Former ’The Voice’ Contestant Mennel Ibtissem Discusses Veil Removal, Faces Backlash

The appearance of the young singer on the blind audition stage of The Voice had sparked lively controversies. Her decision to remove the veil has also not escaped controversy. In early September, Mennel faced a barrage of criticism following the publication of one of the photos where she appears in a simple white shirt. "That day, I lost 13,000 subscribers at once. I realized the fanaticism, the sexualization of the family, too, because it goes beyond religion. There were people following me on social media for an image: I was the reflection of their own war," she said in an interview with L’Obs.

She looks back on her participation in The Voice where she appeared on stage veiled. "For me, it was just my outfit. Not even a religious symbol, but an identity. I wasn’t saying, ’Hello, look at me, I’m Muslim,’" she recounts. This participation remains a poignant memory for the young singer.

In an interview with BBC in mid-October, she recounts that her unveiling shocked those who saw her as a role model. "In reality, I was thinking of these girls, these people. I was a model for them because I was like them. I wore a turban at a time when it is difficult to be Muslim, especially for girls in France. And when I took it off, these girls felt abandoned," she hinted. Mennel says she was "fed up with being considered a standard-bearer of Islam," which she is not.

Today divorced from her husband who wanted her to end her music career, the one who had been noticed by the jury for her interpretation in English and Arabic of the song Hallelujah, announces the release of an album titled (Heal) in 2021.