Rising Star is a French singing reality television series, and the French edition of the international reality television franchise Rising Star. It is based on the Israeli singing reality competition series HaKokhav HaBa. The show's viewers become the instant ultimate juries with expert panelists given only a nominal percentage weight in voting. The French rights were bought by specialized music-oriented station M6.

Season 1 (2014) Season 1 was launched in 2014 with first season being between 25 September and 13 November 2014. The live broadcasts were held on "Plateau No. 5" of the Cité du Cinéma established by the film director and producer Luc Besson and located in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris.

Hosts The hosts for the series were Faustine Bollaert and Guillaume Pley. The series was won by Corentin Grevost.

Panelists The four-member panelists were: Cali - singer songwriter Cathy Guetta - the event organizer (ex-wife of David Guetta) David Hallyday - singer Morgan Serrano - director of French NRJ radio station

Reception Rising Star French edition realised relatively high viewership at launch with 3.76 million viewers, representing 16.9% of total French audience. But despite the novelty and immediate interactivity created for public voting, the show lost momentum with following episodes as audiences fell below the 2-million benchmark and with 6 November 2014 only 1.52 million viewers capturing just 6.7% of the market.

M6 announced that the French adaptation of Rising Star had failed to attain the figures M6 had anticipated, although its format was welcomed as "audacious" and "innovative". M6 followed that by its decision to cut short the planned series by two episodes, and airing the finals much earlier than anticipated, i.e. by 13 November 2014.

The auditions The candidates (or groups) perform live with the series' band behind a big semi-circular screen name "The digital wall" such that they are invisible to the viewing public and the panelists. In real time and throughout the performance, the public votes by a "yes" or "no" through the special app launched with the goal of reaching the 70% set barrier where "the wall" is raised with the candidate moving to the next round called "duel". If he/she fails to reach the 70%, the candidate is eliminated. In this stage 28 candidates were selected to pass to the next round

Auditions 1 The first show was broadcast on 25 September 2014 starting 20:55.Rising Star: Résumé de l'épisode 1 6 candidates qualified in day 1

Index ✔ : The panelist voted "yes" for the candidate. ✘ : The panelist voted "no" for the candidate.

CandidatM6: Les chanteurs en compétition. Age Song Judges' choices Total percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCali Barbara Lune 24 Chandelier - Sia ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ 43% Eliminated Séverine Romanet 39 Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 89% Qualified Jackie Deschamps 60 Did not qualify for the wall Eliminated Léo Rispal 13 Comme toi - Jean-Jacques Goldman ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 90% Qualified Tarik 22 Hometown Glory - Adele ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 73% Qualified Émanuelle Robitaille 28 I Put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 89% Qualified Louis Deslys 25 Si seulement je pouvais lui manquer - Calogero ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ 54% Eliminated Maëva Bellocq 18 Did not qualify for the wall Eliminated Larry Lynch 25 Let Her Go - Passenger ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 94% Qualified The Rainbows Get Lucky - Daft Punk ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ 22% Eliminated Solène Le Vezo 18 Il me dit que je suis belle - Patricia Kaas ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 79% Qualified

Auditions 2 The second episode was broadcast 2 October 2014 at 20:55. Seven candidates qualified for next round.

Candidate Age Song Judges's choices Total Percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCaliAnn-Shirley 19 Stay with Me - Sam Smith ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 75% QualifiedJulien Loko 30 Demons - Imagine Dragons ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ 63% EliminatedHoshi 18 Mistral gagnant - Renaud ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 67% Eliminated Frénésie Did not qualify for the wall EliminatedTiwayo 28 Another Love - Tom Odell ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 84% QualifiedAnne-Sophie Terschan 18 Respect - Aretha Franklin ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 77% QualifiedAlexandra Miller 24 Halo - Beyoncé ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ 79% QualifiedBaby's 14 Pour une folie - Baby's ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 76% QualifiedJulien Mueller 25 All of Me - John Legend ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ 68% EliminatedMTatiana 25 Jalouse - Mademoiselle K ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 82% QualifiedSarah Sofia 21 Dernière danse - Indila ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ 22% EliminatedAhmed Mouici & The Golden Moments 51 I've Been Loving You Too Long - Otis Redding ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 74% Qualified

Auditions 3 The third day of auditions was broadcast on October 9, 2014, at 20:55. Seven candidates qualified for the next round.

