The Voice returned to Channel 7 and with a bang, as superstar coaches Jason Derulo, Rita Ora, Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy took to Australia’s biggest stage with an incredible opening performance of STAR WALKIN’ by Lil Nas X.
After 53-year-old doting dad Chris Watson, from Victoria, failed to turn any chairs with Rick Springfield’s Jessie’s Girl, he inspired his 21-year-old daughter Shanae to partake in an impromptu Blind Audition, declaring “I’m just here to show her to never give up”.
Shanae swung onto The Voice stage with an epic rendition of Sia’s Chandelier. Turning four chairs and moving the coaches to tears, Jessica proclaimed: “Your dad wasn’t kidding when he championed for you up there, you ripped it apart.” Shanae joined Team Guy, with Guy saying: “You sang it like an absolute angel.”
Olympic hopeful Etienne Steven, 19, gave up her rowing dreams to pursue music, and with four chair turns to her own spin on Jason Derulo’s Savage Love, it was clear the Queenslander made the right decision. Her captivating performance earned a spot on Team Jason, with Jason asking: “Can I borrow that for the live show too [and] will you come and sing it with me?”
The four chair turns continued when 18-year-old landscaper Ethan Beckton from NSW – who has never had a music lesson – blew the coaches away with his perfect rendition of Jealous by Labrinth. The pitching got spicy, with all four coaches wanting the up-and-coming star on their team. Jason won out in the end, announcing “he’s going to take the world by storm”.
NSW boy band Overnight (Tyler, 18; Harry, 18; Emmerson, 18; Kai, 18; and Jai, 17) set The Voice stage alight with an energetic take on Backstreet Boys’ Larger Than Life. Rita busted out the Block button on Jason, however, Overnight chose Guy, who called the rising stars “organic, raw and real”.
Ben Esber, 22, from NSW took a risk with a stripped back version of Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ Unholy. It paid off with four chair turns and lavish praise from all coaches, before he joined Team Rita.
Opera star in the making, 24-year-old Andrew Taylor Knight from NSW, was the next artist to join Team Jason after his performance of Gioachino Rossini’s Largo Al Factotum, with Jason bursting out in opera and saying: “Wow, wow, wow! Your technique is through the roof and your connection to the audience is really
