Marie-Mai has an impressive track record that many artists would envy, here and abroad: 4 Platinum albums during her career, while her latest is certified Gold; 12 concerts at the Bell Centre; nearly 2 million spectators in various venues and festivals; Female Artist of the Year at the Gala de l’ADISQ 5 times (2016, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010); a Platinum Ticket and 3 Gold Tickets for her three latest tours; a DVD certified Quadruple Platinum; and the list goes on…
2003 à 2006 – Star Académie & Inoxydable
Born in Varennes, Marie-Mai got her start in 2003 during the first edition of Star Académie, reaching the women’s finale. It was the launching pad she was dreaming of.
The following year, in 2004, she released her debut album Inoxydable, which was followed by a tour that lead her to perform throughout Quebec. Her drive and energy, heightened by electrifying rhythms, allowed her to build a massive fan base.
In 2006, she crossed the Atlantic and released Inoxydable in France. To date, more than 120,000 copies have been sold in Quebec and France. Early into her career, Marie-Mai already showed that she packed a punch and that she was determined to push forward.
2007-2008 – Dangereuse Attraction
Her second album, Dangereuse Attraction was released in 2007, thrilling the new star’s thousands of fans. The first three singles – Qui prendra ma place, Mentir and Emmène-moi – reached #1 on the charts. It was a frenzy! A new tour was organized to meet the demand of fans who wanted to see Marie-Mai. Dangereuse attraction Live brought the awesome stage performer to every corner of Quebec. She closed the tour by performing for the very first time at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The young singer’s popularity was undeniable. She received a Gold Ticket for having sold 50,000 tickets. The impact of Dangereuse attraction and the tour of the same name was considerable, leading to her very first Félix at the Gala de l’ADISQ 2008, in the Rock Album of the Year category. 2007 and 2008 were years that allowed Marie-Mai to establish herself as an essential part of the Quebec record and live music industry, and the best was yet to come!
2009-2010 – Version 3.0
Version 3.0 confirmed that Marie-Mai was the most popular singer-songwriter in Quebec. Elements of rock, pop and electro mingled in an intoxicating, dynamic way. The album completed a Platinum hat trick for her, selling nearly 100,000 copies. A third tour sent the rocker into orbit: 3 sold-out Bell Centre concerts, and a 2nd Gold Ticket.
At L’ADISQ in 2010, her importance in the Quebec cultural landscape was cemented as she won a 2nd Félix for Rock Album of the Year and was crowned Female Artist of the Year for the first time.
The same year, she performed one of her compositions during the official closing ceremony of the Vancouver Olympic Games, broadcast worldwide to more than 3 billion viewers.
Marie-Mai stood out and was chosen by Sony to sing a virtual duet with the King of rock’n’roll, Elvis Presley. That version of Love Me Tender appeared on Viva Elvis, an album inspired by the Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas.
2011 – A busy sabbatical year!
2011 had Marie-Mai riding the momentum thanks to a collaboration with the band Simple Plan on the song Jet Lag, a smash hit on the radio stations of Quebec and France. It also won the Francophone Duet of the Year award at the NRJ Music Awards in Cannes.
At the Gala de l’ADISQ, Marie-Mai won 2 more Félix, namely Singer-Songwriter Concert of the Year for the Version 3.0 tour – which sold more than 50,000 tickets – and Female Artist of the Year for the 2nd consecutive year!
In June, France demanded to see her! She went to Paris to open for the mega-shows by Johnny Hallyday; moreover, she sang a duet with the French rock legend, Vivre pour le meilleur. Over two nights, 120,000 persons discovered Marie-Mai’s hits.
The same year, she became the ambassador of Cosmétiques Annabelle, a collaboration that would last nearly 7 years! Back in Quebec, in July, she lent her voice to the Smurfette in the Quebec French-language version of the animated film The Smurfs.
Then in August, at the invitation of the Canadian Olympic Committee, she went to London to encourage our athletes and entertain them with an intimate concert. While 2011 was supposed to be a sabbatical year, the artist ended up enjoying opportunities she had always dreamed of!
2012-2013 – Miroir
Marie-Mai released her 4th studio album, Miroir, which was instantly embraced by both the public and critics. It was certified Gold only a month into release, as first single C.O.B.R.A. topped the radio charts.
At the Gala de l’ADISQ 2012, she received her first Félix in the Song of the Year category for her French-language adaptation of Robyn’s international hit Call Your Girlfriend, retitled Sans cri ni haine.
The Miroir tour brought her all over Quebec, including 5 times at Bell Centre.
Marie-Mai discovered her coaching talents during the first season of La Voix, the local version of The Voice, which became a massive success on the TVA network.
She was also featured on the tribute album Génération Goldman, which was certified Diamond in France.
Her duet with Baptiste Giabiconi, Là-bas, was played by radio stations, and the music video scored more than 10 million views.
Marie-Mai once again lent her voice to the Smurfette for the Quebec French-language version of the sequel, The Smurfs 2.
