Leyla was only 12 when she auditioned for the 2026 season and has since turned 13, with her run on the show putting her in front of a national audience while she is still navigating school, friends and normal teenage life.

In an interview with New Idea, Leyla and Annie opened up about how they are handling the attention together.

Annie Is Managing The Spotlight Carefully

Annie has been helping manage the opportunities coming Leyla's way, as well as running her daughter's social media accounts.

That could easily be framed as classic stage-parent territory, but Annie's explanation is softer than that. She said her focus is on keeping Leyla safe and protecting her love of music, rather than pushing her into something she does not want.

It is a sensible line to draw, especially when the contestant at the centre of the story is still so young.

Leyla also said doing The Voice with her mum nearby has brought them closer together, which is about as sweet as reality TV gets before someone starts crying under studio lights.

School Life Has Changed Too

Even with the show getting bigger around her, Leyla's day-to-day life has not completely disappeared.

She told the magazine it has been strange having people at school recognise her from television, especially after starting Year 7 as just Leyla to her classmates.

There is also the inevitable reality TV problem: once your friends know you are on a show, they want spoilers.

For now, Leyla seems to be taking it in her stride. She has growing public attention, more interest in her music, and still enough normality around her to keep the whole thing from becoming too surreal.

Ronan Keating Has Backed Her For The Quarter Finals

Leyla's time on the show is not over yet.

Ronan Keating has chosen her to continue through to the Quarter Finals, a decision Leyla said meant a lot because she is competing against artists with far more life and performance experience.

She also described Ronan as a father figure, pointing to the connection they have built during the competition.

Whether Leyla can go all the way remains to be seen, but her support system is clearly doing a lot of heavy lifting. In a season full of huge voices, that might be one of her quietest advantages.