Star Académie is a Canadian reality television series that started in 2003, aimed primarily at the Quebec television audience, featuring an array of young women and men under the age of 30 competing for the title of the next solo singing sensation. It is the French-Canadian adaptation of the French television show Star Academy produced by Dutch company Endemol, based on the Spanish format called Operación Triunfo.
There have been seasons in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2012. In June 2019, TVA stated that a reboot for Star Académie was possible. Two months later, the network announced that the reboot is set for early 2021. On September 22, 2020, it was announced that singer Patrice Michaud would take over Julie Snyder as host for the 2021 season. In June 2021, Michaud stated that he would not return as host for the following season. In August 2021, it was announced that singer-songwriter Marc Dupré would replace Michaud as host in 2022.
Description It is aired for two months (February to April) on the TVA network. Hosted by Julie Snyder, the show is a competition to find the best young francophone singer, not only in Quebec, but also in French-speaking regions of Canada, having auditions in Ontario (Eastern Ontario) and New Brunswick (l'Acadie). Then fourteen people (seven of each gender) are chosen to compete in front of the cameras.
It is separated in two simultaneous formats: each day during the week, a show presents moments of the life and training in the common house of the Académiciens and each weekend sees one Gala show where the contenders sing. At each of these Galas, some participants are put on the line and one is chosen to stay by the public and by the judging panel.
It proved to be immensely popular, drawing not only viewership, but genuine affection from the public for the young idealistic contenders. Pride also arises for the regions where the participants are from, like pride was felt by many from the Acadian people when Wilfred Le Bouthillier, from Acadia, was chosen for the competition and later crowned winner of the first, 2003 edition.
It has also proved to be an effective springboard for the singing careers of some of its past participants, like 2003 finalists Wilfred Le Bouthillier, who recorded with the help of renowned Cajun singer Zachary Richard, and Marie-Élaine Thibert, who also released an album and sung for the soundtrack of Léa Pool's movie The Blue Butterfly.
The show was on a 4-year hiatus due to the second pregnancy of the hostess and her busy schedule with Le Banquier, the French-Canadian version of Deal or No Deal.
Origins It is inspired by the French show Star Academy and is similar to the Pop Idol and American Idol phenomena. The name was francized for its Quebec adaptation because of the local importance given to the respect of the French language. However, it does create a grammatically impossible phrase in French. The proper translation would be Académie des stars, although this could be considered less catchy. Francization is typically given even more importance in Quebec French than in France itself (see Office québécois de la langue française).
A relatively small, but notable difference in the show format from its French counterpart is the selection process. Each week, the French version asks the public and judging panel to vote for which one, out of the contenders in danger, should be excluded from the show. The results are announced live, on stage, to the excluded member and the viewers. While this formula was followed in the beginning for Star Académie, it soon was changed because of protests, for the system was seen as cruel treatment to the excluded participant. On one early show, singer Daniel Boucher quit the studio halfway through the show because of this impression. Consequently, the public and judges are now asked to vote for the participant to remain at the Académie. In all seasons, the results are announced live.
Criticism Star Académie drew criticism for the capitalist and vertical integration strategies of producing megacompany Quebecor to publicize the show and make it profitable. For example, each vote from the public costs one dollar, the website is in large part reserved to paying members and the Quebecor company, massive owner of many Quebec media, heavily promoted the show via TVA (its own television network), all of its magazines and newspapers like 7 Jours and Journal de Montréal. The voting method was changed for the 2025 season, where people can vote for free via TVAd website.Astral Media's RockDétente also did a lot of heavy promoting themselves during the 2005 edition, as the official stations of Star Académie. Also were criticized the instant celebrity machine and supposed lack of artistic integrity aspects of the whole enterprise.
