Amel Bent experienced every coach’s nightmare on “The Voice.” When her friend Mélanie Nolé entered the stage during blind auditions on Saturday, April 4, the interpreter of “Ma Philosophie” and “On ira” simply did not recognize her. The 33-year-old candidate explained in her presentation that she had been a backing singer for French artists.
“I was a backing singer for Amel Bent for 6 years,” she mentioned before adding, “When I signed up to participate in the fifteenth season of The Voice, I didn’t know she would be on the jury, it’s a surprise. If she turns around, it means she really fell in love with the voice and in that case, it will be the ideal scenario,” she declared.
The issue arose when Amel Bent didn’t turn around, well almost. Mélanie Nolé performed a cover of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe.” A nice performance, but slightly affected by stress and took some time to convince the coaches. Lara Fabian and Florent Pagny turned around at the last moment while Amel Bent, paired with Matt Pokora for the evening, pressed the buzzer a few seconds too late.
The coach couldn’t hide her surprise upon discovering that she hadn’t turned around in time for her friend’s performance. After Mélanie Nolé admitted to being stressed throughout, Amel Bent explained the situation to her peers: “I think I know why, she’s my friend, she accompanies me on stage, we’ve done two tours and we’re about to start the third.”
“Can you imagine how stressed she must have been for me not to recognize her?” Matt Pokora exclaimed. “She’s usually my rock in the storm,” Amel Bent added, “I’ve never heard her [when she’s] stressed, I didn’t recognize her.”
“I would be curious to hear you for 30 seconds,” the coach explained, “the reason I propose this is that when we’re stressed as girls, and then we’re made to wear high heels, instead of engaging the diaphragm here [the abdomen], she had it here [the chest].” A technical mistake that can diminish vocal performance to the point of being unrecognizable.
Another contestant from the season knew Amel Bent. Tayc was trying to negotiate with the production for the late buzz from Amel Bent to be considered so Mélanie Nolé could join his team, but the coach declined the offer. “I cannot go on this adventure with this woman, who is like a sister to me, in my team, I really don’t want to experience it.”
Mélanie Nolé ultimately joined the team of the singer of “Ma Liberté de penser” and “Murs porteurs,” Lara Fabian. This wasn’t the first time Amel Bent recognized a talent from The Voice. In the March 7 episode, she recognized Ycare’s brother, too, but only after the chair turned around. However, she didn’t press the buzzer to welcome him to her team.
