In a month, on November 26, France’s chances at Junior Eurovision will rest on Zoé Clauzure. “For the moment, it’s okay, but I know that two or three days before the final, I’m going to start to get quite stressed,” slips the 13-year-old singer who will take part in the competition organized in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), with the song Heart. I can’t wait for this moment to come, but I know this opportunity won’t come twice, so I want to enjoy every moment. »
“When she found out she was going to represent France, it was a lot of excitement and extremely positive emotions. Now, she is in work/pleasure mode,” explains her mother, Sophie, who follows her closely behind the scenes of this adventure.
Since her participation was made official at the end of September, Zoé has continued vocal coaching, choreography rehearsals, but also interviews and other promotional meetings. All while continuing to go to college – “studies are very important,” assures the teenager.
A WhatsApp group with the other candidates
She is enrolled in a specialized establishment for aspiring artists where schedules are flexible. In the morning, she goes to class, in the afternoon, she has free rein to explore her artistic fiber. “If we ever miss homework or assessments, we can catch up when we have time,” she explains.
Zoé assures her, her classmates “are very encouraging” and “not at all jealous”. And with his future opponents at Junior Eurovision, coming from fifteen other countries, the atmosphere is also one of goodwill. “Yes, it’s a competition, we’re here to win, but we’re also here for fun,” says the singer who hopes “to build connections with others, to know their passions, their everyday lives.”
Melissa and Ranya, the two representatives of Italy, sought to have his number to add him to the candidates’ WhatsApp group. “We stick to basic things, we don’t reveal the outfit or the scenography. The idea is that everyone gets along well,” says his mother. “We wish each other good luck, we tell ourselves that it’s going to be great, that we’re going to become “best friends” at the end,” reveals Zoé. The exchanges are in English, the schoolgirl, who says she “loves” speaking this language, sees it as “a good exercise”.
Her mother manages her social media posts
She can also count on the previous French representatives of Junior Eurovision, starting with the last two, Lissandro and Enzo, whom she knew from the adventure “The Voice Kids” in which she participated in 2020. With Carla Lazzari, who, on November 26, will provide live commentary on France 2 alongside Stéphane Bern, has “created a bond for a long time”. “We talk a lot, she considers me her little sister and sends me lots of messages to check on me and give me advice. »
If Zoé says that she responds to all the messages she receives on social networks, it is her mother, director of digital communications in a large French group, who manages her publications with a community manager from France Télévisions. “We are working jointly on Zoé’s digital strategy and her e-reputation. It’s a singing competition, but I realize that there is a lot of press to do, a lot of content, it’s a 360° ecosystem. »
“We have our feet on the ground”
The young singer is not dizzy, however. “In our family, we have our feet on the ground,” insists Sophie. We are in mode we go and we work. There may be promising results and others that are more difficult, it’s part of life. » A disappointing result would therefore be far from being a tragedy.
And, faced with the very favorable reception of her song among the fans of the competition, the same thing: she keeps a cool head and does not necessarily think about triumph. Wisdom dominates: “A journalist asked me where I saw myself in twenty years. I responded that I was living in the moment. I don’t imagine the competition, I take what there is to take. »