Amel Bent experiences the nightmare of every coach on “The Voice.” When her friend Mélanie Noée took to the stage during the blind auditions on Saturday, April 4th, the singer of “Ma Philosophie” and “Où je vais” simply did not recognize her. In her introduction, the 33-year-old contestant explained that she had been a backing vocalist for French artists.
“I was a backing vocalist for Amel Bent for 6 years,” she whispered before clarifying, “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’s because she really liked the voice, and in that case, it will be the ideal scenario,” she declared.
The issue: Amel Bent did not turn around—well, almost. Mélanie Noée performed a cover of “Good Luck, Babe” by Chappell Roan. It was a good performance but slightly affected by stress, taking time to convince the coaches. Lara Fabian and Florent Pagny turned at the very last moment, while Amel Bent, alongside Matt Pokora for the evening, pressed the buzzer but a few seconds too late.
The coach did not hide her surprise upon realizing that she had not turned around in time for her friend’s performance. After Mélanie Noée admitted to being stressed throughout, Amel Bent explained the situation to her colleagues, “I think I know why—it’s my friend, she accompanies me on stage, we’ve done two tours together, and we’re about to start our third one.”
“Can you imagine how stressed she must have been not to recognize her,” Matt Pokora interjected. “She’s usually my anchor in the storm,” added Amel Bent. “I never heard her sound like that when she’s stressed, I didn’t recognize her.” “Singing in front of you, but with your back turned, it’s so difficult,” the contestant repeated, prompting Lara Fabian to invite her to reinterpret Chappell Roan’s song once the pressure had subsided.
“I would be curious to hear you for 30 seconds,” the coach explained, “the reason I suggest this is that when we’re stressed, and then forced to wear heels, instead of breathing from the diaphragm here [the stomach], she was doing it here [the chest].” A technical error that can significantly impact the vocal performance to the point of being unrecognizable.
Another contestant from the season knew Amel Bent. While Tayc tried to negotiate with the production so that Amel Bent’s late buzz would still count, and Mélanie Noée could join her team, the coach declined the offer. “I can’t go through this adventure with this woman, who is like a sister to me, on my team. I really don’t want to experience it.”
Mélanie Noée, who had the choice between Lara Fabian and Florent Pagny, ultimately joined the team of the interpreter of ‘Ma Liberté de penser’ and ‘Murs porteurs.’ It’s not the first time Amel Bent has recognized a talent from ‘The Voice.’ In the episode on March 7th, she also recognized the brother of the singer Ycare, but only after the chair turned around. However, the coach did not press the buzzer to welcome him to her team.
