A confirmation and two surprises characterize the prize list at the end of the semi-finals of this 26and Francouvertes edition. At the top of the preliminary ranking, the soul-jazz singer-songwriter Rau Ze and her musicians consolidate their position, while the singer Émile Bourgault and the exploratory rock group Hôte have improved theirs and managed to sneak up to final of the showcase competition to be held at Club Soda on May 16.
For the others, the experience will at least have been beneficial. The recent history of the Francouvertes is punctuated by brilliant competitors who took the lead there without reaching the final. Ten years ago, Antoine Corriveau’s career ended in the semi-finals. Jay Scøtt was from the 2018 cohort. Mélanie Venditti and Juste Robert from the previous one. In 2020, it was dope.gng and Kanen, then Douance and Super Plage the following year. Voices that have not been silenced and that still furnish our songwriter imagination today.
So it will be, we are convinced, of Michaëlle Richer, who came in good second at the end of the preliminary cycle. The author, composer, guitarist and performer (who is accompanied by a drummer and two keyboardists) even offered last Tuesday evening a performance superior to that which she had presented during the preliminaries. Less nervous (which she immediately admitted), more assured, even if she has this type of voice letting filter the insecurity that sometimes emerges from her texts. A repertoire still to be refined, but which interferes durably between our two ears.
The disappointment must have been just as strong with Xela Edna & Eius Echo, whose danceable pop propelled by house rhythms had the merit of distinguishing them from their competitors. Again Wednesday evening, the duo gave the taste of the party, and in his case, the Francouvertes will have been only one more step in his progress. For country singer-songwriter Dan-Georges Mckenzie, each of his performances at the Francouvertes was a small victory in itself; the one he and his musicians gave him last Monday was just as warm as the previous one. The Innu musician was one of the great revelations of this edition of the competition; let’s hope that the showcase will open the doors to festivals this summer, starting of course with the many gatherings devoted to country music.
Other promising promises
Arriving in fifth position at the end of the preliminary cycle, Charlotte Brousseau, our favourite, offered the most mastered performance of the competition. Song in fine lace, a poetic folk, superbly orchestrated and vaguely prog, the soothing voice of Brousseau touching on serious themes (suicide, in particular) and bucolic (geese, the river, wide open spaces). She won few of the many prizes awarded at the end of the evening before the unveiling of the winners leading to the final, but these were significant: an invitation to perform at the POP Montreal festival, another at the Festival de la chanson de Tadoussac. Long live the sequel!
As long as these prizes serve as an indication for the rest of the competition, it should be noted that Rau Ze (a project by singer-songwriter Rose Perron) won the lion’s share, almost a third of the some thirty prizes awarded on Wednesday late in evening, including the promise of a paid performance on the bill for the Francos de Montréal. By leaving a little more space for the trumpet and the saxophone in the interpretation of his songs during his performance in the semi-finals, Perron better underlined the jazz argument of his approach, an asset. On the other hand, the confidence of the young Émile Bourgault, who arrived 4and to the previous winners, and a more skilful performance by Host (in 6and place at the last count) mean that this final of May 16 is not yet played. It’s a date.