Nouvelle Star (season 7)
# Nouvelle Star (season 7)

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

| Date | Theme | Bottom Three | Bottom Three | Bottom Three |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 14 April | | Yoann Pigny | Leïla Aissaoui | Thomas Bonneau |
| 21 April | Love Songs | Mélissa Reffas | Thomas Bonneau (2) | Leïla Aissaoui (2) |
| 28 April | Dance Floor | Mahdi Jaggae | Leïla Aissaoui (3) | Lary Lambert |
| 5 May | | Lary Lambert (2) | Thomas Bonneau (3) | Dalé Grenoble |
| 12 May | Cinema | Damien | Leïla Aissaoui (4) | Dalé Grenoble (2) |
| 19 May | Viewer's Choice | Dalé Grenoble (3) | Soan Faya | Thomas Bonneau (4) |
| | | Bottom Two | Bottom Two |
| 26 May | Quarterfinal | Thomas Bonneau (5) | Camélia Jordana |
| 2 June | Semifinal | Camélia-Jordana (2) | Soan Faya (2) |
| 9 June | Final | Leïla 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) | Song | Original Artist | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Semifinalist (Age) | Song | Original Artist | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Result |
| Antoine Vignette (25) | Viva La Vida | Coldplay | | | | | Eliminated |
| Charlotte Robin (21) | You Know I'm No Good | Amy Winehouse | | | | | Eliminated |
| Maria Paz (21) | Porque Te Vas | Jeanette | | | | | Eliminated |
| Mickaël Frémeaux (25) | Voyage, Voyage | Desireless | | | | | Eliminated |
| Yasmina (17) | I Was Made For Loving You | Kiss | | | | | Eliminated |

## Finalists

### Soan Faya

Soan Faya - 27 years old, auditioned in Paris.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Le Vent Nous Portera | Noir Désir | | | | | 6th / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | Ma Petite Entreprise | Alain Bashung | | | | | 3rd / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | Boys Don't Cry | The Cure | | | | | 5th / Top 8 |
| Top 8 | Les Mots bleus | Christophe | | | | | 1st / Top 7 |
| Top 7 | Alabama Song | The Doors | | | | Absent | 1st / Top 6 |
| Top 6 | Requiem pour un con | Serge Gainsbourg | | | | | 2nd / Top 5 |
| Top 6 | My Way | Frank Sinatra | | | | | 2nd / Top 5 |
| Top 5 | Seven Nation Army | The White Stripes | | | | | 4th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 5 | Ces gens-là | Jacques Brel | | | | | 4th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 4 | La mauvaise réputation | Georges Brassens / Sinsemilia | | | | | 1st / Top 3 |
| Top 4 | One | U2 | | | | | 1st / Top 3 |
| Top 3 | Poupée de cire, poupée de son | France Gall | | | | | 2nd / Top 2 |
| Top 3 | L'acordéonniste | Edith Piaf | | | | | 2nd / Top 2 |
| Top 3 | Personal Jesus | Depeche Mode | | | | | 2nd / Top 2 |
| Finale | Je veux du soleil | Au P'tit Bonheur | | | | | 1st / Winner |
| Finale | Aux sombres héros de l'amer | Noir Désir | | | | | 1st / Winner |
| Finale | Break On Through | The Doors | | | | | 1st / Winner |

### Leïla Aissaoui

Leïla Aissaoui - 18 years old, auditioned in Rennes.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Marcia Baila | Rita Mitsouko | | | | | 5th / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | My Baby Just Cares For Me | Nina Simone | | | | | 9th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 9 | Dès que je te vois | Vanessa Paradis | | | | | 7th / Bottom 3 |
| Top 8 | Wannabe | Spice Girls | | | | | 6th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 7 | Frozen | Madonna | | | | Absent | 2nd / Top 6 |
| Top 6 | Think | Aretha Franklin | | | | | 5th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 6 | Parle plus bas | Dalida | | | | | 5th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 5 | Babooshka | Kate Bush | | | | | 1st / Top 4 |
| Top 5 | Ma plus belle histoire d'amour | Barbara | | | | | 1st / Top 4 |
| Top 4 | Girls Just Wanna Have Fun | Cyndi Lauper | | | | | 2nd / Top 3 |
| Top 4 | Mon amie la rose | Françoise Hardy | | | | | 2nd / Top 3 |
| Top 3 | Ma révérence | Véronique Sanson | | | | | 1st / Top 2 |
| Top 3 | Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps | Doris Day | | | | | 1st / Top 2 |
| Top 3 | Mon Coeur, mon Amour | Anaïs | | | | | 1st / Top 2 |
| Finale | Crazy | Gnarls Barkley | | | | | 2nd / Runner-Up |
| Finale | I Don't Know | Noa | | | | | 2nd / Runner-Up |
| Finale | Fais-moi une place | Julien Clerc | | | | | 2nd / Runner-Up |

