Jessica describes Stars à Domicile (translated)

[Cooney]

Originally posted by Jessica on her website: http://www.melodalizee.com

Watch the video she is talking about here: http://moi-alizee.us/play/?v=30

Woot! Translation complete! aFrenchie's got me set straight on a couple things I didn't catch, and it's ready to go! It's being posted in two parts (two consecutive posts), as it's so long, the forums won't allow it in one.

Part 1:

My Meeting

How do you talk about that meeting, about MY meeting with the one I’ve admired more than any other for over 6 years now… Where do you start? I don’t really know. I’ll just talk about that meeting from the heart. You may have already seen it on TV on Stars à Domicile, I’m going to try, today, to let you live it from the inside… Let’s start!

The Surprise

It all started April 10th, 2003: I got up rather late (It was Easter vacation!), still shaken by the dream I’d been having, it was about a meeting with my fairy. Yes, I think that I had a premonition that I’d meet her! In short, the day went by: I was expecting to go with my mom to Arcachon to go shopping that same afternoon. Around 2PM my mom went to the supermarket near my house, ostensibly she needed to buy some glue for my step-father, who’s a handyman! In reality, she had a meeting with the whole crew of Stars à Domicile, at the end of which they put a mic on her! From that moment on, all that I said was being listened to! Around 2:20PM she returned, and we left in the direction of Arcachon!…

We have a bad habit of never being able to find a parking spot (because it’s a tourist town!), but a car was just leaving the minute we arrived in the center of town! Coincidence? Heck no! In reality, the spot was picked and chosen for the trap: the car that left was in fact a crew car for the broadcast that was waiting upon our arrival, to kindly give us its spot. In short, everything seemed normal… we began our little tour of the shops, I found myself some pants (the red pants that I wear on the stage, incidentally!), and we arrived outside the shoe store… When I didn’t mention the poster for Mes Courants Electriques… which was inside, my mom said to me: “Look there at what’s inside!” We went in, and I found myself in front of a magnificent poster. I had to have it. I went up the clerk (fake clerk!) and asked her if I could have it. She told me she’d already promised it to another, but she proposed something: it was 3PM, if at 4PM she hadn’t come back, she’d give it to me! Full of hope, I went back out in to Arcachon, thinking of only one thing: That poster! 4PM: we go back to the store, the poster was still there…

So happy to see it still in place in the store, I said to myself “Awesome, the girl didn’t come, I’m going to get it!” But the clerk asked me to be patient for a few more minutes to see if the girl would show up (yes, they had to wait for Lili to arrive!) Then, after she gave me my disappointment on the subject of the Alizée poster, I saw a camera come in to the store. At that moment I said to myself “Cool, I’m going to be on TV!” Then the music started, and I recognized the intro of J’en ai marre!: “Sweet, it’s J’en ai marre!” I never expected that she would appear in just a couple seconds! Then, THE shock, the biggest shock of my life I think… a little doll made her appearance in the store and began to sing… It’s her… the tears flowed down my face, that was it, I understood, Stars à Domicile… the program I watch all the time, the fans I always envy, today it was my turn… I can’t come to grips with it, I take her in my arms: She is so fragile and so small! She smells so good, She is so beautiful, so well dressed, in short, perfect… An angel I tell you! I try to sing with her but the words hardly make it out of my mouth, I’m so enraptured in front of her… she’s there for me, to talk to me, to touch me… Incomprehensible a few minutes before, me, who prayed for a poster! If I had known… I try to get a grip on my emotions, to recover my senses, but it doesn’t work and I can’t stop crying! Then, a man from the crew tells me we’re going to re-shoot the hug… yes, I had to cry again (that wasn’t very hard, for sure)! But it was so that I could sing a bit more with her, up to the editing standards! Quickly we reset to re-do THE shock! Then, Lili told me that we were going to my house: Second shock! The first thing that I thought: my room is a mess (even though my mom had asked me to clean it before we went out! But my step-father, knowing we were coming home, had put my things in order!) Alizée and I left the store: there were lots of people outside who asked what was going on… We crammed ourselves in to a car, with my mom and my half sister (she also was there, but wasn’t in on it! THE shock for her, too!) being just ahead to lead us back to our house…

