Warm up those vocals, because The Voice is back on our screens.
And TV WEEK was lucky enough to score some fantastic seats at this year’s blind auditions.
As the latest hopefuls took to the stage for season seven, each dreamt of winning over The Voice coaches Delta Goodrem, Kelly Rowland, Boy George and newcomer Joe Jonas.
Little did the artists know, the team at TV WEEK were sitting in the audience taking notes, too – and they are tough to please!
But after witnessing some very powerful performances, here are the ones you won’t want to miss.
Trent Bell, 27, Townsville, QLD
No stranger to the spotlight, Trent was part of the 2012 The X Factor Australia band The Collective. He sees The Voice as his last chance to make it. But will his experience come in handy? One thing is for sure – you’ll be singing along from the moment he steps on stage.
Somer Smith, 18, Melbourne, VIC
They say good things come in small packages. And that’s certainly the case for 18-year-old Somer. While she may be small in stature, the powerhouse performer has a voice to be reckoned with. You’ll be blown away when she belts out a soulful gospel song we all know and love.
Anyerin Drury, 30, Fern Bay, NSW
Move over, Sia! We found the guy who has what it takes to be Australia’s next superstar. Anyerin’s ability to rework one of Sia’s biggest hits to suit his voice won us over instantly. He’s a talent not to be underestimated.
Mikayla Jade, 17, Adelaide, SA
This shy and vulnerable schoolgirl not only sings, she writes her own music too. But the talented year 12 student hasn’t had it easy – she’s had to move schools twice due to bullying. Even though she’s been made to feel insecure about herself, she’s taking to the stage. Will Mikayla find her confidence in the spotlight?
Meet The Voice Australia Coaches for 2018
Ben Sekali, 24, St Clair, NSW
Ben didn’t tell anyone he was auditioning for The Voice. So expect to be surprised when he performs a soulful and slow-paced track. On a mission to “save soul music”, Ben is hoping to land a spot on team George or Joe.
Michelle Cashman, 35, Mittagong, NSW
Former season two entrant Michelle put her singing career on hold when she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia – a chronic pain condition. The illness made it hard for the 35-year-old to move and forced her to give up her dream. Now she’s hoping The Voice can reignite her passion. Will she wow the coaches this time around?
Colin Lillie, 43, Alice Springs, NT
As this season’s oldest male artist, expect Colin to give the young guns a run for their money. Almost 13 years ago, Colin left his home in Scotland for Australia. He needed a fresh start after struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Colin credits his wife for helping to turn his life around. Likening himself to Scottish-Aussie icon Jimmy Barnes, will we see Colin follow in the rocker’s footsteps?
Maddison McNamara, 22, Melbourne, VIC
Maddison is back after appearing in season five. When she was last on The Voice, she was too focused on how she’d look rather than her performance on stage. This time, she has a bigger reason to focus on the music, having lost a close friend a year ago to the day. It’s clear the tragedy allows her to emotionally connect to the song. Could this be second time lucky?
Jackson Parfitt, 18, Hunters Hill, NSW
Is this the next teen heart-throb? Surprisingly, music hasn’t always been Jackson’s passion. He had his eye on a sports career, but a knee injury forced the teen to pursue other options. It was his music teacher who encouraged him to sing. And we’re glad they did, because Jackson goes all-out singing one of coach Joe Jonas’ songs.
