Anna Ko Kolkowska

12 minutes ago, Hero said:

Hoo boy, they crammed all the emotions in that trailer! 

 

So the cross battles are voted for by the studio audience? Do the non-playing coaches get a vote too? 

If I recall well the super-coach has 10% of power in his/her vote which is added to the audience votes.

It was like this when Mika was a super-coach. His vote decided about the final winner.

A short interview filmed in Liverpool.

So here is my report. Or rather my diary from my travel to Manchester.

It was my first time in Manchester and I must admit that I really liked this city. Full of architectural contrasts evoking images from New York, Lyon or Paris. A city full of colors - even the hotel I chose was located in the Gay Village, which I learned about only when I got there. Rainbow markings everywhere on walls, sidewalks and benches. And at night there's a buzz in cafes and clubs.

I flew to Manchester in the morning on the day of the recording, which was Sunday. Since I had to wait until 2 p.m. for my hotel room, I decided to explore the city center. I heard from the media that Channel 4 was organizing a weekend event at the Arndale Shopping Centre. Among other things, a big keyboard was installed on the floor, on which you could play melodies with your feet. I had to see it! I even was ready to try playing it. I got there around noon. And of course, I immediately came across a group of fans from Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and, of course, England  The world is really small!

I shot a few videos and we decided to go visit the famous Saint George Cathedral.

As it turned out, St George's name day was celebrated on Sunday (as in Poland). And on this occasion, a huge parade was to pass through the city. Thank you @Anilado for the information! Another coincidence - the parade was due to pass in a few minutes, so we quickly found a great place to observe. I laughed that we had a place at the barrier, like at Mika's concerts. First row 🙂

If you would like to see it, here is a link to the video on YouTube.

After the parade, I was able to check into the hotel and get some rest. We decided to meet again around 4:30 p.m. at the recording location, i.e. at Aviva Studios.

And so we did. Animations were to be held on site from 4 p.m. These were performances by pianists - as I noticed only after the event - they were participants of the second edition of The Piano. And not only.

Anyway, I recognized Danny from the first edition. I follow him on Instagram and Twitter, so when I saw him sitting down at the piano, I got closer and started filming him. Then I posted the film on Instagram, which later turned out to be quite important.

This lady is probably a participant of the second season.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-3OyP09CIQ8

Then we had to take our seats.

We couldn't film, but I took out my phone a few times during breaks.

I also can't talk about the details of the performances yet.

But I became very emotional very quickly.

After all the finalists had performed, there was a break and Mika and Lang Lang left the hall to discuss who is the winner.

Well, they are all the winners but they will choose the performer who made the biggest impression this very evening.

They just had to pass in front of my seat, so I quickly recorded this short moment.

I won't say anything about the results. Let me just say that the performances were great, that I had tears in my eyes many times - and I wasn't the only one. The emotion will certainly be similar when watching individual episodes. This season, auditions took place in five cities: Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, London and Cardiff. Seven episodes were planned, even though initially there were only five.

Of course, our entire group was eager to meet Mika after the recording. But nothing was planned with the management.

Since we were sitting in different places in the hall, after the concert I went outside and started looking for my friends. I haven't seen them anywhere. I thought they might be waiting at the artists' exit, but I didn't know where that might be. However, I noticed a black Mercedes waiting with its lights on and I thought that it was probably waiting for Mika. Especially since the driver seemed familiar to me.

In the meantime, I exchanged messages on WhatsApp with Prisca. The entire group was inside Aviva Studios. I wrote that I thought I saw a car waiting for Mika, but no one joined me. I noticed Danny standing nearby. I walked up and introduced myself as being from Poland, and Danny replied that he was half-Polish, his mother was Polish His grandparents emigrated to England. He doesn't speak Polish himself. I told him that I was following him on SM, that I had recorded his performance before the show and posted it on Instagram. I showed him the post and he found it on his phone and started following my profile  

We were having a conversation and then suddenly someone stopped on my right and said something to Danny. I look at that person's face and…..it was Mika! Dressed in a gray coat and a gray cap, he was almost unrecognizable! This is probably his method of becoming invisible

There was no time to talk. It was obvious that Mika was in a hurry. I just said that I had just found out that Danny had Polish roots and Mika already ran to the car. There were several ladies with him with large paper bags. Everyone quickly jumped into the van and the car quickly drove away.