Candidate Age Song Judges's choices Total Percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCaliMathieu Canaby 16 Isn't She Lovely? - Stevie Wonder ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 82% QualifiedJordan Chevallier 24 La Foule - Édith Piaf ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ 76% QualifiedAudrey Passani 20 Stay - Rihanna ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 87% Qualified Ludovic 28 Did not qualify for the wall EliminatedMonsieur Jau 35 Life on Mars? - David Bowie ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ 57% EliminatedCorentin Grevost 18 Papaoutai - Stromae ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 91% QualifiedKenny Andra 25 Did not qualify for the wall EliminatedHuu 26 Budapest – George Ezra ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 91% QualifiedMelody 26 Donne-moi le temps - Jenifer ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ 32% EliminatedSheila Ray Charles 52 Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 87% QualifiedArno Santamaria 35 Ma mère - Arno Santamaria ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 87% QualifiedWhities Grace Kelly - Mika ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ 39% Eliminated

Auditions 4 The fourth and final auditions round was broadcast on 16 October 2014 at 20:55. Nine candidates were chosen for next round. But one favourite candidate Gaël Lopez died almost immediately after the round and the number of qualified candidates reduced to 8.

Candidate Age Song Judges's choices Total Percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCaliTanya Michelle 41 Addicted to You - Avicii ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 90% QualifiedAlex Copler 21 ans Alter ego - Jean-Louis Aubert ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 72% QualifiedThe Turning What'd I Say - Ray Charles ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 69% EliminatedInaya 17 Changer - Maître Gims ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 88% QualifiedThe Garbo 36 Porque te vas - Jeanette Dimech ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 72% QualifiedMélina Bourad 14 Fallin' – Alicia Keys ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ 78% QualifiedWilliam Matter Losing My Religion - R.E.M. ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 79% QualifiedMilou Leiz 30 Que je t'aime - Johnny Hallyday ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ 22% EliminatedEmma Beatson 26 Wasting My Young Years - London Grammar ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ 49% EliminatedFabien Incardona 29 Prendre racine - Calogero ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 84% QualifiedGaël Lopes 25 Prayer in C - Lilly Wood & The Prick ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 91% QualifiedAnouchka Strauss 17 Casta Diva, from Norma - Vincenzo Bellini ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 90% Qualified

Death of contestant Gaël Lopes Gaël Lopes, a popular candidate from day 4 of the auditions broadcast on 16 October 2014 died on 18 October 2014, two days after the broadcast falling from the 4th floor of a buildingCloserMag: Gaël Lopes, candidat de Rising Star est mort after a reported "delirium". Lopes had sung "Prayer in C" from Lilly Wood and The Prick, attaining 91% with the close of voting. He was just 25 and prior to Rising Star had also auditioned twice for Nouvelle Star in 2010 and 2012. A homage was broadcast in the next show on 23 October 2014 with participants singing "Prayer in C" again as a tribute.CloserMag: Rising Star - Mort de Gaël Lopes - Ses proches et Faustine Bollaert lui rendent un dernier hommage

Duels In the second stage of competition, the 28 candidates through in the auditions are coupled into 14 pairs by a lottery to confront each other. The first candidate performs with "the wall" lifted throughout the performance. His aim is to attain the highest percentage possible. The confronting candidate has to perform "behind the wall". To pass through to the next stage, the second contestant has to outdo the first performance in percentage points in order to "raise the wall". The candidate with the lower percentage is eliminated even if he/she has attained the 70% barrier. Just like in the auditions, the vote of each panelist counts for 7% of the vote. During each contestant's performance, random pictures of people voting in his favour will appear on screen.

