Several singers under the age of 20 arrived at the blind auditions of The voice with very original and mature proposals. At 17, Sophie Grenier is one of those artists who already have their own universe. This Sunday, the four coaches fell in love with her.
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With a very personal re-reading of the famous song the birdpopularized in the early 1970s by René Simard, Sophie Grenier turned all the chairs.
“It’s a song I’ve been listening to since I was young, my dad used to play it often. I wanted to introduce it to the youngest, and rediscover it to others. It’s a text that recounts the departure of a bird and we hope it will come back, it touches me personally. I have two military parents. When I was younger, there was often only one parent at home, the message of the song really speaks to me a lot.
The most amazing thing is that she managed to transform it without distorting it, even making her words even more powerful. “It’s so touching for me that I wanted to slow it down to give it more weight,” she explained in an interview. I’m glad I was able to make her mine. I always try to make the songs I sing my own.”
A personal universe
Behind a candid and embarrassed image, Sophie Grenier has character and she knows what she wants. “When I started singing, I said to myself that I was going to do all the competitions that I might to gain experience. The comment that kept coming back was that I wasn’t singing high enough and not doing enough frills. But I don’t have the same vision, I think emotion is more important for an artist. It was from that moment that I decided to transform the songs, to give them a unique image.
Singer-songwriter, she released her first EP last January, Escape, available on listening platforms. And even if this first effort is in English, it is first in French that she wishes to express herself. “I participate in The voice for the experience, but above all because it’s in French, a language that I love and which is important to me.”
A surprising choice
Currently in 12e year in Ontario, the young girl did not hesitate long before choosing her coach. “Mario Pelchat was very convincing in his comments. His message touched me a lot, and I must say that it was one of my first choices. He has such an artistic background that I knew I was going to learn more regarding myself and regarding music with him.”
And when Mario then approached her to sing a little bit of his song, his surprise was total. “I did not expect that. I just consider myself lucky to have been able to sing with Mario. I cried in the car followingwards.
Randy McGraw, 23 ans, Tracadie (Nouveau-Brunswick)
Randy McGraw says he was born for the stage. His presence, his charisma, his voice and his ease play in his favor. “It’s my goal to become a singer, to tour around the world,” said the great admirer of Elvis, who scoured all the small scenes in his region. “I played in all the senior age groups in my area. I played in bars, but it didn’t really pay off. Do The voice is an opportunity to move on to another stage. I don’t have an album yet, but I must have regarding thirty songs ready to be recorded. We can also say that he has country in his blood. “I do country rock with influences like Elvis, Johnny Cash, Tim McGraw, Luke Combs… They all had an impact in my life, which allowed me to forge my style.” If he chose to continue the adventure with Marc Dupré, it is because he felt a direct connection with him. “His personality, his attitude, his style of music, it suits me well. He also has experience in The voice. When he hears someone who has potential, he knows how to recognize it, and I think he will know how to point me in the right direction.
Jolyane Lemay, 32 ans, Sherbrooke
After having studied the violin for a long time, Jolyane Lemay decided to focus more on singing. “I realized that I liked playing classical music, but that wasn’t really my universe. I didn’t listen to it at home. All I did outside of school was sing. I was in Swinging Sisters, a jazz vocal trio with which I made an album, competitions and many shows. Thanks to a mutual friend, she then became a chorister for France D’Amour. “Watching her work, I kind of projected myself in her place. I wondered what it would be like if I might have my own songs. She sowed a seed that I would like to explore soon. Of the three chairs that turned over, she chose Corneille. “He put the words to what I was looking for in a mentor and I was charmed, I finally decided to join his team.”
Audrey-Anne Séguin, 27, Montreal
After participating in the preselections of Star Academy, two years ago, Audrey-Anne Seguin received a message from Marc Dupré on her social networks. A meeting later, she had the chance to sing the song On the string in duet with him, which is found on his last album. “I simply slipped into his album project. But I didn’t come to The voice necessarily to work with him once more. If he hadn’t been there, I would have gone the same way.” The young woman recently published a first song on the platforms, a kind of business card. “I had written a text in French, which I then brought to English, because I wanted something more dance.” His participation in The voice meets clear expectations. “I want to create in collaboration to write and compose songs in order to find my own sound. I have this desire to compose more.”
Team rookies:
Corneille Team
Jolyane Lemay, 32 ans, Sherbrooke
Ashley Richard, 17, Lavillette, New Brunswick
Sylveo, 24 years old, Montpellier (France)
Team Marc Dupre
Randy McGraw, 23 ans, Tracadie (Nouveau-Brunswick)
Audrey-Anne Séguin, 27, Montreal
Team Marjo
Avril Roy-Jensen, 19, Montreal
Mark Tebow, 45, Victoriaville
Mario Pelchat Team
Sophie Grenier, 17 ans, Ottawa
Claude Paquette, 50, Lac-des-Écorces
Jephte Phélie, 22 years old, Les Cayes (Haiti)
