Whether you like it or not, Émile Bilodeau will host the big National Day show on the Plains of Abraham on June 23, and he promises a celebration of the Quebec he dreams of where everyone is welcome, “including people of the black community and the Innu community of the North Shore”, and sing together in harmony.
• Read also: National Day 2023: Quebec icons of our artists
• Read also: National Day 2023 artists remember
• Read also: National Day of Quebec: which artists are featured with you?
A modern Quebec that does not want to lower its flag? This is what the generation of Émile Bilodeau wants, claims the independentist singer-songwriter who also bears the label of committed artist, he who openly militates for Québec solidaire.
“You shouldn’t be afraid to make room for people you see less,” insists the 26-year-old young man, in an interview with The newspaper.
The presence in his show of Quebec rap pioneers like Muzion and First Nations artists like Kanen and Maten, alongside Laurence Jalbert, Louis-Jean Cormier and Patrick Norman, testifies to his vision of a Quebec that is up to date. , inclusive and diverse.
“For me, the Saint-Jean are different from one to another, but there are clichés, and there, now, my generation, we are trying to shed light on a more modern Quebec.”
“To have Muzion who will sing ‘verses’ on The prison of Bordeaux, I find it powerful, rejoices Émile Bilodeau. It represents my vision of modern Quebec. If we are to try to have a better destiny and if we want to take ourselves in hand, we must consider these communities who want to take their place. That’s why I think my show is a modern Saint-Jean.”
Photo QMI Agency, Joël Lemay
A presence that divides
The decision of the National Movement of Quebecers (MNQ) to entrust the reins of the evening to Émile Bilodeau did not suit everyone.
At stake? His fierce opposition to Law 21, which he had clearly displayed in full spectacle of the National Day, in 2020, and which earned him a rebuff from Prime Minister François Legault, in 2021.
The Mouvement laïque québécois even wrote to the MNQ, ten days ago, to express its disagreement, believing that the singer is not unifying enough.
Émile Bilodeau assures that these angry reactions did not surprise him.
“People have emotions related to laws, to social issues. It’s normal that sometimes things get out of hand. Me, I continue to do what I love with the people I love. I find it cool because I feel supported. The people who agreed to do this show, it’s because they know they’re not dealing with a crackheadhe says, smiling.
He himself admits having already gone too far when he accused the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, of being a whiner after the 2022 election.
“I shouldn’t have, estie. I feel guilty. I wouldn’t start doing what people do with me, calling me names. I was happy because I was booked a nice interview on TVA, I was able to apologize. Well, I regretted that. Calling people names when I suffered and I know it’s not fun, it was counterproductive. It was so not high the political debate.
accept disagreement
Even if far fewer artists take a position on socio-political issues than in the 1970s, Émile Bilodeau assures us that he does not feel alone at the front since the simple fact of singing in French constitutes, in his eyes, “a political gesture.
Nevertheless, he does not hide his convictions, at the risk of being criticized, sometimes with virulence.
“I think we are not immune to disagreement. You have to accept it, ”submits the one who says he is unable to keep quiet.
“I can not help it. One of my dreams when I was young was to be a politician, to have platforms and to live my society. I gave writing workshops in Montreal North in an elementary school. I have seen women who wore the veil. I can promise you they weren’t doing any promotion for any god.”
Present during the interview with The newspaperhis partner in the creation of the show, the artist from Quebec Simon Kearney, describes him as “courageous”.
“Sometimes, he admits, I think about making a political message, let’s put on the Francos tonight [il était en concert le jour de l’entrevue]. Every time it scares me. You get into it and it’s so natural.”
“You put your finger on it, it’s natural. I can’t complain, I like doing that, ”replies Émile Bilodeau.
- Listen to the interview with Frédéric Lapointe, president of the Mouvement national des Québécoises et Québécois on Sophie Durocher’s show via QUB-radio :
The right dosage
Those who do not want him to lecture on June 23, on the Plains of Abraham, will therefore be disappointed.
In his show, there will be songs that have marked Quebec, but also positions.
In a recent daily report The dutyÉmile Bilodeau promised not to talk about Bill 21, but said he wants to point the finger at the owner of the Horne Foundry, in Rouyn-Noranda, which feeds the headlines because of the high arsenic levels it releases into the air.
“It has to be well dosed,” insists Émile Bilodeau, about the positions taken in a show like that of Saint-Jean.
For him, it is unthinkable to live in a society where the role of an artist would be to sing, then shut up.
“Artists must continue to share their vision of sharing, curiosity, living together, social peace. Artists have a human vision of society, if we are to censor them, we have just lost a beautiful point of view. It seems to me that Bob Marley, Félix Leclerc, La Bolduc, these are all people who arrived with messages, who defended ideas, it would have been boring if they had been asked to shut their eyes when they were at the top of their career.”
The great shows of the National Day
FRIDAY JUNE 23
Quebec, Plains of Abraham
- 7 p.m.: Vulgar Things
- 9 p.m.: Émile Bilodeau, Louis-Jean Cormier, Patrick Norman, Laurence Jalbert, Muzion, Kanen, Maten, Pierre Kwenders, Simon Kearney, Marilyne Léonard and Vulgaires Machins
- Musical direction: Antoine Gratton
- Patriotic Speech: Leane Labreche-Dor
- TV delayed on Télé-Québec at 9:30 p.m. and rebroadcast on June 25, at 8:30 p.m.
- Radio delayed at 9:30 p.m. on Rouge FM and iHeart Radio
SATURDAY JUNE 24
Montreal, Maisonneuve Park
- 8 p.m.: FouKi, Garou, Isabelle Boulay, Jay Jay, Justin Boulet, Lydia Képinski, Marjo, Mélissa Bédard, Scott Pien-Picard, P’tit Belliveau, Souldia
- Animation : Pierre-Yves Lord
- 10:30 p.m.: DJ PY Lord followed by Qualité Motel
- TV delayed at 8:30 p.m. on TVA and Radio-Canada Ici-Télé
- Radio simultaneously on Cogeco Media music stations