At 79 years old, Shirley Théroux decided to perform one of her favorite songs, accompanying herself on the piano, to create a video recording that she will publish on YouTube. In doing so, she proves that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true!
As she approaches her 80th birthday, the singer hasn’t lost her appetite for life. “This summer I injured my back lifting something that was too heavy for me. I had to resort to treatments and above all reduce my activities. Since I could no longer take my daily walks, I had time to get my priorities in order. I realized that my life is still about singing: it’s visceral. Since the music industry offers fewer and fewer possibilities to make an album or a song profitable — unless I do shows, which I no longer do — I decided to pay for a video recording and go where artists my age don’t usually go,” she says with amusement and determination.
Loyal collaborators
In order to achieve this new objective, the energetic singer called on her network of colleagues and friends in the profession. She first contacted a former cameraman from the show Y’a plein de soleil, Michel Lauzon, who has since founded his production company. Then, she called Normand L’Écuyer, the director of the Beloeil Cultural Center, where she presented her farewell show to the stage in September 2023. “Her father, Gilles L’Écuyer, was my first producer. It was he who produced the record C’est beau un homme. I told him I needed his stage and a grand piano. He told me yes straight away! The second cameraman during the filming of the music video, Marc Warden, is none other than the son of the late great Canadian fashion designer John Warden. He was the favorite of all the stars of the time, including Dominique Michel, Denise Filiatrault and me. Plus, I looked after Marc when he was little! (laughs)”
In complete freedom
Shirley Théroux specifies that this video clip was created first and foremost to respond to the wishes of people who constantly made the same comment to her when they encountered her. “They tell me, especially on Facebook: “We miss you. We don’t hear you singing anymore.” Obviously, my songs are no longer played on the radio, and I no longer do shows. I decided to get around this obstacle by using today’s means of distribution. All over the planet, thanks to YouTube, people will be able to see me, at my age, singing with strength and vulnerability. My voice has never sounded better. My notes, from the lowest to the highest, are magnificent. And I still have a lot of breath. As I get older, I no longer fear my emotions. I no longer feel embarrassed or held back. I don’t care about being judged. It’s freedom.”
It is true that Shirley Théroux has always embraced her age and claimed the right to be an autonomous artist and a free woman. “Almost 40 years ago, I released the song We don’t die at 40, the refrain of which says: ‘I’m not afraid of my age, twice 20 years old, I found the courage to beginners.” At 79 years old, I still have the courage of a beginner, even if, during this shoot, I felt butterflies and I was on edge. It must be said that it was a first in my career. Until that day, I had never accompanied myself on the piano while singing in public.”
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The music video for the song Here’s to Life was published on YouTube in November.