In the car, the conversation began: she asked me what I’d bought while I was at the stores, we talked about Corsica, about Ajaccio… in short, about everything and nothing! All was so natural between us… a dream! Then, as the car arrives outside the house, my brother who isn’t in on it wonders what’s going on and runs in the direction of my mother to ask her. Very happy with who I arrive with, he remains very reserved and very intimidated the entire time Lili’s at our house! We get out of the car and enter. Lili thinks the house is big, it’s the first thing she said upon entry!

Then we went to my room… She enters my world, she’s there, I don’t realize that she’s in the room where I pass the time listening to her, looking at her, and admiring her… My first instinct was to offer her the diploma that I’d prepared for her if one day I had the good luck to meet her. She thanked me. Then Lili goes to redo her makeup in my little sister’s room!

We joined back together in the living room, where we could drink some champagne! “We toast to who?”…”To Jessica!”… I still can’t believe it. Alizée is here, with me, and said my name!

What to say, what to do… in those moments it wasn’t clear, but everything happened naturally. Then the cameras stopped filming, and Olivier (her manager) came to see us to tell us we can take off our microphones and go to my room to have some time alone together, by ourselves… There I showed her all the things I had of hers, and asked her the questions I wanted to… At one point, Lili was sitting at my desk and said to me “I’m going to give you my cell phone number, that way we can talk to each other. But careful, keep it safe, I trust you…” And me, I could only respond with a tiny “Yes, thank you” in a trembling voice. After the surprise, I could continue to talk to her… She gave it to me written on a piece of paper that I held close with extreme care. Then, Olivier came, and says to Alizée that it’s time to leave: she has a plane to catch to return to Paris (the day before, she was doing a promo in Spain, and stopped by Bordeaux to surprise me before leaving again for Paris…). We moved towards the exit. My brother asked her, in a very timid voice “May I have an autograph?…”. Too cute… Alizée agreed, and signed an autograph for him. Lili made sure they weren’t forgetting anything, then I asked her when I would see her again. She replied that it would be at the filming of the show, none-the-less, she invited me to the Olympia! Decidedly, this is to good to be true… I would make the arrangements with Olivier and the record label for the day, and all the organization. But, that’s another story…

At one point, outside, the crew brought the famous poster that Lili dedicated to me. Then, she got in the car and wished me a good night, and said see you soon! It’s only when the car had disappeared that I really understood what had just come to life… I was realizing my dream: meeting her that I admire more than anybody, on Stars à Domicile… I broke down in tears in the arms of my mother, who said to me that I’d see her again soon. Reason being, I was going to Paris to film the show…

The whole crew of Stars à Domicile remained a bit longer at my house: Brigitte, the woman who set up the surprise start-to-finish with my mom, asked me my impressions, what I was feeling, etc… Then, after eating some cake and offering me another small poster upon which was written “Alizée” in red, upon a gray background, they left also… We found ourselves, for the moment, alone in the house after the emotions we’d gone through… An extraordinary adventure. In the evening, after having called all my relatives to tell them what I’d just done (They didn’t know whether to believe me or not!), I sent an SMS to Lili, not expecting a response. A few minutes later, when I was in my room with my mom, my cell-phone rang… It was her, she wished me good night in turn… third shock of the day… I couldn’t comprehend it (besides, I still can’t comprehend it, even three years later!) My hands had her scent, her perfume… A little anecdote: I didn’t wash my hands, and I wiped them with tissues in hopes of keeping that scent that was so special to me, her scent! But no, that didn’t work, the next morning the tissues no longer had the scent of Alizée from the day before. I went to bed, head in the stars, and didn’t fall asleep until much later in the night, after going over the events of the day hundreds of times… and it wasn’t finished!

