Jim Bauer (far right of the picture) ready for “The Voice” rehearsals – CR / 20 Minutes
- Saturday evening, TF1 will broadcast, live, the semi-final of the tenth season of The Voice.
- Several days before, the candidates practice again and again on the songs they will perform in solo and in unison.
- 20 minutes attended the rehearsals of the show this Thursday on the set north of Paris.
Even before entering the Lendit studios in Saint-Denis, the excitement is palpable. It has been several months since we heard live music but we can already perceive the first notes through the thick walls of the place. Once through the door, the sensation of finding a concert hall: the dull noise is more and more noticeable until we arrive on the stage of The Voice.
We do not immediately see Marc Lavoine, hidden in the half-light with the musicians. His foot beats time, his head is unleashed to the rhythm of the percussions… The coach immerses himself in the instrumental version of the Singer by Daniel Balavoine that his foal Arthur will offer, on Saturday evening, during the semifinal of the show. The candidate is quietly seated in one of the red armchairs. But the rest will not last very long since it is then his turn to stick to it. Once, twice, three times. Each round brings its share of adjustments, whether they come from the technical teams or from Marc Lavoine.
Marc Lavoine, vocal and sports coach
In turn, the talents take each other’s place on the board. Tarik, the slammer called to return after the exclusion of The Vivi, delivers his performance against a Marc Lavoine inhabited by the text of his song, The deserter by Boris Vian. The coach is on the move, fidgets in front of the stage with a raised fist. The same thing happens a few minutes later when Jim Bauer finds himself in the spotlight. The candidate has marked the spirits this season, in particular thanks to his daring resumption of Auntie Yoyo. This time, the artist tries his hand at a different register from the one we know him with Cry me a river by Justin Timberlake. According to the first reactions during rehearsals, Jim Bauer should once again hit the mark and deliver a memorable performance.
Once each of Marc Lavoine’s talents has delivered their performance comes the time of the trio. In addition to his role of vocal coach, the singer also turns into a director and changes position, pointing to the locations of each. “It’s a bit like what Gainsbourg and Mitchell did on Old Scoundrels », Sums up, amused, the coach at the end of their joint performance.
“There’s work”
At around 6 p.m., the eight talents meet on the stage, not to rehearse the announcement of the results but to listen for the first time to the version of Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, which they will perform in college. In the center of the ring, eyes meet and dance steps follow one another when others focus on the part they will have to deliver.
During the second round, the candidates are positioned in a circle. From a distance, it would almost look like a high school boom, where everyone is taking their turn to show off their best moves. But here, it is singing in question and all and all wipe the plasters. “There’s work,” admits one of the vocal coaches when the last notes are heard. Fortunately, over the minutes, each one ends up finding its place and makes you forget the failures at the beginning.
Almost three quarters of an hour later, it is over for this title but not for the rehearsals since the talents will sing two collegiate schools on Saturday night. While some begin to sit down for a break, the first notes of Casting, Christophe Maé’s song already heard in the semi-final trailer, resonate in the studio.
Lied in emotion
Half an hour later, while everyone returns backstage, Mentissa is called to stay on the set to continue with her solo performance. On a piano voice to the rhythm of the song So as not to live alone of Dalida, we feel the young woman seized, to such an extent that she cannot finish her song and wipes a tear on her face. A hug with the show’s producer gives him the strength to reboot and show the extent of his vocal power.
Mentissa will have to take it upon herself not to get carried away by her emotions on Saturday night. Unlike the final stages of the previous season, the show will be entirely live. The stands will be empty. “The confinement is ending but, with TF1, we are keen to show a certain form of exemplarity to the end. We don’t take any risk, ”explains producer Pascal Guix to justify this choice. For the talents to experience the sensation of hundreds of applause, all that remains is to wait for the next world.