Michel Mpambara

Comedian, Actor

Born in Rwanda in 1973, Michel Mpambara is a comedian, host and actor who has been living in Quebec since the age of 17. He immigrated to Montreal from Rwanda with his family in 1990.

In 1996, he charmed both critics and audiences alike with the monologues that he performed at the Just for Laughs festival in which he humorously discussed the difficulties that immigrants face when trying to integrate into Quebec society. In 2001, he presented his first one-man show, Y’a trop de blanc au Québec, which earned him a Felix award for the best comedy show of the year at the ADISQ gala. Having earned comparisons to Yvon Deschamps, Michel’s style and his approach set him completely apart from other Quebec comedians thanks to a fresh, different and very funny point of view regarding the lifestyles of the Quebec population and their relationship with immigrants. Michel continued to perform in shows throughout Quebec and appeared in several films.

In 2005, he began experiencing personal difficulties on a psychological level. After calling in a false bomb scare, he was hospitalised at Saint-Luc hospital in Montreal. He discovered that he suffered from a bipolar disorder and manic depression. This diagnosis helped him to understand his behaviour and his sometime erratic thought patterns. The healing process had begun.

From 2005 until 2010, he retreated from the stage in order to better understand his condition and spend time taking care of his health. In February 2011, he performed at a few corporate events and was the opening act for Jean-Michel Anctil at the Québec Grand Rire Comédie Club. Slowly but surely, he is returning to the stage and is presently preparing a show for the fall of 2012.

Michel Mpambara continues to enjoy a loyal following in Quebec. Last year, on October 16th, he participated in the Montreal walk to end prejudices against mental diseases.

By appointing him as a spokesperson for its 2012 Let’s Talk campaign, Bell pays tribute to Michel Mpambara’s courage and determination. While a little sooner than expected, it is an occasion for him to return to the public eye so that he may share his story and the challenges that he faces while living with a mental illness.

Stefie Shock

Musician

Stefie Shock is a Quebec singer-songwriter, multi-instrument player, producer and DJ. He has made four original albums since 2000, the latest being La mécanique de l’amour, released in 2011. Recognized and honoured for his compositions and writing, he is also known for his energetic and festive concerts that have been well received hundreds of times over.

Born on March 9, 1969, at Ste-Jeanne-D'arc Hospital, on St. Urbain Street, in Montreal, he received a box of old records as a gift at the age of four and was exposed to his first musical influences. The Stones, Led Zeppelin and James Brown played non-stop in his room on his small record player. He discovered French music, from Aznavour to Dassin, Pagliaro, Ferland and Charlebois, on a kitchen radio tuned in to CJMS. At the end of the 70s, the arrival of electronic music, which he enjoyed remixing with basic equipment, was a formative turning point for him.

Although he received three guitars between the ages of three and nine, he was mostly attracted by drums, which he started playing at school at the age of thirteen. After only three months of practice, he played a concert as part of his music class and started dreaming of a music career. He joined his first rock band in 1986, which he quit in 1989 with the sudden desire to write songs.

As he had never written lyrics, thought of singing or even really played guitar, his debut was modest. However, the following year he recorded a song that was played on a number of community radio stations. Revenue from his music allowed him to buy equipment to produce his own music, and he ended up recording a self-made demo album that was launched in a night club where he was playing as a DJ. A few producers became interested in him and he signed a record contract. In 1999, he went to London to record his first real album with the French producer Dimitri Tikovoï; Presque rien was released on April 11, 2000, to great acclaim by critics, who hailed him as an original and innovative artist. Described as a great performer during his first tour, he received the Wallonie-Bruxelle (now Rapsat-Lelièvre) and Felix-Leclerc Awards in 2002.

Shock released Le Décor in 2003, which fast became a gold disk, and signed a contract with Warner Music France. With sales almost reaching the platinum level, numerous singles playing on the radio, including L’amour dans le désert and Un homme à la mer, as well as a 50-concert tour, he went to the 2004 ADISQ gala with eight nominations, the most of that year. He left with the Félix Award for pop-rock album of the year.


The album Les Vendredis was released in 2006, allowing Stefie Shock to get two number one songs on the BDS billboard with Ange gardien and Pixels flous. Contract issues greatly hurt the promotion of the album and led to the 2009 release of Tubes, remixes et premonitions, a best-of album with remixes that Shock produced himself. In the spring of 2011, La mécanique de l’amour was released, an album where Shock plays almost all the instruments. He co-produced it with his good friend Mathieu Dandurand, who has worked with him since the Presque rien tour.


Stefie Shock is presently on tour until fall 2012.

Stefie and mental illness

Stefie suffers from an anxiety disorder. It is a subject that he is very comfortable talking about and has discussed with a few select journalists. He is associated with Centre Revivre which helps those who suffer from anxiety, depression and bipolar disorders.

Bell’s Let’s Talk campaign

Stefie’s disorder is shared by a widespread public of women and men that range in age from 15-years-old to 55-years-old. Articulate and authentic, he is not afraid to break the taboos and prejudices linked to mental disorders and will be able to communicate a touching and strong message regarding mental illness.