The 7th season of Nouvelle Star premiered on February 24, 2009, on M6. Soan Faya was declared the winner on June 9, 2009, beating out runner-up Leïla Aissaoui.
Changes & Early Process Virginie Guilhaume became the new host of Nouvelle Star, succeeding previous host Virginie Efira. Philippe Manœuvre, André Manoukian, Lio, and Sinclair reprised their roles as judges on the show. The show also adopted a new opening title sequence, similar to that of American Idol.
Auditions were held from October 13 to December 6, 2008, in Marseille, Lille, Toulouse, Rennes, Lyon and Paris.
Contestants Top 10 Finalists
Soan Faya (27) - Winner Leïla Aissaoui (18) - Runner-up Camélia Jordana (16) Thomas Bonneau (17) Dalé (24) Damien Vanni (29) Lary Lambert (20) Mahdi Jaggae (27) Mélissa Reffas (18) Yoann Pigny (21)
NOTE: Lary selected as the 10th finalist by the jury.
Semifinalists (Top 15)
Antoine Vignette (25) Charlotte Robin (21) Maria Paz (21) Mickaël Frémeaux (25) Yasmina (17)
Eliminations - Top 10
DateThemeBottom Three14 AprilYoann PignyLeïla AissaouiThomas Bonneau21 April Love SongsMélissa ReffasThomas Bonneau (2)Leïla Aissaoui (2)28 April Dance FloorMahdi JaggaeLeïla Aissaoui (3)Lary Lambert5 May Lary Lambert (2)Thomas Bonneau (3)Dalé Grenoble12 MayCinemaDamienLeïla Aissaoui (4)Dalé Grenoble (2)19 MayViewer's ChoiceDalé Grenoble (3)Soan FayaThomas Bonneau (4)Bottom Two26 MayQuarterfinalThomas Bonneau (5)Camélia Jordana2 JuneSemifinalCamélia-Jordana (2)Soan Faya (2)9 JuneFinalLeïla Aissaoui (5)Soan Faya
Semifinalists The jury selected fifteen contestants to move onto the live semifinal round, which aired April 7. At the end of the show, nine contestants were voted through to the top ten by the public. The jury then selected one contestant from the bottom six to advance to the finals.
Soan Faya was the winner of this season.
Advancing to the Top 10 (Public Vote) - Dalé • Camélia Jordana • Damien • Mahdi • Leïla • Soan • Mélissa • Thomas • Yoann
Jury's Choice - Lary
Semifinalist (Age)SongOriginal ArtistJury VoteResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairAntoine Vignette (25)Viva La VidaColdplayEliminatedCharlotte Robin (21)You Know I'm No GoodAmy WinehouseEliminatedMaria Paz (21)Porque Te VasJeanetteEliminatedMickaël Frémeaux (25)Voyage, VoyageDesirelessEliminatedYasmina (17)I Was Made For Loving YouKissEliminated
Finalists
Soan Faya
Soan Faya - 27 years old, auditioned in Paris.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15Le Vent Nous PorteraNoir Désir6th / Top 10Top 10Ma Petite EntrepriseAlain Bashung3rd / Top 9Top 9Boys Don't CryThe Cure5th / Top 8Top 8Les Mots bleusChristophe1st / Top 7Top 7Alabama SongThe DoorsAbsent1st / Top 6Top 6Requiem pour un conSerge Gainsbourg2nd / Top 5My WayFrank SinatraTop 5Seven Nation ArmyThe White Stripes4th / Bottom 2Ces gens-làJacques BrelTop 4La mauvaise réputationGeorges Brassens / Sinsemilia1st / Top 3OneU2Top 3Poupée de cire, poupée de sonFrance Gall 2nd / Top 2L'acordéonnisteEdith PiafPersonal JesusDepeche ModeFinaleJe veux du soleilAu P'tit Bonheur 1st / WinnerAux sombres héros de l'amerNoir DésirBreak On ThroughThe Doors
Leïla Aissaoui Leïla Aissaoui - 18 years old, auditioned in Rennes.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15Marcia BailaRita Mitsouko5th / Top 10Top 10My Baby Just Cares For MeNina Simone9th / Bottom 2Top 9Dès que je te voisVanessa Paradis7th / Bottom 3Top 8WannabeSpice Girls6th / Bottom 2Top 7FrozenMadonnaAbsent2nd / Top 6Top 6ThinkAretha Franklin5th / Bottom 2Parle plus basDalidaTop 5BabooshkaKate Bush1st / Top 4Ma plus belle histoire d'amourBarbaraTop 4Girls Just Wanna Have FunCyndi Lauper2nd / Top 3Mon amie la roseFrançoise HardyTop 3Ma révérenceVéronique Sanson 1st / Top 2Perhaps, Perhaps, PerhapsDoris DayMon Coeur, mon AmourAnaïsFinaleCrazyGnarls Barkley2nd / Runner-UpI Don't KnowNoaFais-moi une placeJulien Clerc
