EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MELANIE RENAUD

Flashmag is in the land of the maple, to meet an artist, a musician steeped in talent. Melanie Renaud is our special guest this month. In what follows, she gave an interview, in which she makes us rediscover her amazing, bewitching personality. The beautiful Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris did not steal her charms. Her sincerity and sympathy are just an added bonus. Flashmag:Hello Melanie is a real pleasure for us to have you as a guest star this month; the time of this interview our tribune is yours. At first we want to know a little about your background?

Melanie Renaud: As far back that I remember in my childhood, I was toying on the piano of my grandmother ... what can justify, today I finally started to learn the piano recently. As a teenager, with student’s shows, I have discovered, and this by the reaction of people, that perhaps, I had something interesting to offer. My voice ... At that time, I was making telegrams sung, and luck smiled at me when I met the manager of a group of rappers I Became their chorister. Word of mouth, I was picked as a backing vocalist on a song by Eric Lapointe, Mon ange (My angel) ...what led me to follow him on tour a little bit more, and later his manager gave me a record deal, I accepted ... and the rest followed. Flashmag: very early, you will adopt the art of music why and how, you decided to have a career in this domain? What is the genesis of your arrival in the art world? Melanie Renaud: I’ve chose the art of music because it is the language of the soul, a vehicle from which a multitude of emotions come through , it is also a body language which one has a freedom of expression in song interpretation. By dint of singing, we develop a physical necessity to do so. Music is a science in itself but a language ... to learn it, and understand it allows us to better express ourselves when composing, to better communicate with the musicians and get carried away with it. I decided to have a career at 16, the day I found myself for the first time, surrounded by professional musicians at a rehearsal; a singing contest where I had reached the finals but I did not won. At that time, I wanted to do my job.

Flashmag: what are the different musical styles and artists, that you feel have influenced your style and your career?

Melanie Renaud: I must admit that Celine Dion is the singer who influenced me the most. Due to her simplicity, and the fact that she has kept a good mental health in a world where sometimes ego trumps everything around it ... for her dedication, by the greatness of her career and mastery of her voice. Ginette Reno always impresses me on stage and in interview ... what frankness, honesty when she delivers performances or when she talk in an interview ... it's ridiculous and crazy I love it! Whitney Houston, the scarcity of her talent and her beauty has always fascinated me... Edith Piaf, Leo Ferre, Barbara, Maria Callas are artists; I have visited their universe ... biographies, music, and they comfort me ... Beyonce, Usher, Chris Brown are artists that I love. I love RnB and Hip Hop they have mastered it very well. The choreography all this combined ranks them in the major league. Flashmag: what do you think is the turning point in your career; the catalyst that has brought you to the heights of the music scene?

Melanie Renaud: The third radio single from the album Ma liberte (My freedom) first released in 2002 ... “Je m’en veux” (I feel guilty). This song has touched many of Quebecois and that kind of hit occurs once in decades ... So it allowed me to perform in different regions of Quebec, to make festivals, and TV shows. This is the song that made me a popular artist.

Flashmag: you were 19 , when this first album was released " Ma liberte" (My freedom) a revealing title, for after you will start flying with your own wings many years later what do you think about the warm welcome received by this album and its artistic quality ? if you had to make a critic of this album what would you say about? Melanie Renaud: The Quebecois public is always prone to welcome new artists and I think the songs on this album were describing me better if you wanted to learn more about myself ... I worked with directors who have highlighted the colors of the soul of Quebec ... love ballad, typical from Quebec, the Gospel, to RnB, very pop in acoustic, funk groove ... I believe it was a debut album that allowed me define what artist I was then, and this through texts, from a girl in the early twenties with a musical universe that differed from others ...

Flashmag: illico success will follow, with this album that has seen collaborations of some big names in the music industry such as Nougaro. This album will be awarded in 2002 during the Juno's Award as the Francophone Album of the year. (the Juneau, which are the most important, musical distinction in Canada). What means for you this period in your career? If you had to do it again what would you change?

Melanie Renaud: It was a time when the public, media and industry considered me as a new artist in the making ... The only thing I would change, is that I would have liked to know, myself better humanly ... I was so focused on my work that, it never crossed my mind, to stop and ask myself questions, on who I am, what are my strengths, my weaknesses, my fears and sources of happiness. But life takes care to let us know sooner or later ...

Flashmag: past the jubilant Prime album, you will come back, with a second album more mature, entitled "Melanie Renaud" in May 2005. The same year, you especially stunned the audience in the musical of Notre Dame, portraying Esmeralda, what memory do you have of that majestic moment of your career?

Melanie Renaud: Notre-Dame de Paris is a timeless musical ... Being part of this type of great musical work, is an unforgettable experience... play the main role is an opportunity, which allowed me to push the limits of the play, voice, interaction with the characters, dancers and let myself carried away by the story of Esmeralda and Quasimodo through music and scenery ...

Flashmag: The third album,”Feux d’artifice” (Fireworks) released in 2008 will create a little controversy in Canada due to influences of African-American Pop / R & B. why in your point of view? Yet this album is very dancing, with Rhythmic; songs such as Mon pays (my country) or the duet with Corneille – Vivre pour sois (Live for yourself), whose words are quite evocative are you the subject of this song? Melanie Renaud: I think an artist must identify with a musical style in which he discovers its authenticity but sometimes, album projects seems to become more experimental, than anything else ... I really like RnB, Hip Hop but that said, embodying on stage with dancers is a difficult task ... I had to do this 3rd album to understand that the, Beyoncé, Usher and Chris Brown of this world have started at their tender childhood to dance, sing and adopt this attitude'' street'' ghetto. I had to take about two years of preparation to create, this kind of character and it was not enough for me to find a credibility ... The RnB & Hip Hop in French does not sound like the one in English we are used to hear … The difference of language and the Americanized sounds very digital, could interest or disinterest the listeners... Flashmag: How the success has influenced you and your close acquaintances, at a time when it would have been the case? Now how do you live your life as a star? Does your private life influence your career and your art? Melanie Renaud: The success gave me confidence in myself because I realized my dream. Family, friends, professional colleagues, industry and the public also had confidence in the artist that I could be. Chance, success, and be praised are the ephemeral elements of a career because it can become a mind blowing whirlwind. There are moments when one is less present in the music scene; this is what allows us to withdraw, and to return in force with other musical projects to present to the public. A Life of Star? Not really, I prefer to call it a life as an athlete, since I have to be vocally disciplined, physically and emotionally I would say. Yes my private life has an influence on my career and my art ... I try to be as down to earth as possible so that through the artifices of show business, people perceive the human being I am. Flashmag: it is customary to say “a life without cause is a life without effect” what are the ideals of society of Melanie Renaud? How does she hope to help build a better world? Melanie Renaud: In an ideal world, I wish they would teach the children and teenagers to know themselves better by integrating courses in the education system specifically designed for the development of the human these strengths and weaknesses ... And I sincerely wish one day to go on underdeveloped countries to experience this shock of culture and help in any way I can ... Flashmag: before closing the interview did you have a special mention towards the public? Or, would you have a question you would like to mention that we would have omitted? What is your agenda for the coming days a new album in the lab? Melanie Renaud: Yes, a soulful new album, the successes of the years 1965 to 1990 are presented up to date ... Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Sinead O'Connor and Annie Lennox ... Wow! That's me. I just want to thank everyone in the public, who appreciates what I am and what I do ... see you later xx Flashmag: Mélanie Renaud, Flashmag and its readership, thank you for accepting this interview. The New Album of Melanie Renaud will hit the stores September 18th