NEW STAR. La Nouvelle Star, whose first episode was broadcast on March 27, 2003 on M6, continues to celebrate its 20th anniversary this Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
[Updated February 22, 2023 at 1:38 p.m.] Twenty years! Launched on March 27, 2003, Nouvelle Star, on M6, has become, season after season, one of the most cult French tele-cochets. During two evenings, scheduled for Wednesday February 15 and Wednesday February 22, 2023, the channel celebrates this twentieth candle with great fanfare, with twenty former Nouvelle Star candidates, in two event evenings presented by Karine Lemarchand.
The show’s four cult jurors, Marianne James, André Manoukian, Dove Attia and Manu Katché, self-proclaimed The Fantastic 4, are also there, as is Marco Prince this Wednesday, February 22.
If certain talents unearthed at Nouvelle Star have achieved, since their passage on M6, a solo career, with more or less success, other candidates have plunged back into anonymity. Some have completely stopped singing, others continue to perform in a very confidential way or alternate between several trades.
From Julien Doré to Camélia Jordana, via Amel Bent, Steeve Estatof, Myriam Abel, Christophe Willem, Miss Dominique or Benjamin Siksou, discover what has become of the most emblematic candidates of Nouvelle Star:
If he did not win the show, In search of the new star allowed Thierry Amiel to make himself known. After the end of the tele-hook, he met with success, chaining the release of several singles and the first parts of singer like Hélène Ségara. In 2010, Pascal Obispo chose him to play the leading role in the musical Adam and Eve: The Second Chance. In 2013, he announced the preparation of a new album, Artefact, released in 2019 and went on tour.
Everyone remembers Amel Bent and yet she came third in season 2 of Nouvelle Star. The singer then connects successful albums, tours and appearances on television. In 2012, she participated in the third season of Dancing with the Stars and reached the final before the release of her fifth album. In 2015, she married Patrick Antonelli with whom she had two daughters, the last being born a few weeks ago. In 2018, she will return to a tele-hook, this time on TF1 since she will be one of the coaches of the fifth season of The Voice Kids. In 2020, Amel Bent became a coach in The Voice, then released a seventh album, Vivante.
In 2004, Steve Estatof won the second season of Nouvelle Star against Amel Bent and Julien Laurence. His first two albums released in 2004 and 2008 are real successes. Since then, despite the release of a third album, the singer has been more discreet, but has continued in music by performing frequently on stage with his musicians. In 2021, he released the album Time Machine. At the same time, Steve Estatof is a singing teacher at a school near Lyon.
In 2005, Myriam Abel won Nouvelle Star. She then tries to release an album, but because of legal problems, it is delayed. Even if she meets with success, she is quickly forgotten by the public. In 2010, after the release of a second album, she joined the cast of the reality TV show Les Anges. His participation in three seasons allows him to release new albums without really returning to the front of the stage. In 2017, she made a name for herself speaking on the new season of Nouvelle Star on the set of Jean-Marc Morandini: “I am very skeptical. In my time, it made me dream… But there, not at all. Just because we’re not on TV doesn’t mean we don’t sing, Shy’m doesn’t sell records anymore, so she has to be a host.” In 2020, she joined Club Med Talents at Clubmed Val d’Isère.
In 2005, Roland Karl reached the semi-finals of Nouvelle star season 3, won by Myriam Abel. Since his appearance on M6, the artist has opened a cabaret in Reims, of which he is artistic director. After a first project called Around the guitar, he invites himself in the first part of artists like Bonnie Tyler, Axel Bauer or Patricia Kaas and collaborates with others like Lara Fabian or Olivier Schultess. He finally joined the AICOM (International Academy of Musical Comedy) in Paris, and went on stage in the show Madiba, a tribute to Nelson Mandela, in 2016. Roland Karl also participated in Asian tours of musicals such as Les Miserables or Roméo and Juliet.
Christophe Willem, nicknamed La Tortue throughout his season, won the fourth season of Nouvelle Star. After the release of a single with other candidates from the show, he began his solo career. He then released several titles and albums over the years which were more or less popular and went on tour. On September 29, 2017, he released his album entitled Rio, followed by Panorama, released in 2022. On the television side, Christophe Willem appeared in several shows such as Eurovision in 2018 or The Voice Belgium in 2021.
Finalist against Christophe Willem, Miss Dominique marked the fourth season of Nouvelle Star thanks to her voice and her charisma. Her first album Une femme battante was a real success, but in 2007, her public support for Nicolas Sarkozy during the presidential campaign put a damper on her career. In 2010, she participated in the show La Ferme Celebrities where she revealed that she had lost 70 kilos in two years. Since then, even if she had announced the release of a third album in 2011, she continues to make a living from music but by participating in a few galas and concerts as before her participation in Nouvelle Star.
