MONTREAL — TVA, Quebecor Content and Productions Déferlantes today announced Star Académie is returning to the TVA network next winter with a new host and revamped format.
The Quebec talent show will feature 15 young singers from different styles and backgrounds who will go through an exceptional training experience at the Star Académie music school, says the TVA press release.
The season will launch with a brand-new introduction to the series called “Le camp de selection”. For two weeks, viewers will see the top 100 participants who auditioned across Quebec and New Brunswick. The intensive creative boot camp will be supervised by the show’s coaching team, and only 22 will make the cut, with that group being whittled down to 15 after the first performance.
Over the season, viewers will be treated to 12 variety shows on Sunday nights, where big names in music will take the stage. The rest of the week, the show’s daily editions will take fans behind the scenes in documentary-style episodes following each participant’s day-to-day progress.
Also new to the reboot of the series is a new evaluation method and a fully equipped music lab, where participants will have an opportunity to write, record and mix their own songs.
The original Star Académie aired on TVA between 2003 and 2012. Taking over from Julie Snyder as host is Patrice Michaud, a two-time ADISQ award winner for male artist of the year, who will guide viewers through the emotional roller coaster of the show’s Sunday night variety shows. Music artist Lara Fabian will serve as the Academy director.
Performing artist Gregory Charles returns to the show to give voice and music lessons, while singer-songwriter Ariane Moffatt teaches musical creativity. International music star Mika will be the show’s art director and will help participants put together scintillating variety performances, says the press release.
Several guest coaches, including Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Anne Dorval and Pepe Munoz, will take turns teaching the participants, to help them better define who they are and what makes them unique.
Brands who are confirmed partners for the 2021 edition of the show include Qualinet, Videotron, RE/MAX Quebec, Skip, Nescafé, Perrier, Toyota, JC Perreault, BMR, La Petite Bretonne, Cook-it and Adrien Gagnon.
“We’re delighted to see that Star Académie remains such an exciting brand for our partners,” said Patrick Jutras, senior vice-president and chief advertising officer of Quebecor and TVA Group, in the release. “Through its different platforms, Quebecor offers them an ideal ecosystem to shine bright among hundreds of thousands of viewers, readers and music lovers. All of those who get involved with Star Académie will benefit from the show’s immense popularity, its stellar reputation, and its vast and varied audience. In the end, everyone’s a winner.”
Auditions for the show start September 25.
