Stéphanie Lapointe
Stephanie Lapointe (born on March 26, 1984 in Brossard, Quebec) is a Quebec singer, song writer and television and movie actress. She is best known as the winner of the second season of Star Académie, the Quebec version of Fame Academy.
Musical and actor development
Lapointe discovered and developed her interest in music as a young kid. It was in 1992, at the age of 8, when she had her first piano courses at her elementary school in Brossard (formerly Longueuil) a southern suburb of Montreal. In 1996, just after she finished primary school, she traveled to France during a school extracurricular and educational activity. It was there she made her debut in theatrical plays. Her trip to France became the moment she discovered interest in the world of acting.
In 2001, at age 17, Lapointe became a member of a group which performed musical comedies. She then played in various other plays including a French remake of (Beauty and the Beast) as well as other French plays such as Aida, and Once on This Island. While in France, she also followed several dance courses. At the same time, she also gradually developed her skills in music and theatrical acting. The lessons later proved important for her future roles in Quebec television reality shows and movies since 2005.
While, preparing her acting skills, Lapointe went to Collège Édouard-Montpetit in humanity sciences.[1]
Star Academie experience
In 2003, TVA's newest reality show Star Académie, which is a remake of France's Star Academy debuted. Lapointe, while been in France, never auditionned for the French edition before returning to Quebec. She first auditioned for Star Académie in 2003 but had a greater success the following year, on the series second season, when she impressed the three judges. During the performances as a top-ten finalist, she delivered several impressive performances while being full of emotion and sensibility. Despite her timidity and calmness, she was known by the public for being very energetic and performed rock hits such as Green Day's American Idiot. During the season, she faced elimination only once in March 2004 but was saved by the public. While being in danger of being sent off, she considered abandoning everything. After being saved by the public, she gained more confidence during the remainder of the gala. At the end, she won the 2004 crown by defeating Marc-André Niquet. She is currently the only female winner during the reality show's three-season history.
Debut album
After her province-wide tour with the 2004 Star Académie finalists, in which she acquired more confidence and self-esteem, she immediately started recording her first album Sur le fil, produced by Francis Collard. The album was launched and debuted on August 30, 2005 at the Vidéotron headquarters in Montréal. The event was held in front of several personalities including Star Académie and Le Banquier host Julie Snyder and one of the competition's judges and La Presse editor Stéphane Laporte. The album itself is composed of many ballads and love songs. Her first two hits : Nous sommes and La mer performed very well on the French charts with the first one hitting the top spot on the Rock Détente Top 20 Countdown. A third hit Je sais déjà played on French radio stations and TV station Musique Plus in December 2006.
Her hits L'infidèle (previously performed by Claude Dubois and Si fragile (previously performed by Luc de la Rochelière) from the Star Académie 2004 album also aired on French radio stations across Quebec prior to her debut album. The Star Académie 2 album was certified double platinum within two days after its release date.
Singers Catherine Durand, Projet Orange frontman Jean-Christophe Boies and Sylvie Paquette as well as writers Dave Richard and Martine Coupal participated in the composition of Sur le fil. Lapointe wrote portions of the final two songs : Love You and Interlude along with Dave Richard. As of November 2006, 30 000 copies of the album were sold across Quebec and was at one point in September 2005, the francophone album with the most copies sold province-wide. In 2006, she also participated in the debut album of writer and journalist Tristan Malavoy as she provided background vocals in one of Malavoy's song.
The videoclip of La Mer was directed by video and scene director Dominique Laurence who also directed clips for songs by Ariane Moffatt, Jean-François Breau former Star Académie season 2 finalist Martin Giroux and Season 1 winner Wilfred Le Bouthillier.
In an interview with the Journal de Montreal's Pascale Lévesque, Lapointe stated that she is planning a second album with an unknown recording and release date. Lapointe also considered remaking some of the songs of Sur le fil in a different version.
[edit]Awards and nominations
Due to the success generated by the album, she was nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2006 at the ADISQ music gala and was a Juno nominee for Francophone Album of the Year.
At the 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards, she won the award for Best Francophone Video for her song la Mer
Performances
Lapointe started to performed various shows as guest artist across the province in 2004 including concerts with Quebec singer Isabelle Boulay as well as on Quebec television shows. She also performed at the Saint-Jean Chrysostome Hot Air Balloon Festival and another, entitled Show de filles, at the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival in September 2006 which also featured Marjo and fellow Star Académie contestants Emily Bégin and Annie Villeneuve from the first season. Heavy rain due to the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto affected the turnout at the show which was estimated at 15 000 spectators.[10] She also made a province-wide tour in 2006 and 2007 called Sur le fil which debuted in Montreal's le Gésu. Most of the critics have praised her softness and her charming voice.
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