[Cooney]

Part 2:

Filming of the show…

25th of June, 2003, morning: headed to Paris by plane for the filming of the show (the time was so long from April to June!) I knew I was going to see Lili: such happiness… We arrived in Paris around noon, with my mom, my little brother, and my half sister. There, a taxi with a placard bearing my name awaited us to bring us to our hotel! It was located just behind the recording studio where we were going: La Maison de la Radio – door A – studio 102! After we had dropped off our things, we decided to go see a bit of the capital: We had to meet at the studio at 7PM! We first went out on the Champs-Elysées where I found, at Fnac, the Pock-It JEAM as well as the CDM international JEAM/I’M FED UP! Lili Forever!! In short, after we went under the Eiffel Tower, we returned to the hotel. It was 6PM. At that time, there was the daily show “Nice People” at that hour on TF1, presented by Flavie Flamant. I found it very funny because I was seeing her on TV, and in a couple hours I’d be looking her in the face!

7PM arrives, we go to the studio where we are met by Sophie (another woman involved in organizing the surprise with my mom) who led us to the fans’ dressing room. We found ourselves in some kind of little room set up as a dressing room for the occasion, where all the fans and their families who are going to the filming of the show wait (Raphaël for Lara Fabian, and Séphora for Jérem, notably): One corner for wardrobe (we each brought three different outfits, and the stylist told us which went best with the colors of the stage) where we dressed, a makeup corner, and hair corner with a sofa in the middle, and chairs. I went through the wardrobe, the makeup, and the hair, then I wanted to find out who was the fan of who with my mom. In a moment, they brought us plates of food: impossible for me to touch a thing, I’m way too stressed because I’m going to see Alizée (not even because I’m going to be on a television stage!)… Then, Brigitte came to see me to give me the questions that Flavie would ask me on stage, and to encourage me to speak my responses in such a way that I don’t get mixed up when the moment comes! Same for my mom (who is paralyzed with fright at the idea of speaking into a microphone!) and my little brother! Then my half-sister left with the other family members of fans who had to sit in the audience. The show would begin, they’d need to warm up the audience! A short while later, they came and got us: my mom and my little brother were placed on the stage, and the fans, we were placed in a small recess to the side of the stage where they’d put a small television so we could see what was going on on stage! The show begins: I know I’m going up first. Then I turn my head, and what do I see? Alizée, in her blue dress, preparing to enter on to the set: my heart skipped a beat. Then I could see on the little TV the play-back of the surprise. At the moment Alizée enters the store, I broke down in tears…

My makeup was running, they told me not to cry, but it didn’t help. The makeup artists came and fixed me up, and gave me tissues (You now have, henceforward, the explanation of why I was wiping my eyes with tissue the moment when I came on stage!) It was time for me to prepare, and enter the stage! There she is, Alizée waiting for me, I throw myself into her arms so happy to see her again… Then, the part you know! The question sequence (they cut a lot in editing, unfortunately) and Alizée performed J’ai pas Vingt Ans! She glowed like a thousand fires… At the moment where she had to leave the stage, I whispered in her ear “Will you wait for me? I have to stay on the stage until the end!” and she responded to me “Yes, of course!” The broadcast finished taping (around 1AM, even though we had started at 9PM!), Brigitte took us back stage to bring us to the stars’ dressing rooms. They told me that there was a little girl in Alizée’s dressing room, but if I waited a moment, I could go in with my mother (my little brother didn’t dare go in!) “Ah, Jessica!” said Olivier, who was also in the room with Alizée! Also there were Cristelle (Corsalizee) and Julie, another fan who had come with Cristelle and who later became my best friend!! We then dove right in to photos and autographs, Alizée, always with her natural ease, accepted all of this with an incredible kindness! Then, we talked and laughed! It lasted an hour, a magical hour, one more hour… an hour where you’re there, seeing it with your own eyes, and still can’t believe it… Then came the moment where Alizée had to leave (she had a photo shoot the next day!) I hugged her very tight in my arms, and told her to take care of herself… My heart hugged us together as we watched her depart from us down the long corridor to the exit. But I knew I’d see her again, the Olympia would come soon… Then, after Alizée left, I had a little discussion with Jérémy, who signed an autograph for me and took a photo with me! A few minutes later, he left as well… to rejoin Lili, I think (Yes, at that time they were a couple, and nobody knew it!). Then Julie and Cristelle also left, after we exchanged addresses and phone numbers… It was the start of a great friendship between us!