Theme songs 2003: Et c'est pas fini by Stéphane Venne 2004: Un nouveau jour va se lever by Jacques Michel 2005: L'étoile d'Amérique by Claude Léveillée 2009: 1000 coeurs debout by Cali 2012: Toi + Moi by Grégoire 2021: Maintenant et partout by Hubert Lenoir and Jérôme 50 2022: Changer le monde by Laurence Nerbonne 2025: Ne partez pas sans moi by Céline Dion
Champions 2003: Wilfred Le Bouthillier from Tracadie–Sheila, New Brunswick 2004: Stéphanie Lapointe from Brossard, Quebec 2005: Marc-André Fortin from Hébertville, Quebec 2009: Maxime Landry from Saint-Gédéon-de-Beauce, Quebec 2012: Jean-Marc Couture from Val-d'Amour, New Brunswick 2021: William Cloutier from Victoriaville, Quebec 2022: Krystel Mongeau from Sherbrooke, Quebec 2025 : Mia Tinayre from Quebec City, Quebec
Académie's principal 2003: Josélito Michaud 2004: Denise Filiatrault 2005: Denis Bouchard (René Simard had retired before the show started) 2009: René Angélil 2012: René Angélil 2021: Lara Fabian 2022: Lara Fabian 2025: Garou
Notable guests Here's all the guest performers in Star Académie.
Bryan Adams Charles Aznavour Beau Dommage Plastic Bertrand Daniel Boucher Isabelle Boulay Jean Charest Céline Dion The Lost Fingers Éric Lapointe Stromae Patricia Kaas Lady Gaga Lara Fabian Samantha Fox Roger Hodgson Bernard Landry Daniel Lavoie Claude Léveillée Marjo Jason Mraz Paul Piché Michel Rivard Natasha St-Pier Kreesha Turner Gino Vannelli Roch Voisine Dennis DeYoung Les Trois Accords Hedley These Kids Wear Crowns Lionel Richie Mika Charlotte Cardin
Discography
Official albums 2003: Star Académie - (5× Platinum) 2004: Star Académie 2004 2004: Star Académie 2004: Meilleurs moments des finalistes aux galas 2005: Star Académie 2005 2009: Star Académie 2009 2012: Star Académie 2012 - (2× Platinum) 2012: Star Académie Noel - (Platinum)
Contestants' albums
First season (2003) 2003: Wilfred Le Bouthillier by Wilfred Le Bouthillier 2004: Marie-Élaine Thibert by Marie-Élaine Thibert 2004: Comment J'feel by Maritza Bossé-Pelchat 2004: Inoxydable by Marie-Mai Bouchard 2004: Ent'chums by Dave Bourgeois, François Babin, Stéphane Mercier 2004: Légendes Urbaines by Émily Bégin 2005: Quand je ferme les yeux by Annie Villeneuve 2005: Sortilège by Élyse Robinault 2006: Poussières by Wilfred Le Bouthillier 2007: Dangereuse Attraction by Marie-Mai Bouchard 2007: Comme ça by Marie-Élaine Thibert 2007: Voila by Stéphane Mercier 2007: Dave Bourgeois by Dave Bourgeois 2007: Emily by Émily Begin 2008: The Open Book by Élyse Robinault 2008: Suzie Villeneuve by Suzie Villeneuve 2009: Droit devant by Wilfred Le Bouthillier 2009: Version 3.0 by Marie-Mai Bouchard 2009: Annie Villeneuve by Annie Villeneuve 2011: Les nuits d'Émily by Émily Bégin 2012: C.O.B.R.A. by Marie-Mai Bouchard 2012: Telle qu'elle by Annie Villeneuve
Second season (2004) 2004: Corneliu Montano by Corneliu Montano 2005: Sur le fil by Stéphanie Lapointe 2005: Tête première by Meggie Lagacé 2005: Marc-André by Marc-André Niquet 2005: Faut que j'te dise by Martin Giroux 2006: On s'en reparlera by Dave Roussy 2006: Je l'ai jamais dit à personne by Étienne Drapeau 2007: C'est pas de ma faute by Jean-Francois Prud'homme 2007: Le coeur qui chante by Corneliu Montano 2008: En cavale by Martin Giroux 2008: Étienne Drapeau by Étienne Drapeau 2009: Maintenant...Femme by Marie-Ève Côté March 10, 2009: Donne-moi quelque chose qui ne finit pas by Stéphanie Lapointe March 23, 2010: La vie ça s'mérite by Martin Giroux September 2010: Paroles et Musique by Étienne Drapeau November 2011: Influences by Corneliu Montano
Third season (2005) 2007: Marc-André Fortin by Marc-André Fortin 2007: Dans mon espace by Bruno Labrie 2007: Je suis qui je suis by Linda Rocheleau 2007: Sur l'autre rive by Annie Blanchard 2008: L'enfant roi by Marc Angers 2008: Ad vitam by Audrey Gagnon 2009: Juste ici by Marc-André Fortin 2010: Marcher vers le nord by Annie Blanchard
Fourth season (2009) 2009: Vox Pop by Maxime Landry May 18, 2010: Un pied à terre by William Deslauriers May 25, 2010: Chacun son chemin by Pascal Chaumont January 2011: Fruits défendus by Brigitte Boisjoli November 2011: L'avenir entre nous by Maxime Landry April 2012: Le goût du bonheur by Émilie Lévesque 2013 "J'suis la" by François Lachance.