I let Prisca know that Mika had just left.

We finally found each other and decided to find a bar or restaurant to eat and talk.

Ultimately, however, me and Ani left the group and returned to our hotels. I had been on my feet since 3:00 a.m., so I needed some rest.

But that wasn't the end yet. The Piano returned to me the next day. At around 10:30 I arrived at Manchester Piccadilly Station to buy a train ticket to the airport and sandwiches for my journey. In the noise of the station, I suddenly hear the sounds of a piano. I get closer and see a young man playing a song (I think it's a tune from Sounds Of Music). A woman stands next to him and records him with her phone and giving him some instructions. But what was interesting, there was a sticker from The Piano program on the piano, talking about the search for participants for the next edition. You can watch this video here.

Then I went to get some sandwiches and when I came back the piano was gone!!!!

It's good that I recorded it, because I would have started to doubt whether it really happened

Then, on the plane, I watched my videos and photos. And I found the BBC One Show video in which Mika and Claudia Winkleman talked about the new edition. The trailer of the program was then shown. This time I recognized the faces of several participants! But I also saw a young man there who looked like the one at Manchester station. As @Kumazzz already mentioned above this is the man! So I will learn his name later after the episode from Manchester will be broadcast.

And at the end this rubbish video with Mika's Mercedes going away. 

39 minutes ago, krysady said:

Do we know how many episodes will be this time?

I've read somewhere there will be 7 episodes instead of 5 planned at the beginning.

As well before the recording they asked us to keep it secret during next 7 weeks.

So actually there was 5 locations:

Edinburgh

Cardiff

London

Manchester

Liverpool

I hope it's not a spoiler if I say that Mika and Lang Lang decided to choose 7 finalists.

So maybe that is why there will be 7 episodes? Or 6 episodes plus the finals?

I found this text confirming 7 episodes:

https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/television/the-piano-season-2-claudia-winkelman-start-date-channel-4-spin-off-confirmed-4596585

9 hours ago, Kumazzz said:

 

Anna Thanks a lot for sharing !

 

That guy in Your INSTAGRAM post

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6DxG1nA1wH/

 

is in the Channel 4 trailer "The Piano Season - 2"

 

 

 

Thank you Eriko for your confirmation  I was not sure.

5 minutes ago, CharlotteL said:

Hey @Anna Ko Kolkowska I edited that one sentence out of your post cause I think it's a biig spoiler!!

Funny thing happened today at the Manchester Piccadilly train station. There was a piano with a sticker with an announcement from The Piano production that they are looking for pianists.

There was a young man playing and a woman was filming him with her mobile giving him some instructions.

As I was in The Piano mood I stopped and started to film too.

Then I went to buy me a sandwich. When I came back the piano was gone!!!!

There was only another old piano like 5 meters further.

On the airplane I rewatched the video from BBC One Show. They put there a short trailer with some pianists from the show.

I think that the guy I saw today was in the trailer as well. I am not sure (you can see him for like a fraction of second) but I think it was him.

We will find out soon.

I posted my video on my Instagram account.

On 4/15/2024 at 4:34 PM, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

I think it should be something with a piano line.

 

Over My Shoulder

Tiny Love, Blue Eyes (!)

Or maybe something from his UK tour like Popular Song? Or Good Guys? Or Billy Brown?

 

 

 

 

 

 

So one of the songs Mika performed is on this list 

3 hours ago, Kumazzz said:

IG story

Danny Wilsher ( Season One's finalist )

https://www.instagram.com/stories/danieljameswilsher/

 

Thanks to Danny I met Mika after the show.

10 seconds only but anyway 😜

33 minutes ago, Kumazzz said:

IG stories

 

https://www.instagram.com/stories/bradkella/

 

 

 

MIKA dressing room

 

 

LANG LANG dressing room

 

 

CLAUDIA dressing room

 

 

It's a view from the upper floor of the Aviva Studios.

41 minutes ago, Kumazzz said:

 

This clip is a part of shooting.

