potential. I had never sung in front of an audience, except for my family or mini shows. Now I have to make sure and work hard to be up to it.

Besides the comments, Adam particularly liked that Marc Dupré stood up to improvise with him.

“It’s like he wanted to enter my world too, it made me want to work with him.” The young man wants to keep as many things as possible during his time on the show. “I want to learn how to be a better artist, to get to know myself even better… I listen a lot and understand how this environment works while getting the public curious about me.”

Lunayla Jimenez, 17, Brossard

In order to impress the coaches, Lunayla Jimenez decided to sing the last a cappella verse of the song “Voilà” by Barbara Pravi.

“It’s a song that makes me happy. I did it at the secondary en spectacle at my school and got first place.

The 17-year-old is musically a little gifted. “Besides singing, I play saxophone, cello, alto saxophone, transverse flute and piano. I was in a music/study program in high school and in elementary school I went to music school.”

She even writes her own songs in French and sometimes in English.

“My challenge would be to write one in Spanish as well, since I speak that language due to my heritage. My mother is Quebecois and my father is Cuban. She joined the team of Mario Pelchat, who told her she had “a sublime voice.”

Jacques Larin, 25, Montreal

Unlucky at “Star Académie” in 2022, Jacques Larin had to return home without entering the academy.

“I still really enjoyed my experience. I stumbled during the whole preparation, I had to make an effort. It was so exciting, enriching and educational that there was no point in me not trying my luck on The Voice.

His re-reading of “Dancin’on My Own” flipped two coaches, and with Corneille he decided to continue the adventure.

“It’s what I identify with the most, it’s what I put in my headphones the most, and I find it has an authenticity that touches me. I chose him both for his music and for the personality he exudes. By collaborating with him I want to explore folk or funk groove in French later on.”

Team Rookies:

Corneille team

Jacques Larin, 25, Montreal

Élysabeth Rivest, 33, Saint Thomas

Team Marc Dupre

Adam El Mouna, 19, Sainte Catherine