Key Points
- Taiyo Marchand, 13, has been busking in Sydney since the age of six.
- He recently competed in The Voice Kids France.
- He has grown up in a multilingual, musical family.
The 13-year-old Northern Beaches resident says he has always dreamt of becoming a star so was thrilled to be able to audition for The Voice Kids France earlier this year.
France is his father Julien's home country so the family dropped everything and headed to Europe for filming.
After months of waiting and unable to reveal his participation in the show due to a strict embargo, The Voice Kids France finally hit small screens last week.
Keeping a secret all this time had been "so difficult", Taiyo told SBS Japanese.
"I had to hold it all back. I had pressure on me not to tell everybody."
Taiyo came into the SBS Sydney studio for an interview Credit: Yumi Oba
"I like its complex piano. It's not just playing chords. The piano itself has a melody alongside the voice," he explains.
It's a story about someone who can't accept himself. Freddie (Mercury) was talking to his past self.Taiyo Marchand
Taiyo says he made the song his own and advanced to the next round.
Reflecting on the experience, Taiyo describes the surge of adrenaline when the band struck the first chord as something he had "never experienced", leaving him yearning for more.
And it's not just his vocal talent that is receiving attention in France. Taiyo's confidence and outgoing nature have become a conversation in itself on social media after the blind audition.
It appears his calm demeanour both on and off stage have made him a favourite among fellow participants. Backstage, he says he was often surrounded by other contestants, jamming with his beloved keyboard.
"It's rare in France to have kids so confident," Mr Marchand says.
"Some said 'he is too confident, it's too much', but others were quick to point out that his confidence comes from the positive support (most) kids receive in Australia," he explains.
While years of busking have no doubt helped Taiyo develop his confidence and "not be afraid of being imperfect", his education in Australia has certainly shaped Taiyo into who he is today, his father says.
Six-year-old Taiyo busking for the first time. Credit: Sachiko Marchand
"I have always been surrounded by these three languages," he says, reflecting on his multilingual upbringing.
Multilingual upbringing
There is a simple rule in the Marchand household – conversations between mother and children are conducted in Japanese, while interactions between father and children unfold in French. English, on the other hand, is kept to a minimum.
Taiyo's Japanese mother, Sachiko, describes their family conversations as "mysterious".
Mirroring the environment in which Taiyo's musical talents have flourished, the Marchand family has nurtured an atmosphere of language learning and mutual growth, she says.
"We have never forced anything on to him, it's purely from his joy for music," Ms Marchand explains.
"We've just provided the environment for it to grow."
(L to R) Sachiko, Taiyo and Julien Marchand at the SBS Sydney studio. Credit: Yumi Oba
"His younger sister, Saya, has cerebral palsy. We had to put extra effort and attention into supporting her, so performing, busking, and now the show has been an opportunity to change the balance and put the focus, spotlight on him," Mr Marchand says.
While Taiyo is receiving international attention, his love for busking remains the same, and he says he will continue to busk, as he has always done since he was six.
Taiyo's family are his biggest fan club. Credit: Yumi Oba
