Every week in his weekend notebook, The newspaper presents significant moments in an artist’s career as well as some souvenir photos
Praised to heaven
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After nine weeks of competition, the shy Acadian was crowned the grand winner of the Star Académie 2003 in a gala watched by more than 2.8 million viewers, surrounded by his academic accomplices. He had been trapped within the walls of the Academy since the beginning of the adventure and did not yet know the extent of the phenomenon or its success.
Find your hero
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Isolated from the rest of the world at the academy because he was only allowed to talk on the phone for one minute a day, Wilfred finally hugged his mother on the evening of the gala. His parents had traveled from their home in New Brunswick to watch the Star Académie final live on television, which would prove to be their son’s crowning achievement.
After the triumph
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In the spring of 2003, during an Expos game at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, 25-year-old Wilfred tamed popularity by greeting the huge crowd. Now famous, wherever he passed, fans flocked to him to get his autograph, and when he returned home to Tracadie-Sheila, an enthusiastic crowd awaited him in the rain at the New Brunswick airport.
Heart attack
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Already with his first interpretation of Jean Batailleur, the young Wilfred touched the hearts of the general public. His natural simplicity, small Acadian accent and beautiful face contributed to his talent as a musician and singer. Twenty years later, he still sings this Zachary Richard hit in concert alongside his own songs.
Torn between two passions
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Wilfred returns to his hometown after the great whirlwind of the Star Académie, photographed aboard his father’s fishing boat. After completing captaincy courses, he had to decide whether he wanted to be a lobster fisherman like his father and grandfather before him or whether he wanted to concentrate on singing.
♦ The first cohort of Star Academy will celebrate the TV phenomenon’s 20th anniversary on stage, during two major shows that are as nostalgic as they are current, And it’s not over yet, directed by Joël Legendre. Thirteen of the then 14 participants, including Wilfred, Marie-Élaine Thibert, Marie-Mai, Émily Bégin, Annie and Suzie Villeneuve (whose initiative it was), will meet on January 12 on the stage of the Bell Center Videotron Center in Quebec City on January 19th. Tickets can be found at: etcestpasfini.com.
♦ Wilfred will continue to tour Quebec in early 2024 with the folk trad group Les Gars du Nord, which he founded about ten years ago with Dany Boudreau and Maxime McGraw. The group of seven singers/musicians recently released their first album with original “Country Party Celtic” songs. The father’s sons, the third of her career after two Christmas albums. See lesgarsdunord.com.
♦ The songwriter released a fifth eponymous solo album in 2018, a work he directed and produced himself. He also founded his own record label 2W Productions.