MARTIN FONTAINE (1964- ) is a born musician. As a teenager, he played percussion, drums, bass, saxophone, cello and accompanied himself on guitar and on the piano. At the same time he developed his talents as a singer, he began composing his own songs. With his different musical projects, he built a real reputation of entertainer. The most famous is "Elvis Story" in which he personified Elvis Presley. Between 1995 and 2010, he gave close to 1,500 performances in North America, in Europe and in Asia in front of 1,6 million spectators. This makes of it the most Quebec popular musical show. On a Sunday in 2014, Nana had the pleasure of seeing him performing on a TV set. She found him great. Martin was also amazed by watching the video with Nana disguised as Elvis. He said he has found his substitute.

 

Woman of all the talents, LOUISE FORESTIER (1943- ) worked as author, actress and hostess. But she initially won fame through her music. Nana remembers the hymn "Lindberg" that she sang with Robert Charlebois in the show "L’Osstidcho" in 1968. With this song, she caused a shock wave using popular language, expressing a very urban poetry. Louise interviewed Nana in 1999 for Musimax and wrote the lyrics for "La chance", with music by Daniel Lavoie, for her. At Nana’s invitation, she flew to Paris to see her perform at the Olympia in 2002. Like Nana, she likes folklore and she recorded a stirring version of "Dans les prisons de Londres".

MAUREEN FORRESTER (1930-2010) is one of the world’s greatest contraltos. During her career which spans close to a half-century, the Diva gave up to 120 performances per year on five continents and performed with almost all the big orchestras and choirs in the world. Recipient of 30 honorary doctorates, she also taught singing and occupied various administrative positions. Today, her fans still take pleasure by listening again to her recordings, admiring the richness, clearness and power of her voice. Maureen and Nana sang "Plaisir d’amour" as a duet on the stage of the Place des Arts during the Gala "Celebration 80".

 

Literary man and politician, LOUIS FRÉCHETTE (1839-1908) was a lawyer, a journalist and a deputy. To the articles, the tales and the plays which he was the author, we must mention several poetry collections. If some of his writings were the subject of controversy, we recognized the talented writer and a burning defender of French culture when it was nearly nonexistent. In tribute to this character born in the area of Quebec City, in 1972, the main hall of the Grand Theatre was inaugurated in his memory. As Nana gave 59 concerts in that hall, Louis Fréchette is a familiar name for her.

ANDRÉ GAGNON (1936-2020) is a pianist of renown who began his career by becoming the accompanist of various artists, especially Claude Léveillée for whom he saw to all the arrangements. In 1969, he turned his focus to his own career of soloist and composer, producing album after album. The originality of his compositions, and harmonizing traditional and popular music, distinguished him from all other pianists and led him to perform in several countries, especially in Japan and in Korea where he has the most loyal audiences. To add to his accomplishments, he also composed several themes for movies, TV series and theatre. Dédé, as his close relations call him, came to greet Nana during her press conference announcing her 1970 tour.

GAROU (1972- ) became famous in France through his rendition of the character Quasimodo in the musical "Notre-Dame de Paris" in 1998. It is not surprising that he was an artist who won more fame outside of Quebec at the turn of the millennium, and that he started a solo career with all the success that we know he had. Nana attended the musical and she has been captivated at once by his charisma and talent as a singer. Garou was moved by their surprise encounter during a recent French TV program. He said that at six years old he and his family listened to her tapes in their car during the journey between Quebec and Florida. How could he imagine that one day he would record a duet with her?

MITSOU GÉLINAS (1970- ) grew up in show business, obtaining since early childhood roles in commercials and TV series. Today, she is known as a singer, businesswoman, TV host and actress. Nana crossed her path in 1988 on the TV set "L’autobus du show-business" where she sang her very first song "Bye bye mon cowboy" which obtained an instantaneous success throughout Canada.