Blind The Voice star Lara Nakhle finds singing a great leveller

WHEN 19-year-old The Voice and Team Seal contestant Lara Nakhle is singing, people forget she is blind.

Voice contestant Lara Nakhle and her mum Antoinette. Picture: Richard Dobson

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WHEN 19-year-old The Voice and Team Seal contestant Lara Nakhle is singing, people forget she is blind.

That is the very reason the Castle Hill vocal sensation, who was born without vision, applied to go on the show — and after a standout rendition of Feels Like Home last night, she has big expectations for her future career.

The Voice is again dominating TV ratings, drawing more than a million viewers and winning the night last Monday.

“I went on The Voice because it’s great exposure and I want to take my singing to the next level,” Nakhle told Confidential.

“I want to be recognised, I want people to know my name, I want to inspire people and empower people, I want to be recognised nationally and internationally, I really want a recording contract and to make an EP.”

Lara with her mum: ‘I want to inspire people and empower people, I want to be recognised nationally and internationally’. Picture: Richard Dobson

Nakhle says she was inspired by Rachael Leahcar, who is legally blind and reached the top three of the first season of the show in 2012.

“Rachael was inspiring because she showed people with disabilities that you can achieve your dreams,” she said.

“It was my favourite show, not just because Rachael was on it, but I always knew from season one — and even since I was nine or 10 — that I would audition for some sort of singing show.”

Nakhle’s mum Antoinette says her daughter has been singing since she could talk.

“All her life she has had a beautiful voice. From about the age of three everything she sang was in tune. She only had to hear a song once or twice and would know all the words.”

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Nakhle says her vision impairment is an advantage.

“I’m just so used to it that it doesn’t bother me much,” she said.

“I guess people would be nervous when they see the audience and the coach chairs, but I wasn’t.

“I loved how in The Voice the judges don’t see you, they turn around based on the person’s voice.

“I didn’t want to be judged on the fact I was blind, so it was nice to have an equal playing field.”