Preparations
The set ofLive from the universe is made up of six singers and five musicians who can be seen every week on the show hosted by France Beaudoin. Tight with their TV schedules, they managed to organize a little tour of about ten dates, which takes them to various cities around Montreal.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Jason McNally, who has just arrived, chats with his colleagues in the boxes.
“When we planned this last year, we were still in a pandemic, and we didn’t know if it would work! We hope we can roll it for several years,” explains chorister Roxane Filion, who acts as artistic director of the project.
But in reality, everyone is doing their part. We learned that from an incredible captain, France, a producer and host who brings people together. We come from that school, it couldn’t have been otherwise.
Roxane Filion
If there is one word to describe the troop, they all repeat, it is the word “family”. “It’s the family we chose,” says Roxane Filion.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Virginia Cummins has been with the show since its inception 14 years ago, and the other five backing vocalists have been there for 10 years.
“We are all different, but everyone adds something and loves the voice of the other, underlines Virginie Cummins. When we’re all together, it’s magic. For the album, and for this series of shows, everyone really got their hands dirty. Everyone has a strong point besides singing. »
The sound test
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PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Monday’s show was only the third in the series, so the sound check is a prime time to make lots of little tweaks. The atmosphere remains light, but focused: after a first medley, while the musicians work on other aspects of the show, the six choristers spend very long minutes refining a single harmony – and chatting a bit about everything and nothing. .
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PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
“We have so much attention to detail, we are cheeky, says Virginie Cummins. We do that all the time, find the best formula, the best possible recipe for a song to reach its peak. »
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PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Jason McNally signs the majority of the vocal arrangements, but the six singers know each other so well that things fall into place almost naturally. “This blend between our voices, it gives a color to this program. After 10 years, it can’t be invented. My gift is to always go further in the work of harmonies, to challenge myself. »
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Before the show
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The singers meet in a dressing room to (still) perfect bits of song. Here, Jason McNally, Émilie Janvier and Roxane Filion.
After the sound test, some young parents are going to make a little FaceTime with their children. It’s supper time, the pizza has just arrived, people are scattering everywhere to eat. “We already know where we’re going to eat in each city,” says musical director Jean-Benoit Lasanté. That’s the idea of doing this Christmas show together. We are family, that says it all. Everyone wants to be there. »
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PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
It’s dinner time, Caroline Côté greets the children of Valérie Boulianne.
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PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Musical director Jean-Benoit Lasanté chats with bassist Peter Kisilenko. “The five musicians of the band, we have been working together for 12 years. Our great strength, I would say, is listening. »
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As the singers begin to put on their stage clothes, Jason McNally is ironing his shirt. “I like doing that, it calms me down. The night of the premiere at L’Assomption, he says, everyone was pretty stressed.
We are not at home, on the set, we come to people. The circumstances are different. But we’re family and it’s just the big party. And if there is anything, we will help each other! We are here to help and love each other.
Jason McNally
“Each member of the group takes care of the others. This is what makes our strength, ”also believes Roxane Filion.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Roxane Filion, Virginie Cummins, Jason McNally and Caroline Côté just before going on stage
Monday night was the first time the troupe gave the show without a teleprompter: with 66 songs on the clock – sung in whole or in part, including a trad medley of no less than 22 tracks! – is a lot, a lot of text to learn.
“But we trust each other so much,” says Roxane Filion. It is our mandate on Live from the universe, to be everyone’s safety net. So if one of us steps into the void, we’ll pick it up. »
The show
“I think that if people love us, it’s because through TV, we were able to show that we were 100% authentic, believes Jason McNally. It’s indescribable, this complicity. »
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The six singers are always on the stage, even during the solos of the others.
“We are here for the singers, explains musical director Jean-Benoit Lasanté. We’re part of the team, but it’s their show. All the same, the presentation of the musicians is done from the start of the show: it’s clear, team spirit reigns.
Jean-Benoit Lasanté is amazed by the talent of the singers, perhaps even more than on the show. “Because I hear them individually. I discovered the soloists of the choristers. »
This is what is striking, in fact, the beauty and accuracy of the voices of these shadow artists, whom we also get to know over the course of the performance. This friendly aspect – there are many knowing glances and smiles – and unpretentiousness is one of the charms of the show, as is the choice of songs. We are not here in an exclusively Christmas repertoire, but more in an atmosphere, in themes and musical styles.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The choristers in action
“We just picked songs we like,” says Jason McNally. It’s more personalized than what we usually do,” notes Jean-Benoit Lasanté. And we think of everyone: as much people who want to celebrate and have a drink as those who Christmas makes sadder or melancholy.
“We stick to the values of the holiday season,” emphasizes Roxane Filion. But it’s refreshing to talk about something other than the little red-nosed reindeer. And to see six people give each other so much love and sow happiness around them.