My mom, my brother, my half-sister, and I remained in the room with the whole crew that organized the surprise. We talked, and then we returned to the hotel. I went over, again, those magical moments. It was nearly 3AM, I turned on the TV and went to M6 to watch music videos and wait for everybody to get changed. Upon what video do I stumble? J’ai pas vingt ans! A few hours ago I was with her… I don’t believe it… My phone rings: It was her… she wishes me good night and tells me she’s very happy to have seen me… My heart sang… I succeeded in falling asleep, but much later, my mind was still too occupied with what I’d experienced since April 10th, 2003, which had changed my life forever…

Thanks…

There you have it, that which is, for me, the most wonderful time of my life. I’d like to thank the entire crew of Stars à Domicile, especially Brigitte and Sophie. Thank you for choosing me, thank you for bringing my dream to life.

Again, thank you a thousand times to Olivier, for his kindness and availability, thanks for everything, I’ll never forget a thing! Thank you as well to you, little fairy, for everything. I have only one thing to say. I love you…

Finally, I would especially like to thank my mother because without her, the dream would never be realized. Thank you for supporting me, understanding me, and just for being there. You made my dream come true, I will hold that forever. I love you.

My meeting at the Olympia

To read the story of my meeting at the Olympia, you can find it on the site

www.nidalizee.com, on the page “Concerts – 27 Août 2003”…

[brad]

Thanks Cooney and aFrenchie! That is a great story :)

I moved this to its own thread so it will be easier for people to find.

[Cooney]

Thanks Cooney and aFrenchie! That is a great story :)

I moved this to its own thread so it will be easier for people to find.

Thanks, Brad :-)

[RMJ]

Very cool. :)

[mibir]

Such a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing Jessica and thanks cooney/frenchie for translating. :)

[aFrenchie]

Thanks for your credits, but Cooney really did the whole thing. I just had to fix and clarify some things here and there :)

[RMJ]

And sweet too... :( It always makes me cry. :(

[madraven]

Great story! Thanks Jessica, for sharing! and Thank you Cooney for taking the time to do the translation.

[jaco]

Cooney... awesome :)

[Cooney]

Thanks for your credits, but Cooney really did the whole thing. I just had to fix and clarify some things here and there :)

You're too kind :-)


Thanks all! Glad you're enjoying it. When I read it the first time, I knew it was a story we had to translate - it sent shivers up my spine.

I think the true credit goes to Jessica, for sharing her experience with the world!

[CK]

Wow great story thanks!
I love that video, everytime i watch it the hairs on the back of my neck stick up when she walks into the shop and starts to sing, also when i was reading it and got to the part where you met her they stook up there

Thanks for sharing this with us Jessica, Merci beaucoup
And thanks Cooney and aFrenchie for the translation

[Azereus]

Nice story and translation! Though the part about Jessica wiping her hand on a napkin in order to keep Alizee's scent was a bit excessive. But cute though.

[RMJ]

I'd do that, too...

But she should have put the napkin in a jar or something. Then the odor would have stayed there.

[bt_bird_90]

Wow, that wrecked me... that was real... and Alizée was there... really... with Jessica... the Jessica on here... and, this happened... for real... that was really Alizée... give me a few days to comprehend this :eek::eek: :eek:

[nurvonic]

outstanding story. im with big bird...i need a few days to recooperate..lol

[DJ_Greg]

Wow, that wrecked me... that was real... and Alizée was there... really... with Jessica... the Jessica on here... and, this happened... for real... that was really Alizée... give me a few days to comprehend this :eek::eek: :eek:

You're such a 14 yr old girl. :p


Anyway, thanks to Cooney/aFrenchie for the translation. How long did that take you??

