Since taking to the Blind Auditions stage, The Voice Australia contestant Leyla Sabo has captured the nation’s heart.
Only 12 when she auditioned, the now-13-year-old tells New Idea that, despite her young age, she knew the show was the right stepping stone to pursue her music dreams.
“I think I’m very mature [for 13], and I think my voice developed when I was at a very young age as well,” Leyla explains as she welcomes us to her hometown, Melbourne, for a mid-season catch-up.
“So I just don’t listen to what people have to say. I do me and do my own thing.”
The commentary surrounding Leyla’s age is something that her mother and biggest cheerleader, Annie, is well aware of. But Annie, who raised Leyla as a single parent until her daughter was five, insists Leyla has always been wise beyond her years.
“Even at school when Leyla was in Grade 3, she was recognised early on that she was kind of operating differently to the other students,” Annie tells us.
“Her teacher said she was more like a teacher’s aide than a student! Ultimately, they suggested she skip Grade 4 and go straight into Grade 5, which I was in agreeance with.”
As her daughter’s star rises, Annie has been by her side, helping manage the many opportunities that have been coming Leyla’s way. She makes sure they align with Leyla’s dreams of sharing her music and connecting with others.
Annie also runs Leyla’s social media accounts. While some might want to label her a ‘mumager’,Annie says she is just focused on keeping Leyla safe while being a pillar of support.
As she switches between manager and ‘mum mode’, her relationship with Leyla trumps everything.
The pair describe each other as their best friend, and away from the spotlight, they love watching movies and playing pickleball.
“At the end of the day, for me, as a parent, I’d rather be that mum who can protect the love for music for Leyla, than be a parent who’s pushing her into something that she doesn’t want to do,” Annie says.
With a laugh she adds, “I’ll always be there, just supporting her … until she doesn’t want me anymore!”
Leyla adds that doing The Voice with her mum by her side has brought them closer together, and they have created some special memories.
While Leyla’s social media following keeps growing, and more expressions of interest for future gigs pour in, her life as a teen has remained normal. Since her audition aired, lots of students at Leyla’s school recognise her, and ask her to reveal secrets from the show.
“It’s definitely a little weird having people at school know me from TV now because when I joined in Year 7 I was just Leyla to them,” she says.
She is very thankful for her school’s support. Her mathematics teacher even asked if he could play her audition for the class! In the past, watching others watch her performances made Leyla cringe, but now that the secret is out, she’s getting used to it.
“I’m honestly not embarrassed about it anymore,” she admits.
Meanwhile, Australia gets to see plenty more of Leyla, now that her coach, Ronan Keating, has chosen her to go through to the Quarter Finals.
It wasn’t something Leyla was expecting, given she is going up against artists more than twice her age, but she’s ready to see where it takes her.
“Knowing that Ronan really trusts me to go to the Quarter Finals is very special,” she says proudly.
Looking back on her time learning from the former Boyzone member, Leyla describes Ronan as a “father figure”.
“There was just an immediate connection,and I felt that he really had a special place for me in his heart, and it was the same with me,” she says with a big smile.
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