A fresh and renewed wind has blown over “La Voix,” which returns for a ninth season on TVA starting January 15. New decor, new set design, new production and new trainers, we got a taste of it on Monday morning when we visited the Mels studios in Saint-Hubert.
The big red logo is still ubiquitous around La Voix, but we have a feeling the production wanted to clean up the spaces. The stage on which the candidates perform appears larger due to the visible presence of the musicians. An important addition for Émilie Fournier, the content producer. “If there wasn’t music behind the voice, it wouldn’t be the same emotion vector. We just want to celebrate, show and move the music forward.
In the implementation, Jill Niquet-Joyal will breathe a new unstructured way of presenting the candidates and the performances. “We will evolve according to the personalities of the candidates, advanced Émilie Fournier. We’ll stick to them, sometimes by crunching them in place, sometimes by telling their story in detail. We also address the authenticity of our coaches. We’re assuming it’s a competition between them and we’ll say so. The music is of course present at all levels and we have not skimped on quality in all aspects of the show.
More than 80 contestants went through the blind auditions (filmed in the fall), while only 48 are picked up by the coaches. “It was important for us to present a lot of them because we wanted to show that turning a chair around is not that easy, it takes special things. When a chair turns, it’s a big event, whether there’s one or four.”
The layout of the audience in the studio is more enveloping, with platforms also placed on the sides, and the visual paneling seems more sober and current. “We want to stay relevant. We’ve looked at international trends, we’re very creative in Quebec and we have no excuses not to. I would say that we will have a strong and effective association.
One thing remains the same, though, and that’s the four trainer chairs, although some of the names on the back have changed. Marjo, Corneille, Mario Pelchat will soon be making their debuts, accompanied by veteran Marc Dupré, who has been with us since the first season.
Photo agency QMI, Joël Lemay
Marjo said she was impressed on her first day in the red chair. “Arriving in the coaching chair is something. Just hitting the red button the first time, that gives momentum, that’s really cool.
Same observation for Mario Pelchat, who nevertheless followed all stages of all seasons of “La Voix”. “It’s a bit destabilizing to be there, even though I really wanted to. I’ve always felt like a coach in my life, especially as a producer. I thrive on the talents of others.”
Photo agency QMI, Joël Lemay
Corneille, who has previously mentored in Quebec and France, praised the quality of the production team. “What surprised me the most was the great humanity behind the scenes. I’ve never seen such a healthy and unlikely combination between the rigor of this type of production and the great concern for the goodwill of the coaches and the candidates.
For Marc Dupré, this season is like coming home. “There are a lot of new people on the team who bring new things but are also passionate. There’s a beautiful energy that surrounds us and between the coaches we quickly understood that we love each other and that we support each other.” The Voice is back, starting Sunday 15 January at 7pm on TVA.
Joel Lemay / QMI Agency