Launch of Star Academy on October 18, 2025, at 21:10 live from Studio 217 (Plaine Saint-Denis), the thirteenth season of Star Academy brings together 17 students around Nikos Aliagas, Karima Charni, and the teaching team led by Michael Goldman on TF1. On the agenda: redesigned set, ABBA anthem in French, and a new immunity rule. First verdict: Victor (Star Academy), 24 years old, stands out with "My Way" and earns Star Academy immunity for the week.
What to remember from the Star Academy launch
Season 13 immediately set a clear framework: seventeen students, a faculty vote that distinguishes the "best student", and a redesigned scenography to speed up the pace. Victor stands out with "My Way", obtains immunity for October 25, 2025, and becomes the benchmark for the first week. The simple on-air mechanics structure the drama: anthem, introductions, solos/duets, ranking.
Set, production, drama: an assumed prime-time writing
At Studio 217, the 2025 setup highlights the image-set: giant screen covering the back of the stage, modular stage extending to the professors’ desk, conveyor belt for entrances, and large projection curtain. This choice reflects a TV writing that favors continuity: seamless scenes, traveling transitions, and smooth candidate flow. The drama relies on a meritocratic thread: the weekly immunity focuses attention on a benchmark performance, while adding suspense to the ranking.
On the musical direction side, the balance aims for controlled eclecticism: heritage standards (Sinatra), recent French variety (Calogero), and international pop (Adele, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga) to anchor talents in contrasting registers. The 2025 anthem, "Voulez-Vous" in French version, reconnects with the unifying polyphony. Additionally, it offers a useful choral setting to gauge timbres and section balances.
Musical highlights of the prime
The launch confirmed some strong lines:
- Mehdi establishes a sensitivity with "Prendre racine".
- Sarah opts for precision on "Someone Like You".
- Ambre chooses "Entrer dans la lumière", on the piano, for effective simplicity.
- Duets Théo P. & Léane ("Perfect Duet"), Ema & Lenny ("Love Yourself"), where harmony is sought more than one-upmanship.
- Lili/Lily ("Messy"), Léo (French version of "Another Love"), Léa ("Always Remember Us This Way"), Jeanne ("Une autre histoire"), Noah ("Des milliers de je t’aime") complete the range.
Critical analysis: staging, music, production
Staging. The extension of the arch-screen and the walkway to the professors add a graphic depth. This allows for a range of scales, from close-up voice shots to wide choral shots. The presence of a conveyor belt energizes the entrances without breaking the flow. This approach supports narrative songs (Adele, Kaas) and highlights risk-taking (Ambre’s piano-voice).
Musical direction. The repertoire mix functions as a pedagogical tool: it forces students to adapt phrasing (English/French), breathing, projection. The choice of Sinatra for Victor consolidates the interpretation axis: melodic continuity, support, and phrase delivery as differentiating qualities at the start of the season.
TV Drama. The immediate reward (immunity) restores a curve to the weekly narrative. It avoids the flattening of the primes by refocusing the stakes on the evening’s performance. In parallel, the ranking broadens the feedback palette from the professors, making it more understandable for the audience.
What the production and professors say
Producer Mathieu Vergne detailed, during the pre-season press conference, the scale of the set: "brand new" decor and a background screen enlarged by "a third" for entrances "from the back". This option explains the visual impact of the first prime, especially on the ensemble scenes.
On the course side, Jonathan Jenvrin (dance) warned before the opening: "I have no idea of their dance level". This pedagogical gamble built in public assumes a degree of uncertainty and feeds the progression narrative.
Star Academy audiences: what we know, what we expect
First overnight estimates for October 18, 2025: about 3.26 million in the first part, and an audience share around 19.6% in the second part. The magnitude places the launch in the upper average of musical entertainment for the season.
Useful comparisons: the 2024-2025 finale gathered about 4.0 million in P1 (or 21.2% on 4+, 32.8% on 25-49, and 32.7% on FRDA-50). The 2025 launch of The Voice ranged between 4.11 million (22.2% in P1) and 4.01 million in P2. At this stage, the volume of Star Academy remains competitive, but below an established format like The Voice.
At J+7 and J+30, consolidations are not yet available for the 2025 launch. By benchmark, the channel claimed 4.2 million at J+7 during the 2022 relaunch, with high target peaks (FRDA-50, 25-49). Médiamétrie updates will clarify the audience structure (segments, commercial targets) and the catch-up effect on TF1+.
Broadcast economy: a locomotive entertainment
In 2025, Star Academy remains a flow program: a significant grid cost but shareable via the daily, replays, and social video. Advertising prices in prime can exceed €100,000 for 30 seconds depending on the periods and the medium, which explains the focus on targets (notably 25-49 and FRDA-50). In parallel, TF1+ asserts itself as a catch-up lever and digital monetization. Additionally, the group claims advertising growth.
Legal framework and music rights
Copyright. The broadcast of covers involves SACEM (public performance rights) and, depending on usage, SDRM for reproductions (media, online excerpts). Channels pay licenses that ensure the remuneration of authors/composers/publishers.
Regulation. Arcom oversees the honesty of programs, pluralism, and accessibility (subtitles, audio description). Musical entertainment must respect these principles, including in replay on SMAD.
The castle and daily life
The Château des Vives-Eaux in Dammarie-les-Lys remains the training ground: courses, evaluations, nominations, rescues. The daily orchestrates this long-term chronology and feeds the Saturday prime with a progression narrative.
The faces and the setup
Nikos Aliagas leads the prime and frames the narrative on set. Karima Charni handles the feedback and the after-show. Michael Goldman directs the teaching team, surrounded by Sofia Morgavi (singing), Marlène Schaff (stage expression), Jonathan Jenvrin (dance), and Alain Degois "Papy" (theater). The pre-season communication announced Charlotte Cardin and Ed Sheeran as godmother/godfather.
What this return reveals: a sociological perspective
Since 2001, talent shows have articulated three promises: democratization of casting, visible training, and access to the music industries. Star Academy 2025 fits into this continuum by revaluing pedagogy on air (courses, evaluations) and embracing the linear/digital hybridization (TF1+, social networks). Success is no longer measured solely by the live broadcast: it depends on consolidations (J+7/J+30), digital reach, and the ability to launch careers (contracts, tours, streaming). The inaugural prime, soberly held, indicates a strategy: fewer gratuitous effects, more readable trajectories.
