Star Academy contestant Elija breaks down after duet with Adèle Castillon

During the second prime of the Star Academy broadcast on TF1, contestant Elija performed a duet of ‘Été avec toi’ alongside guest artist Adèle Castillon. Although the performance was designed as a poetic, nostalgic sequence featuring personal camcorder footage captured by Elija, the vocal delivery lacked confidence, leading to an emotional breakdown for the student.

Following the performance, Elija expressed feelings of illegitimacy and distress to her fellow contestants, stating, ‘I feel like I am out of my body and not succeeding in coming back.’ Dance instructor Lydia Bouchard intervened to reassure the student, emphasizing that she has a rightful place in the competition due to her uniqueness.

The incident has drawn criticism from viewers on social media, with some accusing the show’s production of placing the contestant in an unfairly difficult or delicate situation.