” It’s you ? », Marianne James is astonished when she rushes onto the stage of France has an unbelievable talent. Yes, it is she. Sixteen years after his participation in New star, Miss Dominique is back on the channel where she was born. This Wednesday, the singer faced the opinion of a jury as she had done in 2006. As a nod to the past, the candidate took over a title from Whitney Houston for her audition. She describes for 20 minutes the emotion she felt when she reunited with Marianne James and the public.
You could have made your comeback on a show like “The Voice”. Why did you choose “France has an incredible talent”?
It is true that I would have perhaps – perhaps we do not know – had my place in The Voice. But at the same time, since it is all categories combined in Amazing talent, when you come in your category, you are more highlighted than in The Voice. And then it remains M6 and I was still revealed on the Six. I felt like I was on more familiar ground. And when I knew there was Marianne James, I felt more confident.
Did you go to the production or did we come to get you to participate in the show?
I admit that they came to get me (laughs). I didn’t feel legitimate to do a telecrochet again. There were 25,000 candidates for the New star So when we are a finalist out of 25,000, you tell yourself that we gave you your chance and that it’s up to you to manage. I didn’t feel legitimate to come back myself to take the place of someone else who had never been discovered. There are other much more talented, much younger people who haven’t done anything.
Did you hesitate for a long time before making your comeback?
I didn’t hesitate for long because it’s the Six and I trust them. I had already trusted them once, it had gone well and I didn’t see the point in calling someone if you didn’t want it to go well. My only hesitation was regarding my pregnancy. But the luck train only passes once.
The emotion was palpable, you were in tears, as was Marianne James. Did you expect it?
Not at all ! But then not at all! It’s true that it’s been fifteen years since I did a television casting and in my memories, we were only supposed to talk afterwards. In my head, I arrived, I sang my song and all the emotion of the discussion, it was after. When I am told that I have to speak to Marianne James first, I tell myself that it will go all over the place and that I won’t be able to sing anymore. I hadn’t imagined that everything would happen before at all. I hadn’t imagined either that she would recognize me right away, that she would call out to me on the way home. I thought she would recognize me after or during the song but not from the start.
You tell Karine Le Marchand that you have left for the United States. What did you do there?
I had just finished my studies because in the meantime I went back to the conservatory on one side and went to university on the other, both to get music degrees. I often heard the joke “such and such has a beautiful voice but she but she has bac -10”. It shocked me all the time! (laughs) My parents didn’t graduate so that was part of my dreams. I see at the university [une petite annonce disant] “Seeks voice teacher in California”. I just sent my CV as a test, to see if my CV went unnoticed or not. I sent it on Monday and on Wednesday someone called me. Two weeks later, I was asked if I was ready to go to California. They offered me a real full-time employment contract in a French bilingual school.
Have there been any difficult times in your career?
All the time ! Since the day I took the train to go to Rennes and put myself in this long queue where we wait to be auditioned by the first casters of New star, I had this voice in my head. She was like “don’t you think you’re gonna come in and sing and be a star?” Often since that, when I go on stage, I have this phrase that comes up. When I see the audience in front of me, I tell them that I came in, I sang and that now I am in front of them. We have to hang on and then we’ll see what fate will do for me. If we don’t come home and sing, nothing can be done.
Before the show even aired, M6 put the first few minutes of your audition online. The video has reached two million views on Facebook. How do you feel about all this feedback?
I have a serious fault, I do not know how to manage social networks at all. Behind most of my accounts, it’s not me, I don’t know who it is (laughs). I don’t know if it’s a psychological barrier, but I’m afraid of social media. I’m never going to look at myself, I don’t go to any social network because it’s a way to stay quiet, at home, in my bubble. When I do something, I don’t spend my time looking at what I’ve done or looking for feedback at all. I have never done that !
So I’m telling you, but the feedback on social networks is very positive!
When people tell me that I make them think of a singer, I answer them that there is a girl who looks like me and who sings: “it’s unbearable, all day they take me for her” and I get rid of it like that (laughs)! I don’t come somewhere saying “but how, you don’t recognize me? Anyway, I’m happy to hear that.
Did your stint in “La France a un incredible talent” mark your return to music?
As much as I got on the train, so I do not project myself this time. I don’t want to be persistent. It’s not just me, there are plenty of other people singing. I am already very happy that I was remembered and contacted, it is already a great honor. If I had to make an album and go back on stage, that it was written that I had to register in the French musical landscape, that would be great. But if it doesn’t, that’s okay. That’s why I don’t project myself more than that.