Some voices don’t just sing—they stir something deep within us. They feel like a prayer, a memory, a call to something greater. When 22-year-old Mennel Ibtissem stepped onto The Voice: La Plus Belle Voix stage in France, that’s exactly what she delivered.
Born in Besançon to a Syrian-Turkish father and Algerian-Moroccan mother, Mennel didn’t just perform Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”—she reimagined it. Singing in English, French, and Arabic, she transformed the song into something entirely her own. When she replaced “Hallelujah” with “Ya Ilahi” (“My God”), her performance became more than a cover—it felt like a spiritual offering.
All four coaches turned. The nation leaned in. For a moment, it seemed the world was listening.
Then, everything shifted.
Just days after her stunning debut, old social media posts surfaced—comments made years earlier, rooted in conspiracy and pain, referencing tragic attacks in France. The backlash was swift and severe. Anti-racism groups and public figures demanded her removal. Despite her public apology, the storm only grew.
In the end, Mennel made the difficult choice to leave the show. Her episodes were pulled. The spotlight turned dark.
But this isn’t where her story ends. It’s where it truly began.
Refusing to be defined by controversy, Mennel channeled her energy into music. Within weeks, she was in the studio, writing and recording. She released original songs like “Je pars mais je t’aime” and “I Feel,” building a loyal following on her own terms.
Then came another brave step: she moved to Denver, Colorado, married, and began a new chapter—physically, emotionally, and artistically.
In 2020, she shared another deeply personal evolution: her decision to step away from wearing the hijab. The response was mixed—some criticized, some supported—but Mennel stood firm in her truth:
“I just said to myself, OK, enough of this image of: ‘Oh, you have to be the flag of Islam’. … I’ve evolved, I’m changing, becoming someone different, but I remain the same person.”
Her journey has been one of immense courage—not just in facing public scrutiny, but in continually choosing her own path despite it.
Today, her audition video has been watched over 57 million times. People aren’t just watching for the controversy—they’re listening for that voice. That rare, haunting, beautiful voice that dared to blend languages, faiths, and cultures into one unforgettable moment.
Mennel’s story is a reminder that art is complicated, people are layered, and redemption is often found not in the spotlight, but in the quiet choices we make after it fades.
You can watch the full, mesmerizing performance that started it all below.