Contestants Winners in bold. 2003 François Babin from Rimouski, Bas-Saint-Laurent Jean-François Bastien from Saint-Boniface, Mauricie Émily Bégin from Saint-Jérôme, Laurentides Dave Bourgeois from Baie-Comeau, Côte-Nord Maritza Bossé-Pelchat from Montreal, Montreal Region (born in the Dominican Republic) Marie-Mai Bouchard from Boucherville, Montérégie Wilfred Le Bouthillier from Tracadie–Sheila, New Brunswick Stéphane Mercier from Normétal, Abitibi-Témiscamingue Pascal Nguyen-Deschênes from Charlesbourg, Capitale-Nationale Élyse Robineault from Montréal-Nord, Montreal Region Martin Rouette from Montreal, Montreal Region Marie-Élaine Thibert from LaSalle, Montreal Region Annie Villeneuve from Jonquière, Saguenay Suzie Villeneuve from Jonquière, Saguenay
2004 Véronique Claveau from Rimouski, Bas-Saint-Laurent Marie-Ève Côté from Brossard, Montérégie Étienne Drapeau from Quebec City, Capitale-Nationale Stéphanie Lapointe from Brossard, Montérégie Meggie Lagacé from Saint-Hubert, Montérégie Jannie Lemay from Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi Marie-France Lettre from Gatineau, Outaouais Cornéliu Montano from Montreal, Montreal Region (born in Romania) Marc-André Niquet from Pierreville, Centre-du-Québec Dave Roussy from Port-Daniel, Gaspésie Jason Battah from Joliette, Lanaudière Sandy Duperval-Agnant from Montreal, Montreal Region Jean-François Prud'homme from Saint-Donat, Lanaudière Martin Giroux from Gatineau, Outaouais
2005 David Tremblay, from Jonquière, Quebec Marc Angers, from Boucherville, Quebec Steve Provost, from Saint-Faustin, Quebec Audrey Gagnon, from Jonquière, Quebec Annie Blanchard, from Maisonnette (Caraquet), New Brunswick Jennifer Silencieux, from Montreal, Quebec Francis Greffard, from Rapide-Danseur, Quebec Jenny Hachey (leaves after the first gala, on September 18), from L'Annonciation, Quebec Kaven Haché, from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec Linda Rocheleau, from Saint-Bruno-de-Guigues, Quebec Stéphanie Bédard, from Drummondville, Quebec Marc-André Fortin, from Hébertville, Québec Valérie Boivin, from Montreal, Quebec Bruno Labrie, from Châteauguay, Quebec
2009 Karine Labelle, Huberdeau, Laurentides Joanie Goyette, Saint-Tite, Mauricie Brigitte Boisjoli, Drummondville, Centre-du-Québec Carolanne D'Astous-Paquet, Sayabec, Bas-Saint-Laurent Sophie Vaillancourt, Laval, Laval Vanessa Duchel, Prévost, Laurentides Émilie Lévesque, Saint-Malo, Estrie Rich Ly, Montreal, Montreal Pascal Chaumont, La Conception, Laurentides Jean-Philippe Audet, Quebec City, Capitale-Nationale Olivier Beaulieu, Drummondville, Centre-du-Québec Maxime Landry, Saint-Gédéon-de-Beauce, Chaudière-Appalaches William Deslauriers, Plessisville, Centre-du-Québec Maxime Proulx, Plaisance, Outaouais
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