[garçoncanadien]

haha he said nonstop ~10 hours ... that's a long time in one block! anyway may I offer an electronic high five to you Cooney! Fantastic job of writing us that translation.

[Rocket]

Fantasic story! I'm even more impressed that it's been two pages and nobody mentioned which keyboard is better. :p

[aFrenchie]

I'm even more impressed that it's been two pages and nobody mentioned which keyboard is better. :p
Funny Rocket :D. So Cooney you did all this with a QWERTY?? :p :blink: (no reply required!!!!!!!)

[C-4]

Thank you to everyone involved in translating this amazing adventure. I felt as I was reading it that I was there.
I also wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Stephen

[Cooney]

Sorry to be gone there, had to go to work!

I think it was about 6 hours of true work. I read it on the website in French originally, and got the idea of it. After sending Jessica an Email, I printed a copy and read it a couple more times, to make sure I wasn't missing any big ideas.

I started working on actually transcribing it by hand a bit before 0500, and that kept up until 0945, where I had a complete copy. I started typing it up immediately, and finished at about 1030, when I sent it to aFrenchie and went to bed. When I got back up, he'd proofed it and sent me his suggestions, which I added in just before posting the completed product.

I'm really quite happy that people like it - I had a blast doing it, and the story definitely gives me delighted chills!

(And yes, I did it on a QWERTY :-P Though not so much an issue when taking things from French to English, I keep a small card with all the most commonly used (in French) accented letter ASCII codes attached to my monitor. Alizée's é is already natural enough for me as I type that I don't even have to slow down to do it :-P)

[DJ_Greg]

Fantasic story! I'm even more impressed that it's been two pages and nobody mentioned which keyboard is better. :p

Uh oh, here we go...

[C-4]

Cooney,
May I ask where you got your avatar of Alizée holding Oliver's Les Paul from the concert, please?
I've been looking for that particular photo everywhere, as that is the guitar I play and work on as well.
Thank you.
Stephen

[C-4]

Cooney,
May I ask where you found the picture of Alizée strumming Olivers' Les Paul? I have been looking for that picture for a long time as that is the same guitar I use at work.
Thank you,
Stephen
http://moi-alizee.us/forums/image.php?u=265&dateline=1161421952

[Cooney]

Hehe, well, as far as the avatar goes, I made it myself. I believe I took the picture straight out of the user gallery of one of the people here on moi-alizee.us, and simply shrunk and cropped it to make an avatar. It's one of my favorite moments from en concert :-)

[rwd716]

Great Story Jess! Do you mind if I call you that? (I always shorten my friends names)

By the way do you know the name of Lili's perfume? (I know that seems kind of stalker-ish, but I'm sure I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's wondering about the perfume. :cool:

[RMJ]

By the way do you know the name of Lili's perfume? (I know that seems kind of stalker-ish, but I'm sure I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's wondering about the perfume. :cool:
Lili has mentioned at least Angel by Thierry Mugler. Was supposed to be her favorite. But that was years ago anyways.

[rwd716]

Lili has mentioned at least Angel by Thierry Mugler. Was supposed to be her favorite. But that was years ago anyways.

Merci, RMJ!

[Rocket]

I just stick a couple of Brillo pads under my pits :blink:

[rwd716]

Lol!! :eek:

[RMJ]

I just stick a couple of Brillo pads under my pits :blink:
That's why you don't smell like an angel. :p

[Gatchaman]

Wow, thank you for translating this wonderful story!

[rwd716]

That's why you don't smell like an angel. :p

This keeps getting better!

[Kik045]

I just stick a couple of Brillo pads under my pits :blink:

thanks for that mental image...

[HibyPrime]

I just stick a couple of Brillo pads under my pits :blink:

Are you sure they aren't naturally there?

