The musical succession arrives in The Voice Kids. This Tuesday, July 4, 2023 starts the ninth season of telecrochet for children, hosted by Nikos Aliagas and Karine Ferri on TF1. For this new edition, still produced by ITV Studios France, around sixty candidates (aged 6 to 15) had the privilege of auditioning blindly in front of a new quartet of coaches.
After last season, Julien Doré and Louane gave up their chair to Slimane (winner of season 5 of The Voice) and Nolwenn Leroy (mystery coach of season 11). The two famous artists take part in the adventure with Kendji Girac (arrived in 2020) and the owner Patrick Fiori (quadruple reigning champion). During a press conference which Planet attended last June at TF1, in Boulogne-Billancourt, they shared their impressions and memories of the promotion of 2023.
The only female face of The Voice Kids, Nolwenn Leroy has already had the chance to experience the role of coach for adults. “I was lucky enough to be a mystery coach last year, to be able to join the The Voice family,” she confides to the press. However, the forties has long declined the invitation of the production. “I did not feel ready for this responsibility…”.
The new coach obviously speaks knowingly. Remember, it was in 2002. “I had experienced it when I was younger,” recalls the second winner of Star Academy. “I was also revealed by a telecrochet”. Today, the artist, proud of her Breton roots, assures that “the circle is complete” and feels legitimate to assume this role. “When I do things and embark on an adventure, I put my heart into it.”
In the fall of 2022, Nolwenn Leroy was established as a coach with Slimane, Patrick Fiori and Kendji Girac for the filming of season 9. “We experienced it so intensely”, evokes the artist and actress. “As far as I’m concerned, I broke a lot of locks. During the filming of The Voice, I learned a lot about myself thanks to the talents and my comrades”.
For the singer and mother of a boy, soon to be six years old, the contest The Voice Kids is a key step for young talents. “It’s a moment when everything can change, when there are these vocations and to witness that”. It is also an opportunity for Nolwenn Leroy to have “the possibility of giving them tools to be able to continue to train and learn in this profession of artist or even in another profession”.
By taking on the role of coach tonight, Nolwenn Leroy attended moving auditions. “Faced with children, we are disarmed. It’s something very powerful”, admits the interpreter of the hits Broken and Brazil, Finistère. As evidenced by his crush on a talent who took over the song Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, of which the 40-year-old Frenchwoman is a fan.
“When you tackle a song by Kate Bush, it’s because you know how to sing it,” she considers in front of the press. “Finally, I want to say that there is no doubt from the first note, I knew it was going to be good afterwards, it is impossible otherwise”. But, the competition promises to be epic and the new coach will have to build a solid team to hope to win one of her prodigies.
