Élodie Frégé was very transparent about the state of her finances. She even revealed that, twenty years later, she was still in debt following her victory at “Star Academy”. Invited by the singer Rose in her podcast “Contre-addictions”, she testifies.
In 2003, Élodie Frégé won the third season of the star Academy. But it wasn’t just her win that made her history. Indeed, very close to the other finalist, Michal Kwiatkowskishe had promised him that she would share his million-euro win with him if she won the adventure. Victorious with 51% of the votes of the public, this is therefore what she did indeed twenty years ago, thus entering the history of the famous tele-hook of TF1.
Elodie Frege “delighted” to have shared his gain with “this precious being that is Michal Kwiatkowski”
Guest in the podcast of the singer and now host Rose, named Counter-addictionsthe one who is now a recognized singer and actress explained that she had taken the pressure off by deciding to share the sum with her sidekick.
And Elodie Frégé obviously does not regret her choice at all. “I split my price, the contract with Universal, so the royalty advance was halved, and I’m thrilled. I am delighted to have been able to offer this gift to this precious being that is Michal Kwiatkowski”, she confided in the show. The only problem: by choosing to share this sum of money, she got into a bit of trouble financially…
Is Élodie Frégé in debt because of the star Academy ?
Indeed, although twenty years have passed, Élodie Frégé still owes money to her label. And for good reason, if Michal simply pocketed the check, Élodie Frégé was required to make up the advance made to her by her record company to produce her first album. “We are talking about 500,000 euros in advance. Michal, he didn’t make a record right away, that money was his since he didn’t have to pay it back if he didn’t make a record.
It was you who repaid above all, a lot“, Rose actually explained. To which Élodie Frégé, aged 40, immediately replied: “Tried, anyway”. It must be admitted that unlike Nolwenn Leroy or Jenifer, she did not sell as many albums, thus bringing much less money into the coffers.
Launched on the subject, the singer-songwriter and performer to whom we owe the tube The belt did not hesitate to give more details. And to the question “How do we get the refund?”so she replied tit for tat: “We don’t”. And to her to continue: “I’ve often tried to explain that in interviews where people cut corners, saying I won the lottery. No no, I didn’t win the lottery, I won an advance so it was already taxable at 48%”.
And to conclude, as if to set the scene behind the scenes: “And then in fact, when you know that you have to answer to such a big label, which expects you to be the new fashionable starlet and that suddenly you, by having lived through this experience at the Star Academy which is a magnificent test which allows you to learn a lot about yourself, finally you no longer want to do what they want to hear”.
