The Voice France has launched its 14th season, and the long-running show continues to make waves and break barriers – most recently with another Lebanese contestant making an immediate impact.
Shana, whose full name is Shana Farjallah, quite literally turned heads with her debut appearance on Saturday’s episode, delivering a standout performance of You Keep Me Hangin’ On. In many ways, it was the perfect introduction.
The singer began the track – originally recorded by Motown group The Supremes in 1966 – a cappella, showing off her strong vocals before the beat kicked in and she took it up a notch. It didn’t take long for two of the four coaches, French pop stars Florent Pagny and Zaz, to turn their chairs, signalling their eagerness to mentor her through the competition.
“At 24, you already know how to do it in an adventure like this and you’ll begin to see all the little imperfections,” said Pagny. “Ultimately there's so much sensitivity in your voice. It makes me think ‘Ah yes, your palette is vast, and with that kind of talent there’s really something there'.”
Zaz added: “Shana, you have a sensitivity that is very, very raw and I want to hear more of that. And I really want to get you into [that space], because this fragility, you need to inhabit it."
It was Zaz’s easy-going charm – not to mention her blend of jazz and soul – that won over Shana, setting up a promising partnership that could go far this season. While the competition is still in its early stages, Shana’s performances have already resonated across Lebanon, where her name is trending on social media. In a recent interview with Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, she expressed hope that her journey on The Voice would help shift public perceptions of her homeland.
“The most important thing for me as a Lebanese is that people in Lebanon know who I am, what I’ve done, and that they hear my music," she said. "I want to represent my country and show that we, as Lebanese, can succeed wherever we want."
Shana’s appearance on The Voice France marks a new milestone in her burgeoning career, which also has ties to Dubai. Born in Lebanon, she began her journey more than three years ago as an RnB singer, releasing a handful of English-language singles and, most recently, the album Identity Crisis. During that time, she also honed her live performance skills as part of the musical programme at The Theatre Dubai, co-founded by Lebanese-Armenian musician Guy Manoukian.
While her debut on The Voice France featured an English-language performance, there's a strong chance her repertoire will include Arabic songs as she progresses further in the competition.
“This is new for me, something I’ve never done before, but I decided to give it a try. I’ve come to feel that Arabic songs are more expressive than others,” she told An-Nahar. “They connect me more deeply with my family, my people, and the Middle East as a whole. I also discovered that my voice is very capable of expressing emotion in Arabic.”
Shanna is among a growing number of Middle Eastern artists competing in the French version of The Voice. Contestants are reportedly not required to be French citizens to enter. Instead, they must either reside in France or be able to travel there for the various stages of the programme.
Notable Lebanese participants in the past include singer Hiba Tawaji, who reached the semi-finals under the mentorship of Lebanese-French pop star Mika before launching a successful career, and Lara Bou Abdo, then 16, who made a strong impression with her performance of Fairuz’s Li Beirut in 2021.