Cindy Santos distinguished herself during the fourth season of Nouvelle Star, broadcast in 2006. The young woman rose to the semi-finals of the show, won that year by Christophe Willem. After her passage on M6, she finally refuses to sign a contract with a record company and launches out on television, with in particular an appearance in the Heidi series. In 2011, she released her first album, Follow the Tempo and played in the musical Bonnie
It was in 2006 that Bruno Moneroe became known to the general public, by participating in season 4 of Nouvelle Star, on M6, won by Christophe Willem. After his stint on the show, the candidate joined the show Les Anges de la télé-réalité, with the aim of recording a song in the United States. In 2012, he released a first song, then an album, L’amour de ma vie, released in 2018. “La Nouvelle Star has completely transformed my life (…) I have been singing thanks to La Nouvelle Star for twenty years , it’s my only job”, he confided in The great history of tv games, on C8. On social networks, Bruno Moneroe announces the release of a new record in 2023.
Baltard finalist in season 4 of Nouvelle Star in 2006, won by Christophe Willem, Florian Lesca also tried to break into music after his appearance on the M6 show. In 2008, he became a candidate coach for the same tele-hook, but this time on D8. On the music side, Florian Lesca has released several projects, solo or with a group called Sesh. But in recent years, the budding artist has completely disappeared from the radar. Until his reappearance, on the stage of the 20th anniversary program of Nouvelle Star, broadcast on Wednesday February 15, 2023 on M6, during which he found some of his comrades.
Revealed in season 4, alongside Christophe Willem, winner of this year, Beverly Sonego has completely moved away from a musical career. 17 years after her stint on M6, she is now a business manager, at the head of Monogram, a second-hand luxury platform, driven by social networks. “Fashion was another of my passions, so having doubts about my career as an artist I launched into entrepreneurship,” she explains to Gala. On the private side, in the same interview, she explains that she is now “married to the man who already shared [s] his life at the time of Nouvelle Star and mother of four children!”
Among the singers who have managed to take advantage of Nouvelle Star, there is of course Julien Doré. Thanks to his victory, the ukulele singer began a solo career and quickly became one of the most popular French artists. Since his victory in 2007, Julien Doré has had a brilliant career, released five albums (Ersatz in 2008, Bichon in 2011, Løve in 2013,
In 2007, Pierre Darmon joined the fifth season of Nouvelle Star, which was won by Julien Doré. Quickly, the young artist seduced the jury and was noticed by the public, but was eliminated during the eighth bonus of the show, still broadcast on M6. After leaving Nouvelle Star, Pierre Darmon continued his career and joined the cast of the musical show Fa Si La Chanter, on France 3, in 2010. In 2019, he joined the troupe of So we dance, the event show of Chris Marques, on tour. Since then, Pierre Darmon continues in music and performs on stage.
Julie Mazi participated in the fifth season of Nouvelle Star, in 2007, won by a certain Julien Doré. Once her adventure ended on M6, Julie Mazi did not give up on getting into music, landed a contract with Warner and wrote her own songs. Finally, after the Covid-19 pandemic, the artist returned to center stage under a new name, Mazy. In January that year, she unveiled the song Oulala, appearing with her on Destination Eurovision, a program intended to select the next tricolor candidate for European singing concerts. Since then, Mazy continues to persist and publish titles, like Peau, released in 2022.
In 2007, Gaëtane Abrial participated in the fifth season of Nouvelle Star and reached the semi-finals of tele-hook, won that year by Julien Doré. After M6, she released her first album in 2008, Cheyenne Song, produced and composed by André Manoukian. The young woman connects the concerts and ensures the first parts of the humorist Elie Semoun. From 2010, Gaëtane Abrial formed with Guillaume Farré, her companion, the duo The Mellow, renamed Bon Air in 2015 and active until 2020.
A disappointed finalist against Julien Doré in the fifth season of Nouvelle Star in 2007, Tigane Drammeh began a career in music when he left the show. His first album, Hédonisme, was released in 2009. Since then, in relative anonymity, he has continued on this path. “I’m still in the musical field. I do dates for private events, CEs, etc. I plan to release an EP or a few titles this year on the platforms”, he confides to Gala in 2023 for the 20th anniversary of Nouvelle Star.