Duels 1 The fifth episode of the series and the first of the two duels rounds was broadcast on 23 October 2014 at 20:55. At the end of the episode, all the candidates sang a tribute to parting contestant Gaël Lopes who had died a few days earlier, just 2 days after performing on the show.

Duel Candidate Song Judge's choice Total percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCali1Corentin GrevostÉblouie par la nuit – Zaz ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 79% QualifiedAhmed Mouici Black or White – Michael Jackson ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 54% Eliminated2Audrey PassaniHabits (Stay High) – Tove Lo ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 80% QualifiedMTatiana Comme un boomerang – Serge Gainsbourg✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 74% Eliminated3Larry Linch The Sound of Silence – Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 83% QualifiedLéo Rispal Hurt – Christina Aguilera ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 78% Eliminated4Anne-Sophie Terschan All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 67% EliminatedJordan ChevallierBorn This Way – Lady Gaga ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 78% Qualified5Fabien Incardona SOS d'un terrien en détresse - Daniel Balavoine ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 79 % EliminatedMathieu Canaby If I Ain't Got You – Alicia Keys ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 81% Qualified6Séverine Romanet Set Fire to the Rain – Adele ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 73% EliminatedAnn-Shirley Amoureuse – Véronique Sanson ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 74% Qualified7Anouchka O Fortuna from Carmina Burana – Carl Orff ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ 71% EliminatedTanya Michelle Titanium – Sia and David Guetta✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 88% Qualified

Duels 2 The sixth episode, and the second of two duels was broadcast on 30 October 2014 at 20:55.

Duel Candidate Song Judges' choice Total percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCali1Alexandra MillerDiamonds – Rihanna ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ 44% EliminatedWilliam Matter En apesanteur – Calogero ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 82% Qualified2Melina BouradPas toi – Jean-Jacques Goldman ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ 43% EliminatedSolène Le Vezo Alors on danse – Stromae ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 64% Qualified3Tiwayo Stolen Dance – Milky Chance ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 74% EliminatedTarik Debbiche Goodbye My Lover – James Blunt ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 81% Qualified4Sheila Ray Charles Rolling in the Deep – Adele ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 75% EliminatedBaby's Happy – Pharrell Williams ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 76% Qualified5The Garbo Déshabillez-moi – Juliette Gréco ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ 27% EliminatedArno Santamaria Debout (Je me sens bien) – Arno Santamaria ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 87% Qualified6Alex Copler Un autre monde – Téléphone ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 76% EliminatedHuu Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 78% Qualified7 Inaya People Help the People – Birdy ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 89% Qualified Émanuelle Robitaille Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 86% Eliminated

Duels of champions

In the duel of the champions stage, two candidates are confronted one to one. The names are decided randomly by a lottery. The weight for the panelists is reduced in this stage to 5% each.

The seventh episode was broadcast on 6 November 2014 at 20:55.

Duel Candidate Song Judges' choice Total percentage ResultDavidCathyMorganCali1Corentin Grevost Au café des délices - Patrick Bruel ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 80%QualifiedWilliam Matter A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ 66%Eliminated2Audrey Passani Video Games - Lana Del Rey 82%QualifiedSolène Le Vezo Et maintenant - Gilbert Bécaud 54%Eliminated3Ann-Shirley Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys 68%QualifiedTarik Debbiche Chanter - Florent Pagny ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ 58%Eliminated4Jordan Chevalier ...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears 73%QualifiedBaby's I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 41%Eliminated5Tanya Michelle Smith Firework - Katy Perry 52%EliminatedArno Santamaria Chez moi - Arno Santamaria 76%Qualified6 Larry Linch Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ 84%Qualified Huu When I Was Your Man - Bruno Mars 40%Eliminated7 Mathieu Canaby Imagine - John Lennon 80%Qualified Inaya Le droit à l'erreur - Amel Bent 77%Eliminatedbut savedby judges

Final