Bruno Pelletier rarely looks back. The man who has won the title of Male Artist of the Year at ADISQ three times and is considered one of the greatest voices in the French-speaking world is more the type to multiply projects in the hope that one of them will come to fruition.
It must be said that he never waited for the phone to ring and never made a long-term plan. An entrepreneur at heart, he showed perseverance and determination that is a credit to him.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TVA
After learning in bars and suffering multiple rejections – from record labels and singing competitions – he was discovered by the general public at the age of 30. Six years later he thought about throwing in the towel, but the song “Miserere” and then “Notre-Dame de Paris” changed everything.
“I was not given this job, which was difficult to build. I didn’t stop being active to present my projects and that’s how I finally found my place,” said Bruno Pelletier in an interview with the QMI agency. “It’s a lot of arm oil, work, hours. I’m just about to say that I’m proud to have made it this far.”
With Daniel Lavoie in the summer of 2022, as Bruno Pelletier reprized his role as Gringoire in Notre-Dame de Paris while the show stopped in Quebec. PHOTO PROVIDED BY TVA
We experience the extraordinary journey of the singer of the song “Le temps des Cathedrals” in the documentary “Bruno Pelletier – The time has come…”, which will be broadcast this Thursday at 9 p.m. on TVA.
The 60 minutes make it possible to complete the loop of a three-stage project, which also consists of the biography Bruno Pelletier – The Time Came… by Samuel Larochelle and the album of original songs…Car le It’s Time, whose themes are from book inspired. This triptych highlights his 40-year career and his 60 pens, but we would have taken more because the music-filled hour passes too quickly.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TVA
We find Bruno Pelletier in his early days when he had a very Bon Jovi look, a Scrooge version, with his groups Amanite, Sneak Preview and Pëll. We hear him singing with Céline Dion at the Molson Center on December 31, 1999 and offer testimonials from Luc Plamondon, Richard Séguin and his sister Dominique.
In fact, it was Plamondon, one of our greatest lyricists, who opened the doors to the entertainment industry by hiring him for The Legend of Jimmy in 1992. “It’s my game changer!” said Bruno Pelletier.
Bruno Pelletier in October 1992. PHOTO SERGE LAPOINTE / LES ARCHIVES / LE JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
Then Plamondon called him back for Starmania (1993 to 1995) and for Notre-Dame de Paris, a show that Bruno Pelletier opened in the City of Lights in 1998. This mega-production allowed him to shine throughout the French-speaking world, in Asia and even in Russia. No worse for a man who only dreamed of performing on the stage of his school in Charlesbourg.
Bruno Pelletier continues to push forward with his projects and says that, like an athlete, he is paying more attention to his voice than ever. It still remains as beautiful as it is powerful. “It’s normal to want to look after the instrument very carefully. I give myself discipline when I have several shows a week. If I feel well, I would like to be able to sing for another 10-15 years.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MUSICOR SPECTACLES
And over time, Bruno Pelletier concentrates on his tasks. “You never know, but the longer it takes, the more I want to be involved in my solo projects.”
Miserere 25th Anniversary Tour
Bruno Pelletier, who now has his own studio, is actively preparing the Miserere 25th anniversary tour, which will begin in Drummondville on February 9, 2024.
The show will cover several songs from the album and draw from the artist’s repertoire, all performed by around ten people on stage. All of these beautiful people will also be rocking the Théâtre Capitole de Québec (February 16-17, 2024) and the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts (March 2, 2024). Tickets are available online.