The eight season of Nouvelle Star began on March 2 and finished on June 16. Virginie Guilhaume returned as the host for her sophomore season. André Manoukian remained as the only original jury member after eight years along Philippe Manœuvre and Lio. After one season Sinclair decided to leave and was replaced by former FFF-member Marco Prince because of, according to fellow judge Lio, personal unsatisfaction in the Nouvelle Star-experience for Sinclair Auditions were held in the following cities: ⁕Marseilles ⁕Toulouse ⁕Lyon ⁕Strasbourg ⁕Brussels ⁕Paris After the auditions were over the top 124 were cut down in the Trianon Theater to 15 who eventually competed in the first liveshow aiming to advance to the final group of ten.