*ducks from the flying plate*

[nurvonic]

I just stick a couple of Brillo pads under my pits :blink:

LOL...dammit rocket, its too early in the morning for laughing

[Edcognito]

This is just about my favorite Alizee' video - Thanks for the translation. I was wondering if there was a video of Jessica describing this - i tried to follow a link (i think to her video) but i don't know a bit of French - and so immediately got lost. Was wondering if someone could post a link?

Thanks again for the translation!

[RMJ]

No, it's just written story.

[Zack -Alizee Lover-]

Why do i think i lived that experience?

[Edcognito]

And sweet too... :( It always makes me cry. :(

Glad i'm not the ONLY one! :) I've loved this video and I love this story!

Afrenchie and Cooney - ty for the translation! :D :D :D

wow - - - - -

just wow - - - -


Ed

P.S. - i know this is my second response to this thread - but i just read it again! :)

Ed

[aditya8617]

Thanks Cooney! It is intresting to read Jessica's intake.

[SupaKrupa]

Awww, lucky bugger :p

Thanks for the translations.

[DesertFox]

Its so real and tender that makes you want to cry.

One word...friendship.

Thanks for the translation.

Jessica you lucky girl you. :)

[wildfire]

Wow, I just came across this.. what a treasure! thanks to brad and the team here for making it possible, thanks to Jessica for sharing and Alizee for being so kind to share with her fans...

I'm almost as old as these two kids combined, but I was in tears reading this as I was watching the video. I'm the first one to say that that stars and celebs are still people, albeit some are extraordinary people, and nothing to get to worked up about. I guess living in LA has made me a little cynical. However Alizee is one of the few good role models for young women, especially in music IMHO, and to see how Jessica's fandom enriched her life in such an intimate story is incredible.

I've read here how many posters felt that Alizee makes them step up to their A-game... be it losing weight, ambitions, school.. really nice stories that seem to be so rare in an age where music has become a form of expressing oneself as a braggart pimp with material wealth but no real happiness. I hope Alizee gets to read these and the affect she's had on her fans and that it motivates her to continue her art, which is not easy in a commercial environment.

[VVVACCPLPNLY]

Great story, though ít sounds more as if a male in love with her had written it. This is very similar to the things I would say; the scent, that part touched me. I wouldn't try to save it by wiping my hands on tissues, and I habitually wash my hands fairly often. So I would loose it very quickly. But I would probably ask what she was wearing. For some reason, I always feel attracted to a good smelling woman. That just draws me in. I figured I would resurrect this thread, since we have a few new members, and she will be doing Star à Domicile this year.

[sumi1]

she will be doing Star à Domicile this year.

Actually, it is still not sure. She is in the list of probable celebrites, but as far as I know, nothing is finalized yet. Was there any confirmation for this that I missed?

[VVVACCPLPNLY]

No, but I have been a bit over-optimistic about it!:p Sorry, she may be doing it, but I too do not know for sure!

[Merci Alizée]

Actually, it is still not sure. She is in the list of probable celebrites, but as far as I know, nothing is finalized yet. Was there any confirmation for this that I missed?

I posted about this on a thread, can't give you a link now. If you find it, please check it.

[sumi1]

I know of that thread. This is what Roman said on that thread:
I will now do the party pooper thing one more time and point out that even if they had two "stars" per show they have too many listed there for a mere 6 shows. They will use this opportunity to gague interest while selecting who to actually use for the shows. Don't forget how fickle, complicated and hype driven show biz is. Point being, Alizée might be on the show if the show actually ever happens.

So she is in the list of probables, it is still not confirmed. But let us hope for the best :)

[Fall]

I know of that thread. This is what Roman said on that thread:


So she is in the list of probables, it is still not confirmed. But let us hope for the best :)
About Roman's quote, didn't they show like at least 2 or 3 stars besides Alizée that were also sharing the show? Jérémy, Ricky Martin and another lady. From what I remember anyway. I've never seen the full version of the show so I can't say.

[paintballpdh19]

great story.... thanks