Every Saturday evening, for 12 years, viewers ofLive from the universe hear him singing in their living room. And yet, Virginia Cummins remains a mystery. “I don’t need the spotlight,” she explains.
In an interview, the chorister tells her story without a filter. We discover an informed music lover, still attached to CDs, who has a collection of 60,000 songs. A collection she’s been building since the days when every $ 20 she earned babysitting was a visit to the HMV.
For Virginie Cummins, music is not just a passion; it’s his whole life. To become a singer, she spared no effort. Singing lessons, classical piano lessons, competitions, shows, college diploma in jazz singing, baccalaureate… She ticked all the boxes.
I put all my eggs in one basket. For me, the path has always been quite straight and clear.
Virginie cummins
Although she left nothing to chance to achieve her goal, Virginie Cummins feels lucky to have succeeded.
“People who want my job, there are plenty … and there are plenty who would be as good as me to do it,” says the 42-year-old interpreter, humbly. It’s not just the talent that counts; you have to have a good attitude, know the right people, be in the right place at the right time… ”
Scott Price Connection
It is thanks to Scott Price, musical director of Celine Dion, that Virginie Cummins appears in the credits ofLive from the universe since its arrival on the air. When Attraction Images recruited the famous pianist to head the show in 2009, he made sure she got hired.
Virginie Cummins had met Price a few years earlier, at her home in the West Island of Montreal, when she was trying to record an album.
“He got down to the piano and I sang a couple of lines, then he stopped and said, ‘Who are you?’ [Qui es-tu ?] I replied that I had done a lot of restaurants, a lot of bars, that I had gone to sing abroad for a few years and that today, I was trying to make my place in Quebec. ”
He offered me to be a chorister at the Artis gala and I fell in love! It was so much that I wanted to do! Much more than a career as a soloist. For me, it was a turning point.
Virginie cummins
It is also to found a family that Virginie Cummins chose to pursue a career as a chorister. Mission accomplished: today she is the mother of a little boy and a little girl.
“I have always wanted to have children. Being a soloist complicated business. The tours, the nomadic life… It wasn’t for me. ”
“True savior”
Virginie Cummins also qualifies Live from the universe turning point. For more than a decade, she has rubbed shoulders with artists she admires, such as Fred Pellerin, Daniel Lavoie, Richard Séguin, Patrick Norman and Luce Dufault. And the more the seasons go by, the more confident it is.
“At first, I was more shy. And yet, I was no less competent. I had a lot of luggage, I had the same drive, but I was more reserved. “
Virginie Cummins has “an unusual musical instinct”, indicates France Beaudoin. Joined by phone, the host and associate producer ofLive from the universe qualifies the chorister of “true savior”. Since she knows the program of each show by heart, she discreetly takes over as soon as an artist or someone close to the guest forgets the lyrics or gets lost.
“When you have Virginie next door, you could be wrong,” says France Beaudoin.
She can sing anything. Her voice goes down so low. She can even overtake guys. It magnifies every performance. Without it, we don’t have the same show.
France Beaudoin
The host also salutes his human qualities. “She is infinitely generous and treats everyone equally. His greatest happiness is really putting others in the spotlight. ”
An open door
Live from the universe obviously increased the notoriety of Virginie Cummins. In recent years, her services have been retained in particular for her to sing the universe of followers of the show who wish to celebrate a birthday in style.
When Monsieur and Madame Tout-le-Monde meet her in public, a question arises almost automatically: and the solo album, when is it due?
Before, she answered “never”. In 2021, the cards are confused.
“I opened the door,” she reveals. Before, if someone had criticized me, I would have cried. I would have collapsed. Today, I am less stressed. I know what I’m worth. I know my weaknesses. I know my strengths. I would be much less afraid. ”
PHOTO CHLOÉ MCNEIL, PROVIDED BY THE PRODUCTION
Part of the team of choristers and musicians ofLive from the universe behind the album Christmas like in the old days
Christmas album
For now, Virginie Cummins appears on Christmas like in the old days, a collective disc that she has just launched with all the choristers and musicians ofLive from the universe. Directed by Jean-Benoit Lasanté, the opus with jazz and folk accents offers nine tracks with a fresh smell of fir, such as Marie-Noel, The snow trail / I’m coming home and Merry Christmas.
Concerts are scheduled for December 2022 in a few cities in Quebec.
“We’re a great gang. We laugh a lot together. We’ve been talking about recording a Christmas album for years. I’m really glad we finally did. ”
ICI Télé presents Live from the universe Saturdays at 7 p.m.
The album Christmas like in the old days musicians and singers fromLive from the universe is on sale.
In his universe
Which artists make up the musical universe of Virginie Cummins?
- James taylor
- John mayer
- Daniel Belanger
- Joni mitchell
- Marie-Pierre Arthur
- Ariane Moffatt
- Chris Stapleton
- Brad Paisley