Fans will remember the performance for a long time
Kendji Girac had Montrealers on their feet, singing along and asking for more as his amazing energy and bright smile warmed everyone on the cold night of March 5 at L’Olympia.
The 23-year-old stole everyone’s hearts with his beautiful voice and unique dance moves after he jumped on stage and directly started the show with “Me Quemo.”
Mixing pop with his gypsy origins, Girac made everyone—children and the elderly included—dance and sing along while strumming his white guitar. He shared his energy by performing some of his most popular songs “Color Gitano,” “Tiago,” and “No Me Mirès Màs.”
One of his most awaited performances was Maître Gims’s “Bella,” the song that made Girac go viral on social media and the one he chose to perform for his blind auditions on The Voice France, of which he was the winner in 2014.
Mory Hatem performed the perfect opening act for Girac. He was a participant in Quebec’s La Voix last year, where he was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Hatem started strong, beginning the night with Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” followed by “Aicha” to take us somewhere “warmer,” he said. He followed with his interpretation of “My Way,” which made the crowd go quiet, focusing on every word he sang. Finally, he ended with “S.O.S. D’un Terrien En Détresse,” reminding everyone of his last performance on La Voix.
Ginette Reno made a special appearance and performed “Je Serais Là” with Girac, making it seem like she was offering life advice to the 23-year-old. Their performance brought the crowd to full silence. Girac kept smiling and looking at her with admiration, placing his hand over his heart when she hit a high note. The French singer was emotional singing with Reno, since he always listened to her music when he was younger, as he confessed.
Girac also made the crowd establish a beat by clapping, allowing him to perform an instrumental duet with his guitarist. He slowly stopped playing, letting his guitarist perform a solo. He made his keyboardist and drummer do the same, all of whom were incredibly talented. Small things like that made this show go from good to unforgettable. Girac’s positive vibes shone through the entire room, making even security guards dance along.
After Girac left the stage in a hurry, the crowd started chanting a mix of “Kendji! Kendji! Kendji!” and “Ole Ole Ole.
The young singer came running back on stage for an encore, performing “Andalouse,” and making everyone stand up and dance one more time. He ended with “Pour Oublier,” because after all, everyone present at that moment was there to party and forget—perhaps about the cold.
Photos by Louis-Philippe Martin.