In the fall, the artist released a new single accompanied by a music video: Différents, a song inspired by the life stories of her fans. The song was a major hit on Quebec radio. Marie-Mai then won 2 Félix at the 2013 Gala de l’ADISQ 2013: a third award in the Female Artist of the Year category and the Pop Album of the Year award for Miroir. The album was certified Platinum and a Gold Ticket was awarded to her tour of the same name. Another very successful year!
2014 – M
The star spectacularly concluded her Miroir tour with the 99th and 100th concerts of this outing, presented at the Bell Centre. Marie-Mai has now performed in the Montreal amphitheater 12 times!
M, her 5th album, was finally available. To mark the occasion, Marie-Mai released not one, not two, but three new music videos the same day: Conscience, Tourner and Indivisible. The media then referred to her as “Quebec’s Beyoncé”!
During the summer, the artist toured the biggest festivals of the province with a brand new show featuring her latest material as well as 10 years’ worth of hits.
On July 7, the very night she turned 30, her film Marie-Mai live au Centre Bell: Traverser le Miroir premiered to critical and popular acclaim, as it was screened in more than 50 theatres across Quebec! The DVD/Blu-ray launch of this concert film took place at the Bell Centre, and it was quickly certified Quadruple Platinum!
2015-2016 – A vacation and more achievements!
Marie-Mai devoted the first half of 2015 to a road trip throughout the United States – a well-deserved vacation for the singer-songwriter. At the request of Steve Herman, Senior Vice President of North American Tours at Live Nation Los Angeles, Marie-Mai went to California. In June, she announced two showcase shows at the mythical House of Blues Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, which previously welcomed such musical legends as Prince, Aerosmith and Kanye West. For the first time in her career, Marie-Mai stepped onto an American stage with the goal of charming the members of the American music industry: agents, producers, songwriters…
Upon her return, Marie-Mai took on a new challenge: hosting the big Fête Nationale concert on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, a new experience that proved once again that she has every talent! Broadcast on Télé-Québec, the event broke every viewership record of that network.
In July, her show was presented at the Olympic Stadium to highlight the 40th anniversary of the Montreal Olympic Games – a magnificent night, fitting for Quebec’s biggest star!
In the fall, Marie-Mai returned to her coach chair at La Voix, this time for the junior version. This season once again held a massive market share!
At L’ADISQ 2015, Marie-Mai won her 5th Félix as Female Artist of the Year, this time voted by both the public and the industry. It was the 10th Félix of her career!
In September, Marie-Mai announced a project that had rarely been attempted in Quebec: a 22-concert residency at Théâtre St-Denis over 25 days in the months of December and January. The idea pleased her fan base, selling no less than 10,000 tickets in 3 hours. In March 2016, she repeated this achievement in Quebec City, at Théâtre Capitole, with 12 shows over 16 days. A huge challenge, brilliantly met!
This period of great professional success was clouded by a major upheaval. The singer-songwriter separated from her spouse and producer of the last 13 years, Fred St-Gelais; a separation that made a lot of noise in the Quebec cultural landscape.
2017-2018 – Changes !
This period – 2017-2018 – was going to be a turning point in the life and career of Marie-Mai.
With her new boyfriend David Laflèche, Marie-Mai became a mother and gave birth to beautiful Gisèle on February 15, 2017.
After taking a few months off for her family and herself, Marie-Mai came back with a bang in June, hosting the big Fête Nationale concert on the Plains of Abraham for the 2nd time, breaking Télé-Québec viewership records once again.
A few days later, on July 1st, she found herself on stage on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to take part in the festivities for Canada’s 150th anniversary alongside the very famous Bono.
September marked the television return on TVA for the 2nd season of La Voix junior, where Marie-Mai still sat in a coach’s chair. She won the competition thanks to her protégée Sydney, a constantly dazzling young rapper!
While working on her 6th album in early 2018, the singer-songwriter decided to take control of her career. Her growing desire to become in charge of her destiny lead her to decide not to renew her contracts with Productions J after 15 years of collaboration. She assembled her crew and, with wind in her sails, she forged ahead!
Her sixth and latest album Elle et moi came out in November 2018. The two first singles Empire and Je décolle were widely praised on the radio, both reaching the number one position on the charts. The music videos have record views and the artist announced not one or two, but three shows at the Bell Centre for February 2019. This brings her total to 15 solo shows at the Bell Centre, unheard of for a Quebec singer-songwriter! In December, she ended the year by participating in the celebrated Walk of Fame, where she performed a tribute to the late Leonard Cohen.
2019, on a roll!
Just as she is beginning a tour that will take her from the Bell Centre to the Videotron Centre, through all regions of Quebec, Marie-Mai is offered a new challenge, participating as a permanent mentor in the 2nd Season of the popular Canadian show The Launch, alongside the famous Scott Borchetta (Big Machine Records). Released in January on CTV and Vrak (subtitled), this new opportunity revitalizes her dream of the English-speaking career she has wanted for a long time.
What comes next can only be more exciting!
To be continued…