Concordian astonishes on La Voix

It took all of 44 seconds for Concordia graduate Mathieu Holubowski, BA 12, to win over four celebrity judges on Quebec’s popular reality show La Voix (The Voice).

The 26-year-old’s rendition of folk singer Ray LaMontagne’s mournful tune, Burn, swiftly charmed the show’s panel, including veteran Montreal pop rocker Éric Lapointe.

“I thought the song would reach the hearts of the audience,” says Holubowski. “I didn’t know what the judges’ reaction would be at all.”

Holubowski says his January 18, appearance on La Voix was a first. “I decided to do it for the heck of it.”

His goal was to promote his band, Ogen, and its debut album Old Man. “I felt it would bring some exposure,” says Holubowski.

It has. Yet the Hudson, Que., native’s rise to prominence is unusual. Holubowski, a political science graduate, took up guitar at 17 and “got serious” about singing at 21. “It coincided with the travels I did one semester.”