The coronation of a champion. Margaux, the greatest of the Maestros of Do not forget the lyrics, won, against Jérémy, the 2023 Masters broadcast this Saturday evening on France 2. Since her first participation in 2019, her 59 victories and her 530,000 euros in winnings, the Breton has dominated the Maestros ranking. Victorious as a team in the Maestros League last January, then in the Tournament in the spring, she still had these Masters which had resisted her since 2020.
After three unsuccessful participations, she now adds this prestigious title to her list of achievements. At the same time, she won 101,000 euros, including 20,000 which she donated to the association. Belharra ALS, which fights against Charcot disease. Margaux answered questions from “20 Minutes”.
How did you feel when you won?
At the time I didn’t really believe it. I was very happy because that was the goal I had set for myself since entering the Masters. On TV we sometimes think that it doesn’t matter to me at all, but inside I’m boiling. I internalize a lot. I was very moved. Plus I played the final with a friend, Jérémy, who I really like. It was a great time.
Was this a candidate you particularly feared?
Of course I knew he was very strong. We have pretty much the same musical tastes so I knew it was going to be a great match.
Which stage and which opponent gave you the most trouble during these Masters?
They are all very strong but the match that was the most complicated was against Arsène during the quarter-finals. It ended in a perfect tie, we both performed flawlessly. So I won my quarters thanks to my ranking. With one word left I was screwed!
What did you lack in previous times that allowed you to win this year?
It’s a bit lame to say that but luck plays a big part. The times I lost, it wasn’t necessarily because I didn’t work well, I just came across songs that I didn’t know. The category of “unloved” for example, these are often songs that I lack and which are poorly chosen. This year I found their words quite often. It’s the luck of the draw that we come across.
So at your level does luck have a particular impact?
Obviously, the more we work, the more we reduce the amount of luck. Afterwards, there must be perhaps nearly 4,000 songs in the repertoire of the musicians on the show and it is impossible to know them all. We know a quarter, some more, but it’s already huge!
Do you have an estimate of how many songs you know?
I have the exact number because I have an Excel file with the song names. There are exactly 1,462 of them.
Have you increased your revision efforts?
Not exactly. This year I unconsciously became a little discouraged. But I worked differently, I crammed a lot at the last moment and since I have a fairly efficient short-term memory, it worked quite well. I worked on the classics and a lot of songs that are less part of my favorite repertoire, those that are a little old, etc. My opponents know that this is not my strong point!
What is your secret to remembering so many songs?
I listen to a lot of it, obviously. But what helps me is having the text in front of me, I learn the song like you can learn a poem.
Without this victory, did your journey seem incomplete to you?
One of my goals was really to win the Masters. And because of my place in the ranking, I told myself that if I didn’t win them once, I would have been a clear winner! The former leaders had all already won them: Kevin, Hervé… It was really what I was missing in my journey so that I could be really happy and be able to relax a little.
You also won the Maestros Tournament with Violaine and Louis this year. Is there nothing left to gain now?
Yes, why not win the Masters again next year! There was also the Maestros League at the end of 2022 which I won as a team with Hervé. I was very lucky this year. And maybe unconsciously, the fact of having won the Tournament gave me a little more confidence.
Nagui calls you Queen Margaux. Is this nickname now justified?
Justified, no, it puts me on a pedestal when in reality… The ranking shows performances at a given time but I am not better than Hervé, Kévin etc., who are less well placed. It makes me a little uncomfortable but I accept it now. Even people who pass me in the street call me that, so it makes me laugh.
You recently started singing as a career. What convinced you to take the plunge?
Last year with Do not forget the lyrics we were able to do a tour of around forty dates where we went to several venues. It helped me get started. I always wanted to do it but as it’s not an easy environment, it was complicated. In January I started a duo, Désaccord, with a musician who was already in the business. I feel like I’m not working because it’s something I love. Being able to earn a living doing concerts is still fortunate. Our project is really to do lots of dates in the Great West and to be able to develop all that, especially for weddings.
Will viewers have the opportunity to see you again in other shows?
In other shows than Do not forget the lyrics, No. But they will see me again next year for the Associations Tournament and for the Masters.
You are more formidable than ever. Will dethroning you now be the main challenge for the other candidates?
This year there were a lot of candidates who rose very high in the rankings. As soon as there is a strong candidate on TV, I receive lots of messages like “Margaux, you’re going to be overtaken”! If it happens, I’ll get over it and be happy for the person. Records are made to be broken.