Camélia-Jordana Camélia Jordana - 16 years old, auditioned in Marseille.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15Quelqu'un ma ditCarla Bruni2nd / Top 10Top 10Heart Of GlassBlondie6th / Top 9Top 9I Wanna Be Loved By YouMarilyn Monroe3rd / Top 8Top 8WomanizerBritney Spears3rd / Top 7Top 7Le Coup de SoleilRichard CoccianteAbsent4th / Top 6Top 6Anyone Else But YouThe Moldy Peaches1st / Top 5Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?Charles TrenetTop 5Ton invitationLouise Attaque2nd / Top 4Back to BlackAmy WinehouseTop 4Killing Me Softly With His SongRoberta Flack / The Fugees3rd / Bottom 2La MadragueBrigitte BardotTop 3FoundationsKate Nash3rd / EliminatedMistral gagnantRenaudPaint It BlackRolling Stones
Thomas Bonneau Thomas Bonneau - 17 years old, auditioned in Toulouse.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15Tatoue MoiOpéra Rock Mozart8th / Top 10Top 10Dans La Maison VideMichel Polnareff8th / Bottom 3Top 9Onde SensuelleMatthieu Chedid8th / Bottom 2Top 8ManiacMichael Sembello4th / Top 7Top 7Tu m'oublierasRégine / LarussoAbsent6th / Bottom 2Top 6Four to the FloorStarsailor3rd / Top 5Ce n'est rienJulien ClercTop 5Ça plane pour moiPlastic Bertrand3rd / Bottom 3Love TodayMikaTop 4New York avec toiTéléphone4th / EliminatedStarmanDavid Bowie
Dalé Dalé - 24 years old, auditioned in Lyon.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15I've Been Loving You Too LongOtis Redding1st / Top 10Top 10You Are So BeautifulJoe Cocker5th / Top 9Top 9Toi et le soleilClaude François4th / Top 8Top 8What'd I SayRay Charles1st / Top 7Top 7Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vaisSerge GainsbourgAbsent5th / Bottom 3Top 6Toute la musique que j'aimeJohnny Hallyday4th / Bottom 3Sympathy For The DevilThe Rolling StonesTop 5Mon paradisChristophe Maé5th / EliminatedOn BroadwayGeorge Benson
Damien Vanni Damien Vanni - 29 years old, auditioned in Lyon.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15Wicked GameChris Isaak3rd / Top 10Top 10L'Autre FinistèreLes Innocents4th / Top 9Top 9Everybody's Got To Learn SometimesThe Korgis1st / Top 8Top 8Elle a les yeux revolverMarc Lavoine5th / Top 7Top 7WonderwallOasisAbsent3rd / Top 6Top 6Le Premier Jour (du reste de ta vie)Étienne Daho6th / EliminatedNo Woman No CryBob Marley
Lary Lambert Lary Lambert - 20 years old, auditioned in Paris.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15Si Seulement Je Pouvais Lui ManquerCalogeroSaved / Bottom 6Top 10You Give Me SomethingJames Morrison7th / Top 9Top 9I'm Not In Love10 CC2nd / Top 8Top 8L'Encre de tes yeuxFrancis Cabrel6th / Bottom 3Top 7I Heard It Through The GrapevineMarvin GayeAbsent7th / Eliminated
Mahdi Jaggae Mahdi Jaggae - 27 years old, auditioned in Marseille.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15I'm YoursJason Mraz4th / Top 10Top 10Pastime ParadiseStevie Wonder1st / Top 9Top 9AïchaKhaled6th / Top 8Top 8Always On The RunLenny Kravitz8th / Eliminated
Mélissa Reffas Mélissa Reffas - 18 years old, auditioned in Lille.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15I'm Outta LoveAnastasia7th / Top 10Top 10Mamy BlueNicoletta2nd / Top 9Top 9I'm So ExcitedThe Pointer Sisters9th / Eliminated
Yoann Pigny Yoann Pigny - 21 years old, auditioned in Paris.
Song(s)Original Artist(s)Jury VoteCallout / ResultManœuvreManoukianLioSinclairTop 15CargoAxel Bauer9th / Top 10Top 10Les VoisinesRenan Luce10th / Eliminated
Elimination chart
Females Males Top 25 Top 13 Wild Card Winner
Safe Safe First Safe Last Eliminated Top 15 Save
Stage:FinalsWeek:4/7 4/14 4/21 4/28 5/5 5/12 5/19 5/26 6/2 6/9PlaceResult 1 Soan Faya 6th3rd5th1st1st2nd 1st 2 Leïla Aissaoui 5th 7th 2nd 1st2nd 1st Runner-Up 3 Camélia Jordana 2nd 6th3rd3rd4th 1st2nd Elim 4 Thomas Bonneau 8th 8th 4th 3rd 3rd Elim 5 Dalé 1st 5th 4th1st 5th 4th Elim 6 Damien Vanni 3rd 4th1st 5th3rd Elim 7 Lary Lambert Saved 7th2nd 6th Elim 8 Mahdi Jaggae 4th1st 6th Elim 9 Mélissa Reffas 7th2nd Elim 10 Yoann Pigny 9th Elim 11–15 Antoine Vignette Elim Charlotte Robin Maria Paz Mickaël Frémeaux Yasmina
External links Official Site