After her victory at Nouvelle Star in 2008, Amandine Bourgeois released her first album which was rather well received by the public, quickly followed by a second and a tour in France which was quickly canceled due to lack of ticket sales. In 2013, she was chosen to represent France at Eurovision, but only came 23rd out of 26 candidates. His participation still allows him to release a third album entitled Au masculin, but the public will not be there. In September 2016, she participated in the launch of a dating application and took the opportunity to announce that she was working on a fourth album, Omnia, released in 2018. In January 2023, Amandine Bourgeois announced on social networks the birth of his son, Leon.
Unhappy finalist of the sixth season of Nouvelle Star, Benjamin Siksou is still spotted by record companies and directors. Since 2007, he has juggled between a career as an artist, frequently releasing singles, and an acting career. He notably played in Largo Winch with Tomer Sisley and La Vie d’Adèle. The musical film Toi, moi, les autres where he has the leading male role alongside Leila Bekhti allows him to reconcile his two passions. In 2017, he starred in the Heroines mini-series broadcast on Arte and went on tour with his show Au chant du coq. In 2020, he returned to the stage in the musical show Les Souliers rouges, then released, in 2022, his second album Saxophonia. On the private side, Benjamin Siksou made his homosexual coming-out in the podcast of the same name, on Spotify.
He is one of the most outstanding candidates of season 6 of Nouvelle Star: in 2008, Ycare was finally eliminated in the quarter-finals of the show. Since then, he too has continued his career in music, with more success than some of his comrades. He has published five albums and has distinguished himself in several fights, notably for profits from Lebanon in 2020. Ycare also writes for others, such as Amel Bent, Garou, Zaz or Patrick Fiori. In 2022, he publishes the album Millions of years.
Unlucky candidate for the sixth season of Nouvelle Star in 2008, won by Amandine Bourgeois, Thomas Marfisi also tried to break into music after the end of the M6 broadcast. In 2011, he released several singles, including Les filles comme toi. Since then, Thomas Marfisi seems to have disappeared from the musical radar.
In 2008, Cédric O’Heix participated in season 6 of Nouvelle Star, where he finished in third place, close to the final, won by Amandine Bourgeois. After leaving the show, he released his first album, La Horde, in 2012. Since then, Cédric O’Heix has initiated a project called Douglas Douglas with an EP released in 2017 and is part of a group called Outlaw, created in the summer of 2022.
Lucile Luzely was eliminated in the seventh prime of season 6 of Nouvelle Star, in 2008. Since her time on M6, the Lille native has persisted in music with the release of an album, Muette, in 2011, then the creation of a electroacoustic duo baptized Fizz’me up. On social networks, Lucile Luzely regularly posts covers of songs and her performances in various events in the Lille region.
Camélia Jordana was one of the leading candidates for the seventh season of Nouvelle Star and one of the rare artists to have a successful career. Eliminated at the gates of the final, the show allowed him to record at only 16 his first eponymous album Camélia Jordana. While continuing to make music, the former candidate of Nouvelle Star began a career in television and cinema. In 2012, she obtained her first role in The Strategy of the stroller and since then has played roles in French films. On November 22, 2017, she starred with Daniel Auteil in Yvan Attal’s latest film, Le Brio. She then published three albums, Lost in 2018, Facile
During season 7 of Nouvelle Star, he was nicknamed the French Seal. But Dalé was eliminated at the end of the seventh prime, at the gates of the semi-final of the show, won that year by Soan. After tele-hook, he continued in music and performed on small French stages, surrounded by musicians. In 2020, ten years after Nouvelle Star, Dalé released his first EP. Based in Lyon, he also offered live concerts during the Covid-19, for the benefit of the Hôpitaux de France foundation.
Season 8 of Nouvelle Star, won by Luce, will have brought out other young artists, like François Raoult, finalist of the show. In 2012, he released a first single, Au frais des quatre saisons, with Elodie Frégé, then an album, Vent de face. A second disc was released in 2017, but François Raoult’s career did not take off and several deaths of relatives, including his producer Daniele Molko, halted his projects. Since then, he left Paris and became the father of a little Gabrielle, can we read in the columns of Gala. He is now an “entrepreneur in gastronomy and the art of the Japanese table” and has opened “a place of life and sharing in the south of Nantes.”
Revealed in season 8 of Nouvelle Star as François Raoult, Ramon Mirabet continued his momentum and began a musical career when he left the M6 show. After Nouvelle star, Ramon Mirabet played “in the street selling a demo for another three years in Montmartre”, to be able to release a first album, he explains to Gala, released in Spain, his country of origin. If he has not broken through in France, with four albums published, he still hopes to return to France.