Interview of Véronic DiCaire
April 2. 2010, on the eve of her very last show in “La Gaité Montparnasse” in Paris, Véronic DiCaire granted The Red Heads an exclusive interview.
Our first question and the one that all The Red Heads are longing to ask you: what did you think of the way The Red Heads welcomed you last February 6?
« Honestly, I was very impressed, employees of the theater had never seen such a thing. Me neither actually, I did not expect that, it was amazing, very attentive. As I saw the sandwich men, I felt very impressed, it was magic, it made me feel like a little girl. And it was very touching because you are all very respectful: as I was signing autographs, there was a lot of respect, people were well disciplined, they were all waiting for their turn to help me not forgetting anyone. And the roses you gave me last really long! »
And what did you think about the atmosphere during the show?
« It is a small theater, so it was very intense : I could hear you, I could feel you. It was an amazing night. »
Do you know that The Red Heads had consciously chosen not to attend the premiere? We thought the challenge was too important and that we might have distracted you.
« You were right, you deemed it right because at the premiere, there still were lots of fittings to do. »
Apart from this “welcome night”, have you been feeling the support of The Red Heads all along your stay in France?
Rémon : « We actually can notice The Red Heads on “I drove all night”, as they wave their arms. »
Véronic : « I have seen some Red heads as well in Monaco and in « Paris fait sa comédie ». Once, a young man shook his cap very soberly and I noticed it, I thought it was so cute. Now, I trust The Red Heads to dispatch the news about the tour.»
About the tour, could you tell us a bit more about your next months planning?
Véronic : « We are about to leave Paris, on Sunday actually, and we will go to Corse Island for 10 days. Then, I will go back home in Canada to end up with the tour. This summer, I will put the finishing touches to the French version of the show: we are going to add almost 30 minutes to the show. I already have lots of ideas: some acts will be longer, others will be new. In parallel, I already am working on a special show for Las Vegas »
Rémon : « This show will be very different, it will be more “American”. The auditorium will be larger, thus there will be more plays of light, this will be a true « Vegas » show. We will start promoting it next october. »
This represents a lot of work…
« Yes, but what is comforting is that we know what we can expect, as an artist, knowing what you are going to do in the next few months is such a luxury. Although Rémon uses the « René Method » : He does conceal things from me, so I do not know everything. At least, as one « rides a wave », one has to make the most to stay on it. »
So, you do not feel nervous about this heralding campaign?
« No, I am not nervous, this is a buzz, you know. As I came in Paris, I thought to myself that I had a mission: my mission was to be recognized and I had 50 dates to achieve it. Today, I can say that I dit my job! And the tour will be like another mission. »
You have just mentioned the eventuality of a show made for Vegas… shall we foresee you might be Celine’s opening act there?
Rémon : « A show in Las Vegas is possible, but it will not be Celine’s opening act. »
Véronic : « René does not plan this for me, so, we can be sure that it will not be Celine’s opening act, and this will not take place in the Caesar Palace. We currently are talking about the content of the show with René. »
Rémon : « René places all his hopes on Véronic’s vocal performance to stand out from the ordinary in Vegas. »
Let’s talk about the vocal performance: you are basically a singer, so how are you in touch with your own voice? Imitating other singers and borrowing their voices, are you not afraid of ending up losing your own vocal identity?
« For the shows in Québec, I was imitating 39 voices. For France: 40, because I added Veronic DiCaire’s voice. During the rehearsals, it was funny in the beginning, I felt like I did not find my own voice anymore. Sometimes, during my days off, I sing to myself. It is good for me, but I do not mind it. I feel happy with all these singers in me. A woman who had seen Piaf in the Olympia came to tell me that she felt like reviving this moment. And in Montreal, someone told me that they did not understand why Isabelle Boulay* left the stage right after she had sung only one song. I think I make people happy with all those voices. So, for now, we do not plan any album, I do not feel that I need it. »
* NB: in august in Montreal, the opening act started with a song of Isabelle Boulay.
Rémon and you are a pair both on stage and off, how do you manage your private and professional life ? Are there professional and private moments during a day, or do you live both moments at the same time?
Véronic : « This is a daily adventure, no matter where and no matter when, we are never tired of it, and it is easy to live with. »
Rémon : « We have been together for 17 years. I met Vero as she was a young girl, we have been raising up together, on a professional point of view. Today, we are just living a dream. We know our own limitations but it is a 24-hour-a-day adventure. When Véro needs to take a break, she tells me, and I know that she will come back by her own to talk about professional things. In august, I promised that we would leave for holidays, and in this case, for example, the husband is speaking, the manager would have contracted something. But as René says: “happy wife, happy life” »
Your story obviously reminds us of Céline and René, what is the relationship between both of you and them?
Véronic : « René came to see me, he was discovering the whole show, he is proud of the result. Sometimes we talk together on the phone. They are glad to count on us. They know how life can be working in pair. They like how serious we can be, both in our private and professional life. »
Rémon : « Céline is Vero’s singer idol. René is my very own mentor idol. And I think, just like him, that one has to be the fan number 1 of their artist. Today, we are living things like Céline and René, this is a dream, but we have always been convinced that we would someday work with them. »
Véronic : « Recently, I talked to Céline to thank her for her message on NRJ. Our troubles, our fears are similar. As I wake up in the morning, and as I say to Rémon “my voice hurts”, René does live the same with Céline. We are living the same, we are bound together. We talked about this with René and it made us laugh. »
We would like to thank Rémon Boulerice, Véronic DiCaire and Véronique Astolfi for their availability, kindness and generosity. Congratulations for this brilliant beginning in Paris, we can not wait to meet you again everywhere in France!
