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In “The Voice,” Amel Bent experienced every coach’s nightmare. When her friend Mélanie Noé took the stage during the blind auditions on Saturday, April 4, the “Ma Philosophie” and “Où je vais” singer simply did not recognize her. In her introduction, the 33-year-old candidate explained, “Being a backing vocalist for French artists.”
“I was a backing vocalist for Amel Bent for 6 years,” she slipped in before specifying, “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 had a crush on the voice and in that case, it will be the ideal scenario,” she declared.
Problem: Amel Bent didn’t turn around… well, almost. Mélanie Noé 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 very last moment while Amel Bent, teamed up with Matt Pokora for the evening, hit the buzzer but a few seconds too late.
“I have never heard her when she is stressed, I did not recognize her”
The coach didn’t hide her surprise upon learning that she didn’t turn around in time for her friend’s performance. After Mélanie Noé admitted to being “stressed the whole time,” Amel Bent explained the situation to her counterparts: “I think I know why, she’s my friend, she accompanies me on stage, we’ve done two tours together and we’re leaving together for the third.”
“Can you imagine how stressed she must have been to not recognize her?” Matt Pokora said. “She’s my lifeline in the storm normally,” added Amel Bent, “I have never heard her [when she is] stressed, I did not recognize her.” “Singing in front of you, but with your back turned, is so tough,” the contestant replied, whom Lara Fabian invited to reinterpret Chappell Roan’s song once the pressure eased.
“I would be curious to hear you for 30 seconds,” the coach explained, “the reason I suggest this is that when girls have stress and they are made to wear heels, instead of having the diaphragm here [the belly], she had it here [the chest].” A technical error that can diminish 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 be taken into account and Mélanie Noé could join her team, the coach declined the offer. “I am unable to have my journey with this woman, who is like a sister to me, in my team,” she declared, “I really don’t want to experience it.”
Mélanie Noé, who had the choice between Lara Fabian and Florent Pagny, finally joined the team of the interpreter of “Ma Liberté de penser” and “Murs porteurs.” This is not the first time that Amel Bent knew a talent from “The Voice.” In the episode on March 7, she recognized the brother of the singer Ycare, also, only after the chair turned around. The coach, however, did not press the buzzer to welcome him to her team.
