Leading figure of season 11 of the Star AcademyJulien Lieb lived in the shadows for a long time before fully revealing himself in broad daylight. Known for his golden voice and his endearing personality, the one who recently walked the floor of Dancing with the stars alongside Elsa Bois shone throughout the adventure, before losing to Pierre Garnier in the grand finale of tele-hook. However, before being thrown into the spotlight and being confronted with the cries of his fans, Julien Lieb experienced a cocktail of difficult events: tedious jobs, burn-out, the death of his father, loss of self-confidence. As a last call for help, the young man from Pau had “the impression [que sa participation au programme ; N.D.L.R] c’était marche ou crève”. A look back at how Star Academy established itself as a second wind in the young adult’s life. Focus on words that are as touching as they are meaningful.
“I am certain that my life will change”: Star AcademyJulien Lieb’s last hope
And then everything changes. Like a miracle, Julien Lieb was certain that Star Academy would become a major turning point in his life. Far from being arrogant, the interpreter of the piece The Game a avoué : “I am even certain, when I come out of the last castings, that my life will change”. Before bidding: “When I went to the castings, I had two jobs when I was in Rennes […] I’m leaving them both, and I’m joining my sweetheart in the South East”. After having firmly believed in the power of manifestation, the budding artist put all the chances on his side to see the adventure through to the end. Despite his self-confidence degraded by painful periods in his past, the young man kept his faith.
“When I arrive at the castle, at that moment I say to myself: ‘This is your time, work day and night if necessary but you will get there'”he confided to the microphone of Little Papers. Convinced that it was “his last chance in life to do something”Pierre Garnier’s sidekick worked hard to make his way among the best academicians in his class. Almost as a question of life and death, he adds: “I went all the way because I didn’t have much choice”. Always with disconcerting modesty, he shared that without his participation in the Star Academy, he would be “still lifting pallets or selling training over the phone”. A beautiful revenge on life.
From the street to the stage, Julien Lieb looks back on his years of depression and his life as a homeless person
After the sudden loss of his father at the age of 14, Julien Lieb sombre. During an interview given to Fréquenstar on W9, April 26, 2026, the young French song prodigy talks about traumatic events from his past. “From that moment on, I couldn’t go to work anymore. I didn’t think about anything except dying. I thought about that all the time, I had 10 to 15 anxiety attacks a day,” he shared. If his adolescence was marked by the loss of a loved one, Julien Lieb experienced many other sorrows. “I’m very, very sad at this time. I’m in a relationship that doesn’t make me happy and that doesn’t make the person I’m with happy, either. Aware of his state, he makes a radical decision: “There was a time when I was at my lowest, but I separated from my old relationship, because I met my sweetheart who I’m still with now…”
Like an endless nightmare, after this separation, Julien Lieb lived on the street several times : “That’s where I find myself all alone, because suddenly, I leave the apartment I was in with her. And I have a friend who takes me in for 8 months. But between these two periods, there are a few weeks where [j’ai dormi à la rue]”, he explained. Fortunately, the artist ended up getting his head above water to fully live his passion and travel the roads of France. A great proof of courage and resilience.
