Stars in the eyes of the participants

K-pop masterclass: voices that blossom

This Saturday afternoon, the dance hall at Apolline École d'Arts is transformed into a K-pop temple for a masterclass like no other. Yeni, former vocal coach for YG Japan, leads a workshop with a small group of budding young singers.

As I enter, I'm struck by the spring light filtering through the windows, making the parquet glow and spreading a faint scent of wood. It's so good to feel the return of fine weather!

The first hesitant steps

Nine girls aged 8 to 14 are gathered, their eyes shining with a mixture of excitement and stage fright. Two hold hands, one chews her T-shirt, while I watch others exchange worried glances. Lila and Emie take deep breaths to chase away the butterflies in their stomachs.

Yeni addresses the group with an encouraging smile. She may have coached international K-POP (short for Korean pop) stars, but her benevolent gaze gives everyone confidence. "We're going to have fun and learn together, aren't we?" she says in a soft Korean voice. These words, translated by her sunny translator Laureline, bring shy smiles to everyone's faces.

The first voices to be heard are faint, but no mockery disturbs the trial: on the contrary, benevolent laughter encourages the most reserved. Little by little, the pleasure of singing together overcomes the initial shyness. Yeni announces the song chosen for the day's work, chosen by a vote of the participants: it will be "Spicy" by the group Aespa. Sparks sparkle in the eyes, and the voices unite in chorus, growing ever more assured.

The flight of voices

After this first step, Yeni proposes a solo exercise to add a little challenge! This involves singing very loudly, close to screaming, and solo in front of all the others, each in turn. The room falls silent. I see a student glance worriedly at her sister, whispering something that must have sounded like: "I'd like to try...". I see them laughing under their breath. You can feel their hearts racing. Yeni beckons to the first to approach. I hold my breath. The student takes a deep breath, and her voice rises, fragile at first, then more and more assured. The last note, pure and steady, triggers a thunderous cheer from her classmates. She blushes, but a broad smile of pride lights up her face.

Buoyed by this impetus, other girls dare to express themselves too. Soon, the whole group is on stage, and I can feel the confidence gradually building in the girls; tongues are loosened and the room vibrates with their voices and laughter. Once everyone has passed this test, it's party time, and there's no holding back the joy: the students are free and radiant.

At the end of the workshop, two students shared their feelings with me: Lila and her sister Emie. Lila, her voice still vibrating with emotion, tells me with passion: "At first, I was very apprehensive about singing in front of others... I was hot and felt the need to fiddle with things constantly. Yeni was great and made me feel really confident when I saw her getting fully involved in the exercises with me. It gave me the courage to take the plunge and dare. Now I'm super proud of myself!" Emie nods in agreement: "It was stressful for me too, but thanks to your help, I succeeded. You were all there and Yeni was so kind...". The two girls conclude by telling me how happy they are, and that the workshop has far exceeded their expectations. All they want to do is come back for a fuller, more intense workshop, this time including dance! I tell them that, who knows... maybe this summer!

I feel a surge of pride at having witnessed this progress. As I leave the room, I think back to the upcoming summer courses at Apolline. I can already see them continuing their artistic momentum, with more confident voices and smiles on their faces.

Cédric - Teacher at Apolline