Nominated twice — in the categories “French-speaking Revelation of the Year” and “Belgian Revelation of the Year” — Héléna Bailly, former Star Academy candidate, has continued to seduce. With her first single Aimée for real and the hit Summer Body, she quickly established herself as a rising pop star. It was therefore quite natural that she received, at the end of the interview, the first NMA of the evening in the Belgian category.
Héléna Bailly opens up: “I will never denigrate the Star Academy but I prefer that we say Héléna Bailly”
Still overcome with emotion, she shared her first impressions at the DH microphone: “I’m really happy! I admit that I had a lot of expectations with this nomination, but I didn’t expect to be so moved. It hit me like that, and I said to myself: ‘ Wow, actually, that’s crazy.’ It’s a very rapid consecration.”
If, for the public and fans, this victory seemed inevitable, Héléna remained cautious until the end, allowing a little superstition to emerge. Indeed, “They told me: ‘No, but you’ll definitely get it.’ And I said: ‘Don’t jinx me, you never know!’” she confides with a smile.
A career that extends beyond borders
Héléna Bailly has nothing to be ashamed of her career. She also participated in the Before, an exclusive mini-concert organized last Thursday for a restricted circle of privileged people, alongside Louane, Kendji, Amir and Pierre Garnier. This unique moment only strengthened his popularity with the French-speaking public, confirming his place in the hearts of fans.
A success that she savors with humility. “I think this is the goal of every Belgian artist,” she confides. “I discussed it a lot with other artists: crossing borders is sometimes a real challenge for a Belgian artist.” She explains that her career allowed her to make herself known simultaneously in Belgium and France, a rare privilege. “I took the opposite route thanks to the Star Academy, which took place in France, and that allowed me to make myself known on both sides.”
“The Queen of Belgium, that’s her”: Helena from Star Academy captivated the crowd on July 21
With this recognition, she is today seen as a Franco-Belgian figure by her French fans, which never fails to make her smile. Recently installed in Brussels, she does not plan to leave Belgium anytime soon (“I’ve really settled in Belgium. I’m not moving,” she jokes). She also noticed that her Belgian accent has gradually faded over time: “Before, my accent immediately betrayed my origins. Now, as I spend more time in France than in Belgium, people are surprised to learn that I am Belgian. They say to me: ‘Oh well, you’re Belgian, but don’t you have an accent?'” She concludes with humor: “That’s why I’m nice.”
Will Héléna win a second NMA during the evening? Answer within a few minutes!