### Camélia-Jordana

Camélia Jordana - 16 years old, auditioned in Marseille.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Quelqu'un ma dit | Carla Bruni | | | | | 2nd / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | Heart Of Glass | Blondie | | | | | 6th / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | I Wanna Be Loved By You | Marilyn Monroe | | | | | 3rd / Top 8 |
| Top 8 | Womanizer | Britney Spears | | | | | 3rd / Top 7 |
| Top 7 | Le Coup de Soleil | Richard Cocciante | | | | Absent | 4th / Top 6 |
| Top 6 | Anyone Else But You | The Moldy Peaches | | | | | 1st / Top 5 |
| Top 6 | Que reste-t-il de nos amours ? | Charles Trenet | | | | | 1st / Top 5 |
| Top 5 | Ton invitation | Louise Attaque | | | | | 2nd / Top 4 |
| Top 5 | Back to Black | Amy Winehouse | | | | | 2nd / Top 4 |
| Top 4 | Killing Me Softly With His Song | Roberta Flack / The Fugees | | | | | 3rd / Bottom 2 |
| Top 4 | La Madrague | Brigitte Bardot | | | | | 3rd / Bottom 2 |
| Top 3 | Foundations | Kate Nash | | | | | 3rd / Eliminated |
| Top 3 | Mistral gagnant | Renaud | | | | | 3rd / Eliminated |
| Top 3 | Paint It Black | Rolling Stones | | | | | 3rd / Eliminated |

### Thomas Bonneau

Thomas Bonneau - 17 years old, auditioned in Toulouse.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Tatoue Moi | Opéra Rock Mozart | | | | | 8th / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | Dans La Maison Vide | Michel Polnareff | | | | | 8th / Bottom 3 |
| Top 9 | Onde Sensuelle | Matthieu Chedid | | | | | 8th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 8 | Maniac | Michael Sembello | | | | | 4th / Top 7 |
| Top 7 | Tu m'oublieras | Régine / Larusso | | | | Absent | 6th / Bottom 2 |
| Top 6 | Four to the Floor | Starsailor | | | | | 3rd / Top 5 |
| Top 6 | Ce n'est rien | Julien Clerc | | | | | 3rd / Top 5 |
| Top 5 | Ça plane pour moi | Plastic Bertrand | | | | | 3rd / Bottom 3 |
| Top 5 | Love Today | Mika | | | | | 3rd / Bottom 3 |
| Top 4 | New York avec toi | Téléphone | | | | | 4th / Eliminated |
| Top 4 | Starman | David Bowie | | | | | 4th / Eliminated |

### Dalé

Dalé - 24 years old, auditioned in Lyon.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | I've Been Loving You Too Long | Otis Redding | | | | | 1st / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | You Are So Beautiful | Joe Cocker | | | | | 5th / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | Toi et le soleil | Claude François | | | | | 4th / Top 8 |
| Top 8 | What'd I Say | Ray Charles | | | | | 1st / Top 7 |
| Top 7 | Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais | Serge Gainsbourg | | | | Absent | 5th / Bottom 3 |
| Top 6 | Toute la musique que j'aime | Johnny Hallyday | | | | | 4th / Bottom 3 |
| Top 6 | Sympathy For The Devil | The Rolling Stones | | | | | 4th / Bottom 3 |
| Top 5 | Mon paradis | Christophe Maé | | | | | 5th / Eliminated |
| Top 5 | On Broadway | George Benson | | | | | 5th / Eliminated |

