Wilfred LeBouthillier was 25 years old when he emerged the big winner of Star Academy. The singer, now 46 years old, put his solo career on hold over the last three years to give his all to the project Les Gars du Nord (his traditional music group with Danny Boudreau, Maxime McGraw, Nicolas Basque, Mike Bourgeois, Danny Bourgeois and Jean-Frédéric Lizotte). Between his return trips between Tracadie, New Brunswick, and Terrebonne, the artist will find time to participate in the show Zenith this winter and plans to release an album from the group in March.
The most beautiful memory of your time at Star Academy?
“It’s so hard to choose just one. It’s been 22 years this year. If I have to choose, I would say the specific memory just before going on stage, when we were the whole gang after three days of rehearsal. There was a small staircase of five or six steps to go up to get on stage. It became very symbolic, these five, six steps to climb before being part of this adventure, to live my dream.
What did each teacher give you?
“There was Linda Malo in singing, dancing with Geneviève Dorion-Coupal, Bruny Surin in physical activity, Josélito Michaud as director of the Academy and Denise Filiatrault in theater. I would say that Josélito always had good advice, he had good instincts and he made us very aware of the present moment. Some are part of moments that I still reconnect with today.”
The most valuable advice you received from teachers?
“More from Josélito Michaud, who said: “No matter the work or the interpretation, once you arrive on stage, just be yourself and you will be fine.” It’s true, it’s no good being anyone but yourself.”
-What do you have left of Star Academy NOW?
“The love of the public. If I’m lucky enough to still be remembered and my name, 22 years later, it’s thanks to that. That was my trigger, which was quite intense. I feel lucky, moreover because the first edition is remembered a lot. It had a big impact on people because it was new.”
What advice(s) would you give to the participants of the 2025 edition?
“Just trusting yourself. To listen to your little voice inside. You have to know how to listen to it. At the Academy, you open your ears wide and you take what is good for you, then you adapt it to your personality.
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