A MENTAL HEALTH advocate who uses her music to share her message has reached national acclaim after auditioning on music talent show The Voice.

Kenza Blanka from Leytonstone blind audition on The Voice aired on February 9.

She is half-English and half-Moroccan and she sang 'Papaoutai' incorporating English and Arabic into her performance which was a first for the show.

Although none of the judges turned in their seats, but Miss Blanka is determined to continue spreading her message about mental health through her music.

The 34-year-old singer said: "My experience on the voice was incredible. They were so welcoming and kind to me.

She said: "They were also really invested in me because my voice is so different. They wanted to celebrate that difference which was amazing and helped with to my confidence."

Miss Blanka has faced backlash and judgement in the past because of her unique voice which in the words of Tom Jones during the show "sounds young".

When the show aired, judge Olly Murs posted a video where he expressed regret for not turning for Miss Blanka.

She said: "I've got a different voice and if I am going to compete then I have to think outside of the box to be honest.

"I am 34 years old, so it actually took me a lot longer to get to here than some of the other contestants which I think is down to how the judges and the public would respond to my voice.

"But actually once I was scouted by The Voice team, I had a long think about it and decided that it would be a positive experience to do something I'm scared of to prove that I could do it."

Music and mental health are a family business for Miss Blanka.

Her mother leads a mental health choir where all members are individuals that struggle with mental health issues.

Miss Blanka is employed as a mental health nurse and uses her music as a vehicle to channel mental health awareness and acceptance.

She said: "I write my music pushed towards a mental health focus and advocacy.

"The response from being on the show has just be phenomenal. I've been getting so many messages from people with mental health deficiencies who have said that I have inspired them and they now have the confidence to do something like that which was one of my aims."

Following her appearance on the show, Miss Blanka gained thousands of followers on her social media platforms and around 300,000 views on her YouTube music videos.

She plans to continue to create music focused on mental health advocacy with performances at mental health conferences planned for the future.