Starmania: “This show will change people's lives” -Miriam Baghdassarian

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UPDATE DAY

PARIS | Quebecers already know her for her career at La Voix or her participation in Tour A merican Story 2 – The Woodstock Years. But for the French, Miriam Baghdassarian risks being forever linked to the character of Sadia, the rebellious and reckless leader of the Black Stars in Starmania. “It is an immense pride for me to be associated with this project,” she breathes.

« Starmania, it is something very big. And it is also something very important, for the French and for Quebecers. I know this show is going to change people's lives,” insists Miriam Baghdassarian, backstage at La Seine Musicale, where Starmania played earlier this month.

As soon as she enters the room, one thing is clear. She is a sweet, composed – some would even say shy – singer who introduces herself to the representative of the Journalsmiling. It's hard to believe she'd just spent the day scolding the show's toughest, most rhythmic tracks then as a character who proclaims herself to be “violence personified”. 

The remark makes her chuckle. 

“I know! In fact, I almost had the role of Marie-Jeanne », she slips. 

From Marie-Jeanne to Sadia

< p>Indeed, Luc Plamondon first approached her for the role of the wise automaton waitress because of their similar temperaments and related energies. It must also be said that the production, for its part, was initially looking for a man to play the role of Sadia. 

Because if he has traditionally been played by women (Nanette Workman and Marie Carmen are among his most famous interpreters), the director Thomas Jolly sought to return to the very essence of the character, that of a man assuming a feminine identity. The vocal register imposed by the titles Travesti or even Tonight we dance in Naziland however proved to be too vast and complex for the male suitors encountered in the audition.&nbsp ;

” It's very demanding vocally “, attests Miriam Baghdassarian. 

The director also echoed the same idea in a subsequent meeting with Le Journal. 

“ Miriam immediately has Sadia's whimsy, her violence, brutality and bloodthirsty energy in her voice, a wild force. We couldn't ignore that, so she got the role,” says Thomas Jolly.

A Fresh Start

It was at the start of the pandemic, even before this project to resuscitate Starmania made a big splash, that Miriam Baghdassarian knew that she would put on Sadia's clothes and azure wig night after night in front of the French public. 

At that time, the young artist had taken a step back from the music industry. She took advantage of the downtime imposed by the pandemic to devote herself to her studies in journalism, in addition to holding a position in a financial institution in the metropolis. 

“ I was doing mortgages and lines of credit; I was very, very far from Sadia and the music,” she laughs.

“It made me feel good. But to return to my first passion with Starmania, it does me even more good. That's what I was born to do,” adds Miriam Baghdassarian.

♦ Starmania is presented in Paris until as of January 29.