'I knew she could sing when she was one': 12yo Gezel wins Aussie hearts

The Voice bent its age requirement rules after hearing Gezel's voice - she's now the youngest contestant to compete on the show. 

If you watch The Voice, you would have witnessed young powerhouse, Gezel Bardossi, sing the house down with her rendition of ‘Chain of Fools’ by Aretha Franklin.

“I can’t believe you’re so young,” said Jason Derulo, who was one of four judges to turn their chairs after hearing the 12-year-old sing. “Because that voice, and the maturity behind it, is way beyond your years,” he added.

Ultimately, Gezel ended up choosing Rita Ora as her mentor, who claimed she’s “never seen anything like this in my whole life.”

“I think you’re going to be loved by the whole country and the whole world,” the star praised.

And as the youngest contestant on The Voice, Gezel has definitely already wowed fans, taking the nation by storm with her incredible voice that mixes soul, pop and blues. 

In an exclusive interview, Kidspot chatted to Gezel and her mum Nikki to learn more about the journey that led to this amazing moment.

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"As a baby, she had an interesting tone in her voice"

Mum Nikki said that her ability to hear perfect pitch meant she realised her daughter could sing from a remarkably early age. 

“It’s not that I knew she was a great singer when she was a one-year-old," Nikki explained, “but I’d make up little songs for her as a baby and she would trill along before she even started speaking.”

Then soon after she started talking and babbling, Gezel started singing along to the words in key.

“She had an interesting tone in her voice that wasn’t like that of a baby,” she recalled. “She would just love singing and dancing day in and day out.”

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"She knows exactly what she wants"

Fast forward 11 years and Gezel asked her mum to audition for The Voice. Nikki knew that her daughter was ambitious, but this really solidified that.

"She’s a very definite child, she’s never been a grey person. She knows exactly what she wants,” Nikki said, joking, “I still don’t even know what I want to do!”

But Nikki admitted she initially had concerns about Gezel competing alongside seasoned performers. “My thoughts were… she’s singing with adults and professionals who have done a lot of singing and a lot of preparation. But we reassured her that this was just another experience on her singing journey. Just go out there and do your thing.”

And that’s exactly what Gezel did. 

Despite being under the age requirement, the show bent its rules in order to allow her a chance to compete. 

While she undoubtedly nailed her first performance, her experience on the show was marked by a series of firsts. 

“She’d never used a microphone before, so I had to ask the staff to teach her,” Nikki explained. “Even wearing in-ear speakers was new for her. They didn’t have any that were small enough for her so they had to take them in for her as they were too big. Also, she’d never even harmonised with other people.”

Image: Supplied

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"I feel really blessed to be chosen based on my audition"

Reflecting on her early singing memories, Gezel says she can remember when she was around three. 

“I used to go outside of my house in an Elsa dress and a blonde wig and sing ‘Let it Go’ and all my neighbours could hear me,” she reminisced. 

As she grew older, her singing journey took her to perform in school assemblies and then landing the role of Summer the School of Rock musical, where she performed in front of thousands at the Qudos Bank Arena.

Her passion eventually led her to apply for The Voice after she realised “there was no age requirement specified on the application.”

It wasn’t until after she was confirmed to be on the show that the then-11-year-old found out that the minimum age was 15. 

“I feel really blessed to be chosen based on my audition,” she shared.

Gezel's message to other kids wanting to audition

Gezel's journey on The Voice is just beginning, but the young star already has her sights set on the future. "I'd love more chances to perform," she said. "I have a lot to learn. I want to be an international solo artist as well as an actor." 

For other kids and teens who might hesitate to pursue their dreams due to age constraints or self-doubt, Gezel's message is to "just try." 

"I am a big believer in 'what’s yours will never pass you,'" she adds.

The Voice continues 7.00 pm Monday on Channel 7 and 7Plus.

Originally published as 'I knew she could sing when she was one': 12yo Gezel wins Aussie hearts