Quebecois singer Charlotte Cardin kicked off the 41st Victoires de la Musique awards on Friday, February 13th, taking home the prize for Female Artist of the Year. The win comes as Cardin’s star continues to rise following the success of her hit song, Perceive Good. This victory marks a significant moment for the artist as she recently relocated to Paris.
Rapper Disiz closed out the ceremony by winning the award for Male Artist of the Year, a win that recognizes his resurgence in 2025 with a fresh album and the collaborative project melodrama with Theodora.
“If I’m here today, it’s because I went to therapy: it allowed me to strive to live with the pain that was done to me and the pain that I did,” the 47-year-traditional artist said, reflecting on his career’s ups and downs. For the artist, who recently sold out multiple nights at the Olympia, the award represents “a symbol, another milestone that breaks down the preconceptions of success.”
“Music carries us, transforms us, connects us like a universal light, and sometimes even gives meaning to a life,” Mika, the honorary president of the ceremony held at La Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt, said earlier in the evening.
Reflecting the trends of 2025, the awards show spanned a wide range of genres – pop, rap, rock – which are increasingly intersecting. This was exemplified by Theodora, who swept the awards with four wins: Album of the Year for Méga BBL, Female Revelation, Stage Revelation, and Video Clip of the Year for Fashion Designa, which has garnered 14 million views on YouTube. Since Kongolese sous BBL in late 2024, the “Boss Lady” has been challenging conventions and racking up eclectic collaborations, from Juliette Armanet to Gims.
“This year is the year of women!” she exclaimed on stage while accepting her fourth award.
Other female artists also stood out, including Helena, who won Best Song for Mauvais garçon, the only category open to public vote. The Belgian singer, discovered on “Star Academy,” beat out four other women, including Marguerite – also revealed by the television show – whose ballad Les Filles, les meufs has become an anthem for lesbian love. In total, 21 of the 34 nominations went to female artists, some receiving multiple nods.
Honorary Award for Nana Mouskouri
On the rising male talent front, retro-pop artist Sam Sauvage was named Male Revelation of the Year. “I think of all the people who have dreams too. I had one. Today, it will be forever realized,” said the 25-year-old, riding high as his debut album, Mesdames, Messieurs!, is released.
The electro duo Justice, known for their French touch sound, was awarded Best Concert.
The ceremony also honored established artists. While groups like Feu! Chatterton, international star Aya Nakamura, Santa, and former “Star Academy” winner Pierre Garnier left empty-handed, rapper Orelsan didn’t add to his collection of awards, keeping him from tying Alain Bashung and Matthieu Chedid for the most wins in the show’s history with 13 awards each.
As is tradition, the awards also celebrated artists across generations. Following Sylvie Vartan and Eddy Mitchell in 2025, Greek-French singer Nana Mouskouri, 91, received an Honorary Award for her career, marked by hits like her adaptation of Martinho da Vila’s classic Canta, Canta, Minha Gente, “Quand tu chantes” (1976), which has seen a resurgence in popularity with the Netflix series Cassandra. “Thank you for all these years, for the love we all seek in music,” said the artist, known for her signature rectangular glasses.