### Damien Vanni

Damien Vanni - 29 years old, auditioned in Lyon.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Wicked Game | Chris Isaak | | | | | 3rd / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | L'Autre Finistère | Les Innocents | | | | | 4th / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | Everybody's Got To Learn Sometimes | The Korgis | | | | | 1st / Top 8 |
| Top 8 | Elle a les yeux revolver | Marc Lavoine | | | | | 5th / Top 7 |
| Top 7 | Wonderwall | Oasis | | | | Absent | 3rd / Top 6 |
| Top 6 | Le Premier Jour (du reste de ta vie) | Étienne Daho | | | | | 6th / Eliminated |
| Top 6 | No Woman No Cry | Bob Marley | | | | | 6th / Eliminated |

### Lary Lambert

Lary Lambert - 20 years old, auditioned in Paris.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Si Seulement Je Pouvais Lui Manquer | Calogero | | | | | Saved / Bottom 6 |
| Top 10 | You Give Me Something | James Morrison | | | | | 7th / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | I'm Not In Love | 10 CC | | | | | 2nd / Top 8 |
| Top 8 | L'Encre de tes yeux | Francis Cabrel | | | | | 6th / Bottom 3 |
| Top 7 | I Heard It Through The Grapevine | Marvin Gaye | | | | Absent | 7th / Eliminated |

### Mahdi Jaggae

Mahdi Jaggae - 27 years old, auditioned in Marseille.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | I'm Yours | Jason Mraz | | | | | 4th / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | Pastime Paradise | Stevie Wonder | | | | | 1st / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | Aïcha | Khaled | | | | | 6th / Top 8 |
| Top 8 | Always On The Run | Lenny Kravitz | | | | | 8th / Eliminated |

### Mélissa Reffas

Mélissa Reffas - 18 years old, auditioned in Lille.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | I'm Outta Love | Anastasia | | | | | 7th / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | Mamy Blue | Nicoletta | | | | | 2nd / Top 9 |
| Top 9 | I'm So Excited | The Pointer Sisters | | | | | 9th / Eliminated |

### Yoann Pigny

Yoann Pigny - 21 years old, auditioned in Paris.

| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Jury Vote | Callout / Result |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Song(s) | Original Artist(s) | Manœuvre | Manoukian | Lio | Sinclair | Callout / Result |
| Top 15 | Cargo | Axel Bauer | | | | | 9th / Top 10 |
| Top 10 | Les Voisines | Renan Luce | | | | | 10th / Eliminated |

## Elimination chart

| Females | Males | Top 25 | Top 13 | Wild Card | Winner |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Safe | Safe First | Safe Last | Eliminated | Top 15 Save |
| Stage: | Stage: | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Week: | Week: | 4/7 | 4/14 | 4/21 | 4/28 | 5/5 | 5/12 | 5/19 | 5/26 | 6/2 | 6/9 |
| Place | Contestant | Result | Result | Result | Result | Result | Result | Result | Result | Result | Result |
| 1 | Soan Faya | 6th | 3rd | 5th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | Bottom 2 | 1st | Bottom 2 | Winner |
| 2 | Leïla Aissaoui | 5th | Bottom 2 | 7th | Bottom 2 | 2nd | Bottom 2 | 1st | 2nd | 1st | Runner-Up |
| 3 | Camélia Jordana | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | Bottom 2 | Elim | |
| 4 | Thomas Bonneau | 8th | 8th | Bottom 2 | 4th | Bottom 2 | 3rd | 3rd | Elim | | |
| 5 | Dalé | 1st | 5th | 4th | 1st | 5th | 4th | Elim | | | |
| 6 | Damien Vanni | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 5th | 3rd | Elim | | | | |
| 7 | Lary Lambert | Saved | 7th | 2nd | 6th | Elim | | | | | |
| 8 | Mahdi Jaggae | 4th | 1st | 6th | Elim | | | | | | |
| 9 | Mélissa Reffas | 7th | 2nd | Elim | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Yoann Pigny | 9th | Elim | | | | | | | | |
| 11–15 | Antoine Vignette | Elim | | | | | | | | | |
| 11–15 | Charlotte Robin | Elim | | | | | | | | | |
| 11–15 | Maria Paz | Elim | | | | | | | | | |
| 11–15 | Mickaël Frémeaux | Elim | | | | | | | | | |
| 11–15 | Yasmina | Elim | | | | | | | | | |
