Validated by Sardou, they will love each other on the stage of the Zénith in Toulouse
Michel Sardou will no longer sing on stage but he is delighted to see his repertoire of cover by the young artists of the musical “I am going to love you”, announced on December 3 at the Zénith in Toulouse when the album is out.
Zénith flagship products a few years ago, musicals had become scarce even before the pandemic. Too expensive to produce, too difficult to make profitable outside of Paris. “I will love you” is an exception this fall, benefiting from the aura of Michel Sardou whose songs constitute the backbone of a story that takes place between Paris and New York. Sofia Mountassir in this adventure which brings together twenty artists. A Parisian having spent most of her youth in Morocco, the young woman is already an old driver of the genre, she who notably participated in “Priscilla, mad of the desert” and “Bodyguard”, two shows which have worked very well in the city. Capital but never broadcast in the provinces. The musical is obviously second nature to Sofia Mountassir. “I like collective work, the spirit of a troop,” explains the artist. In a musical, you have to be open-minded, listening to others. We feed off this permanent exchange. “
The genre is demanding, and that’s what Sofia Mountassir also likes. “In general, over a month of preparation to be efficient. This implies being very square, whether it is singing, dancing or playing. You have to know how to manage your breath, your cardio. I run while singing to practice. I lead a healthy lifestyle: no question of smoking or drinking! “
In the skin of a “strong woman”
We can feel it in her words: Sofia Mountassir has unwavering determination. It was necessary for this artist with a precocious vocation… long hidden from his parents. “In Morocco, my education was very brilliant. Singing was a form of rebellion for me, a way of playing with fire. I was lucky to have an older sister who dreamed of being a singer. I listened to her, I did the backing vocals for her. When our parents were at work, I sang at the top of my voice all over the house. When they returned, I would dive into my books. When I was 18, my father was very surprised that I wanted to do a casting for Studio 2M, the equivalent of La Nouvelle Star in Morocco. He said to me: show me that you can sing and I will sign you up. So was done and I won the competition. “
When she arrives in Paris, Sofia Mountassir first runs the stamp. Her real recognition, she finds it with “Bodyguard” when she quickly recovers the leading role. “It was a great leap, both personal and artistic. I had 14 solos, 8 times a week. A real 2h30 marathon at each performance. I have been a fan of Whitney Houston since I was little. One of my dreams was coming true. “
His soprano voice, the artist will therefore put it at the service of Michel Sardou’s repertoire. “In Morocco, The Lakes of Connemara or La Maladie d’Amour have been great successes. However, I did not grow up with his songs. The discovery was therefore very beautiful. Michel Sardou’s vocal range is incredible. He’s a great technician and as I’m picky, that suits me very well. “
In “I will love you”, where she sings in particular “The old married people”, “I come from the south” and “Let’s talk about you, about me”, Sofia Mountassir plays Nicole, a young African-American married to a rich man. . “It’s a pretty romantic role, that of a very strong woman to hide what she feels deeply. And who nevertheless is very sensitive to the bottom. I find myself there! “
“I’m going to love you” album (MCA / Universal). Show Saturday December 4 at 9 p.m. at the Zénith in Toulouse. Prices: 35 € and 79 €.
New compilation with karaoke for Michel Sardou
On Friday October 1, a new compilation by Michel Sardou, “En chantant”, will be released with 2 CDs bringing together 25 hits (“Les Ricains”, “Les vieux mariés”, “Les lacs du Connemara”, “Je vole”, “La java de Broadway ”,“ Les bals populaire ”, etc. and a CD of original instrumentals (plus lyrics on a libretto, of course) to practice karaoke. /Universal).