 

TiKTok

 

And there was this other one:

Last tickets for The Piano available here (only last row in the circle).

https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/the-piano/29291/

16 minutes ago, mellody said:

Sadly it won't let me watch, also not with a VPN.  So I hope someone's recording.

Try this one. I can watch it with my VPN

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone

38 minutes ago, mellody said:

So it seems he's in the UK today for The One Show? If people are asked to send in questions, that doesn't sound like it's prerecorded. So he's either there live, or at least on the phone.

It happened to him to be in the studio via internet on a screen. Was it before Eurovision?

But maybe he is already in the UK for the preparations of The Piano?

They have to have some rehearsals like it was for the first season.

2 hours ago, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

Do you think I can use this big piano like this?

Jumping of course, not with my fingers 🤣

Only if am able to jump from C to G.

Maybe the only one chance in my life!

 

 

I am not joking.

It's so hard to skip!!!!

But I made my own keyboard 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Do you think I can use this big piano like this?

Jumping of course, not with my fingers 🤣

Only if am able to jump from C to G.

Maybe the only one chance in my life!

24 minutes ago, Hero said:

It's here, the Exchange Court runs through both the Lower Mall and Upper Mall levels (basically ground floor and 1st floor). The ground floor is an open space, the upper area is enclosed. 

 

Oh, thank you Andrea. I couldn't find the Exchange Court on the Google Map - but it seems to be the name of the mall part.

2 hours ago, mellody said:

It's Venice!  Hadn't expected that. I wonder what he's doing there... do we know who the man and the woman in the boat are? 

Aren't it his friends living in Venezia?

The guy from conservatory who played the piano with Mika.

I don't remember his name now.

EDIT: Giovanni and Servane Giol.

The guy has a beard so I am not 100%sure. But another one stearing the boat can be Giovanni.

There was an event the 17th of April in Venise. Servane posted some stories.

2 hours ago, mellody said:

 

Aww this sounds so fun! I'd love to be there, just to replay that scene from the movie.  

I was checking yesterday on the Google maps where it is. I will try to find it. But it looks like it's a huge mall. I hope there will be some signs to find it 😜

30 minutes ago, Kumazzz said:

 

SETLIST

• 1 - INTRO + Bougez
• 2 - Apocalypse Calypso
• 3 - Talk About You
• 4 - Sweetie Banana
• 5 - Feels Like Fire
• 6 - Underwater
• 7 - Relax, Take It Easy
• 8 - Yo - Yo
• 9 - Jane Birkin
• 10 - Big Girl ( You Are Beautiful )
• 11 - Elle Me Dit
• 12 - Moi, Andy et Paris
• 13 - Billy Brown
• 14 - Twincle Twincle Little Star + Grace Kelly
• 15 - C'est la Vie
• 16 - Happy Ending
• 17 - Love Today
• 18 - Any Other World
• 19 - We Are Golden

After Elle Me Dit he sings 30 secondes and Billy Brown. So not Moi Andy et Paris after Jane Birkin.

35 minutes ago, krysady said:

Nina said it was extra.

And I've read that Mika switched Moi Andy et Paris into Billy Brown.

7 minutes ago, Hero said:

More than four stations too, wasn't it? They've just copy pasted the text from last time! 

Of course they made copy/paste!!!!!

I think it will be four stations

Cardiff

Edinburgh

London

Liverpool

Right?

18 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

   Getting very excited about this now!!! I'm beginning to wonder what Mika might perform, I imagine it will be towards the end again. I'm thinking either SITM or Billy Brown. Or both!!!

 

   I doubt he'll sing one of his new French songs (shame, but also understandable) but maybe something from MNIMH would also work 🤔

I think it should be something with a piano line.

Over My Shoulder

Tiny Love, Blue Eyes (!)

Or maybe something from his UK tour like Popular Song? Or Good Guys? Or Billy Brown?

