Tonight on The Voice, a powerful performance of Jessica Mauboy’s own track saw the superstar coach breakdown in tears, sharing the emotional meaning behind the lyrics she wrote for her mum.
Tonight’s amazing performers on The Voice were:
Artist: Ella Monnery, 24, VIC
Song: Little Things (Jessica Mauboy)
Chair turns: Four
Coach: Jess
Ella made an emotional return to the stage to rebuild her Voice dream after the singer was forced to withdraw last year. Despite making it through the Blind Auditions and battle rounds in 2020, COVID-19 border closures saw the heartbroken singer unable to return from her native New Zealand to finish competing. She admitted: “That was devastating for me… coming back, it was very hard to be vulnerable and do it all over again.” Ella’s powerful rendition of Jess’ own song Little Things brought the superstar coach to tears.
Jess: [in tears] “Thank you… that was awesome. That song I wrote about my mum it’s about not being heard, not being loved and nurtured enough, being pushed down and suppressed. For me writing that song about my mum, watching her struggles and her challenges I’m so proud of that song and I’m so proud to be able to have you stand there and sing that song to me.”
Artist: Isaiah Lugo-Hale, 21, VIC
Song: Can’t Hold Us (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton)
Chair turns: Three (Rita, Guy and Jess)
Coach: Rita
Isaiah’s performance and epic freestyle rapping skills raised the stakes of the competition, motivating Rita to block Guy, and pitch hard to secure Isaiah for her team.
Rita: “I never wanted to block anyone honestly, but I just had to do it with no shame. I had to go in for the kill because I really wanted him.”
Rita: “You are something different, I have no one like you on my team.”
Artist: Lily Bergqvist, 14, NSW
Song: Candle in the Wind, (Elton John) Performance here
Chair turns: One (Jess)
Team: Jess
Unique teen artist Lily said: “In my world, music is just wiggly air. I need creative things like art and singing because it’s a way that you can express emotions.” Her performance had the coaches charmed and intrigued.
Jess: “Wow that was epic…. I really wanted to know who this voice was.”
Guy: “That was such a delight… I love your vibe.”
Artist: Jessica Stokes, 31, QLD
Song: Love Don’t cost a Thing (Jennifer Lopez)
Chair turns: Two (Rita and Jess)
Team: Rita
Jessica, a back-up dancer and singer who has toured with Jess Mauboy is finally ready to step out to the front of stage.
Rita: “That was so rocking… I was in awe of your confidence.”
Artist: Shaun Holton, 35, SA
Song: Best of You (Foo Fighters)
Chair turns: One (Keith)
The working musician and father of three wants to show his kids the rock star is still inside him and being who you are is a risk worth taking. Shaun revealed much of his confidence comes from his wife believing in him, as Keith agrees, “I know that very well.” Once he secured a place on team Keith, Shaun’s dream to play with the star came true when Keith jumped onstage to duet with Shaun on Keith’s track ‘Till Summer Comes Around.
Artist: Izrael Read, 19, QLD
Song: Heart of Glass (Blondie)
Chair turns: One (Rita)
Rita: “It really made me feel like there’s a lot of potential to take risks with you and that’s exciting.”
Artist: Cullen Porthill, 17, QLD
Song: Monster (Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber)
Chair turns: One (Keith)
Keith: “You were definitely dealing with some nerves there… there were some things in your voice that I heard or felt that I felt I think I can work with… and I’m looking forward to that.”
Artist: Brad Myers, 44 NSW
Song: Flame Trees (Cold Chisel)
Chair turns: One (Keith)
Brad stepped onto The Voice stage ready to take his performing to the next level. Although he struggled to hit the big notes in the Cold Chisel classic, he still won a place on Team Keith.
Keith: “I’ve been in that exact place in so many gigs, having something happen like that is one thing, what you do with it is the next thing and what you did with it is you tweaked the melody… you’ve got a God-given talent and all you need is help in getting you to that place where you have much more confidence on stage and a calm effortlessness, because you deserve to feel that way.”
Artist: Tiffany Dell, 23, NSW
Song: Love Yourself (Justin Bieber)
Chair turns: None
Tiffany’s risky reworking of a Justin Bieber song didn’t connect with the coaches, but they commended her originality, voice and energetic performance.
Guy: “You can’t lose the heartbeat of the song and that’s the only danger with that arrangement… but you should be proud that you took the risk.”
