On 4 July 2012, Bibiane Godfroid, program director of Nouvelle Star announced that the show will not return on M6 but will instead be on D8, after its acquisition by Canal +.

Of the 25,000 contestants, only 150 (140 in season 6) are selected for the next round of auditions, which takes place at the Theatre Trianon in central Paris.

Specific exercises are given to the contestants in order to evaluate their artistic talents: pitch, rhythmic accuracy, ability to remember lyrics and to learn songs, sing in a trio, and deal with tiredness and stress, etc.

For the first time at this ultimate step before the live primes, this year, the contestants have performed in front of more than 400 persons including the jury at the theatre.

For Nouvelle Star's seasons 2, 3 and 4, auditions were held in Toulouse, Rennes, Marseilles, Lyon, and Paris and in one location in Belgium, at Liège.

The show includes interviews with judges, saved or eliminated contestants des jurés, invited musical guests.

In each show, she would present Top des Inoubliables internationaux (meaning best of international unforgettables), being winners from various countries where Idol series are broadcast.