All photo credits: David Choinière
“Never give up on your dreams; do everything you do with a passion and – most importantly – have fun doing it!” William Coallier
As I write this article for William Coallier, I am cuddling my 9-week-old daughter who is sleeping soundly in my arms (at last!) and I find myself wondering what she dreams… She is not yet aware of the limitations and expectations that will one day clip her wings; for now, every dream is a possibility and every challenge is an adventure!
Every time I prepare an article I am positively challenged by the dreams and aspirations of the young artists I write about. They exude an energy and an enthusiasm that is always infectious! William is one such artist. With a powerful voice and a wealth of talents, he is not afraid to dream big and already these dreams are coming true…
A professional performer at 11-years old
William was born in Québec, Canada on May 11, 2005. He lives in Ville Sainte-Catherine, south shore of Montreal, Canada. His parents say:
“It all began at the age of 3. He was singing every day. We can honestly say that he sang before he could speak. At the age of 6 he did his first performance on stage at a church Talent Show. He loved the way he felt on the stage and knew, at that moment, that he wanted to do this for the rest of his life!”
To list only a few of this boy’s incredible achievements so far:
- In 2013, he is named youngest contestant to get into the finals of Trois-Pistoles en Chansons and wins third place
- In 2014, he has more than 20 appearances on the TVA channel as a solo singer
- In 2014, William is invited to sing with international Soprano, Giorgia Fumanti. Later he is invited to sing in Montréal at the Maurice Richard Arena in front of 7,500 people
- In 2015, he is named the Canadian Champion of Galala, 7 to 14 years old
Since 2013, William has had a staggering 2,500 stage appearances in all kinds of shows. Almost every weekend William is busy performing.
On top of this he has a full schedule as an actor for both stage and screen!
- In 2014, a role in ‘Les Beaux Malaises 2, 3‘ (the most popular TV show in Québec)
- Voice actor in an episode of a TV animation for kids ‘Mike the Chevalier’ on TV Radio Canada
- Main role in the Short Film ‘Les jours sans fins‘ (2016)
- Role of Michael Banks in ‘Mary Poppins’ for Just for Laughs. This is their biggest production yet. 27 shows in Montréal at the St-Denis Theater, 2 500 seats per show
- Role in the new series ‘Ruptures 2’
- He is now further branching out as a Host of major events
I am full of admiration for William, knowing a little of the diversity of talent that is required to achieve such a wide range of artistic accomplishments. For example, the skills for delivering an intimate, emotional line in a close up shot in film are completely different from the skills required to deliver a strong and engaging performance on the stage of a family musical. William has all these skills in abundance and puts them to good use in his blossoming artistic career.
The dream of Céline!
Céline Dion is William’s all time hero and a his biggest musical influence. Knowing how much William admires her, it was amazing to hear the following news from his mother:
“William is a dreamer in his soul. In August 2016, he realized his first dream; he met Céline Dion in person! Now he is on the road of his second dream: singing with Céline Dion. He also dreams of having an international career and meet a lot a new friends and fans all around the world.”
MONTREAL, CANADA, 16 AOUT 2016 RETOUR A MONTREAL APRES 7 ANS, CELINE DION SE PRODUIT EN CONCERT AU CENTRE BELL.
Credit : Olivier Samson Arcand / OSAIMAGES / FEELING
Along with his excellent attitude to his work, William has been blessed with a rich and powerful voice which he is not afraid to use to its full potential. Check out this truly mind blowing rendition of ‘O Happy Day’ from Sister Act 2 where William shows his incredible vocal range and dynamic capabilities:
Passion and Respect
Just hearing these stories of dreams coming true is inspiring to say the least. But, like all the young artists I know, William has worked hard for his achievements and they do not come without sacrifice. He mentioned that the older he gets, the more he feels isolated from his peer group. With a non-stop schedule of performing and rehearsing on top of his school work, there is little time for socialising and simply ‘being a kid’. Everyone who works with William observes how mature and professional he is and often comments on it, but the life of a performer is not an easy one at any age and at 11-years-old it must be a real challenge.
As I like to do, I asked William for his advice for aspiring young artists:
“Never give up on your dreams; do everything you do with a passion and – most importantly – have fun doing it! Be true to everyone you love; appreciate every moment you have on a stage.”
William always keeps his two feet on the ground and many people encourage him to maintain this essential trait. For William, respecting others is the most important thing: everyone in the team is important to him.
William would really appreciate it if you could go on his Facebook Fan Page and like his page and also like his new You Tube channel:
William’s Facebook
William’s YouTube Channel
Finally, I gave an opportunity for William to thank those that were important to him:
“I would like to thank my parents and my sister for all the support and encouragement they give me to achieve my goals. They give a lot of time and energy to me and I love them with all of my heart.”
Keep dreaming William: who knows where your dreams will lead you next! I leave you with the words of the English poet Arthur O’Shaughnessy written in 1873. ‘We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams…’
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.