“I loved in The Voice how 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,” said Lara Nakhle in an interview soon after she accepted the offer to be on Team Seal in the 2017 season of The Voice.
We’re proud to announce Lara Nakhle as ambassador for the 2021 Nepean Disability Expo! Returning with great excitement over two days, 10 and 11 December at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, the expo will be delivered in a COVIDSafe format and with easy navigation by the Whova event app.
All her life Lara has had a beautiful voice, says her mum Antoinette. From the age of three, she was singing in tune and picked up lyrics after hearing them once.
Perhaps that’s why Lara says her vision impairment is an advantage. Scientists have found that people who were born blind, as Lara was, are much better at not only remembering things, but remembering them in their correct order. Hence, her talent for remembering music and lyrics.
Since her public debut on The Voice, Lara has cemented her place as a beloved Australian performer and advocate for people with disability. She has performed at many prestigious public events, including the 2018 Invictus Games, carols, and charity fundraiser events. She won the TSA Talent Quest at the Tamworth Country Music Festival with two original songs, one of which was OK Cupid, a young woman’s thoughts on finding ‘Mr Right’ in this dating app era.
During the pandemic, Lara has kept busy performing songs for events across social media, including a Facebook Live for the Harmonie German Club in Canberra. In October 2020, she headlined the inaugural International White Cane Day virtual concert featuring other visually impaired global artists including Diane Schuur, Kodi Lee, Scott MacIntyre, Shayy Winn, Andrea Begley, and Rachael Leahcar.
Backed by the ANU Contemporary Choir, she sang at the Australia Day National Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony. In June, she sang the National Anthem at the Supercars BP Ultimate Super Sprint season reopener at Sydney Motorsport Park. In August, she co-wrote and released single Now That I Found My Angels, working on two collaborations with Connor Wink that are available on digital platforms.
She also commenced a Masters in Music Therapy at the University of Western Sydney this year, after completing a Bachelor of Arts Psychology in 2019. She plans to use her personal experiences and professional expertise to help others. Regardless of her disability, Lara takes every challenge in her stride, aiming to prove that achieving your goals does not have to be a struggle, even if it may seem that way.
Come say hi to Lara Nakhle and her guide dog Maxwell at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre this December. Featuring more than 100 exhibiters, presentations from government agencies and disability organisations, live, all-ability performances and kids’ entertainment, and café and breakout areas, this is another great opportunity to attend the free My Future, My Choice event. Complete the attendee registration form and you will get the latest news and updates. Also, like and follow us on Facebook. See you there!