The Société pour l’avancement de la chanson d’expression française (SACEF) has launched the 28 th edition of its Ma première Place des Arts competition. Starting Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Montréal’s Salle Claude-Léveillée will host 24 participants – six performers and 18 singer-songwriters – over the course of eight shows presented under the musical direction of Guillaume Rochon.
This year’s contestants are Émilie Bédard, Fred Labrie, Sophia de Moor, Andréanne Sabourin-Côté, Julien Gagné, Alex Doré, Christopher Therrien, Julien Leeb, Maude Carrier, David Jankowski, Christine Beaulieu, Oli Féra, David Beauchemin, PETiTOM, Julie Houde, Barrique D’Encre, Antoine Perreault, Queen Drey, Solane, Alphonse Bisaillon, Jeremy Lachance, Patrick Bourdon, Philippe Plourde, and Emmanuelle Querry.
The mentors for this edition are SOCAN members Brigitte Saint-Aubin and Paule-Andrée Cassidy for the quarter-finals, as well as Manuel Gasse, Florence K, Chloé Lacasse, Guylaine Tanguay Catherine Durand, and Alexandre Poulin, for the contestants who make it to the final round. The juries for the quarter-finals are Josianne Paradis, Tristan Malavoy, and Félix Dyotte. For the fifth straight year, Olivier Robillard Laveaux will host all eight shows.
Ma première Place des Arts is a contest that allows the participants to get personalized mentorship, and to perform during a televised event held in the Salle Claude-Léveillée of Place des Arts. They also receive comments on their work, benefit from promotional visibility, and participate in workshops alongside industry professionals. There are networking opportunities with established artists and other players, all while accessing a possible opportunity to win several grants and other prizes designed to help them launch their careers.
Visit Ma première Place des Arts’ website for more information about the contest, or to learn more about SACEF.