10 hours ago, Kumazzz said:

TF1 INFO

https://www.tf1info.fr/culture/programme-tv-tf1-the-voice-2024-mika-avait-promis-une-battle-superbe-entre-olema-et-marie-flamme-il-a-eu-raison-2295112.html

Publié le 13 avril 2024 à 23h09

 

"The Voice" : Mika avait promis une battle "superbe" entre Oléma et Marie-Flamme, il a eu raison

 

Les deux jeunes femmes ont tenté de décrocher leur billet pour l’étape suivante en reprenant "L’Enfer" de Stromae ce samedi 13 avril.

 

"Vous avez fait du beau", leur a lancé leur coach, fier de leur harmonie parfaite, unanimement saluée.

 

 

Depuis son fauteuil installé au milieu de la scène, Mika avait prévenu. "Ça va être superbe, vous allez voir", a-t-il lancé avant de conseiller à ses camarades de "mettre leur ceinture". Pour cette deuxième session des battles de "The Voice", le coach a fait s’affronter deux talents d’une grande délicatesse. D’un côté, la fée Oléma qui avait séduit aux auditions à l’aveugle avec "Mad World". De l’autre, la guerrière viking passionnée par les sirènes, Marie-Flamme, qui a fait "sortir le geek" chez l'interprète de "Grace Kelly".

 

Mika ne fait pas un cadeau aux jeunes femmes en leur réservant "L’Enfer", titre puissant de Stromae qui évoque la dépression. "Un défi" pour les principales intéressées, qui l’ont relevé haut la main d’emblée. De quoi donner des frissons à l’ensemble des coachs. "C’était énorme, extrêmement précis, du très haut niveau, note Vianney. Il n’y a pas une fausse note alors qu’elles ont chanté en harmonie tout le temps toutes les deux. C’est très dur à faire aussi longtemps. C’est très fort, bravo les filles".

 

Bigflo a même eu "l’impression de voir un groupe", "oubliant pendant un moment" l’enjeu de cet affrontement musical. Car seule l’une des deux pouvait accéder aux cross-battles. "Elles sont fabuleuses, mais quelle découverte !", s’enthousiasme Mika. "Vous avez fait du beau, avec du très haut niveau technique. On a tout : on a l’émotion, l’appropriation d’une chanson dans des genres vocaux différents. Et ça, c’est super ! Vous devez être tellement fières", ajoute-t-il. Il finira par se ranger derrière ses collègues qui avaient en majorité choisi Oléma pour la suite. La magie de la fée a encore frappé.

 

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“The Voice”: Mika had promised a “superb” battle between Oléma and Marie-Flamme, he was right

The two young women tried to get their ticket to the next stage by reprising “L’Enfer” by Stromae this Saturday, April 13.

“You did great,” their coach told them, proud of their perfect harmony, unanimously praised.

From his chair installed in the middle of the stage, Mika had warned. “It’s going to be superb, you’ll see,” he said before advising his comrades to “put on their seat belts”. For this second session of “The Voice” battles, the coach pitted two extremely delicate talents against each other. On the one hand, the fairy Oléma who seduced at the blind auditions with “Mad World”. On the other, the Viking warrior passionate about mermaids, Marie-Flamme, who “brought out the geek” in the “Grace Kelly” singer.

Mika is not doing young women a favor by reserving “L’Enfer” for them, a powerful title by Stromae which evokes depression. “A challenge” for the main stakeholders, who took it up with flying colors from the start. Enough to give chills to all the coaches. “It was enormous, extremely precise, of a very high level,” notes Vianney. “There was not a false note even though they both sang in harmony the entire time. It’s very hard to do for such a long time.” It's very strong, well done girls."

Bigflo even had "the impression of seeing a group", "forgetting for a moment" the stakes of this musical confrontation. Because only one of the two could access the cross-battles. “They are fabulous, but what a discovery!”, enthuses Mika. "You did something beautiful, with a very high technical level. We have everything: we have the emotion, the appropriation of a song in different vocal genres. And that's great! You must be so proud ", he adds. He will end up lining up behind his colleagues who had mostly chosen Oléma for the future. The magic of the fairy strikes again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YouTube

 

Stromae - Marie-Flamme et Oléma - L'enfer | The Voice 2024 | Battles

 

 

 

 

For me it was the most touching performance. They really made me cry. Because of their interpretation but as well because of the lyrics which are very sad. So different to the original and so strong.