Saturday 30 March 2013

The Voice Week One

Blind singer Andrea Begley dazzles coaches on The Voice... as the show gets off to an emotional and entertaining start

PUBLISHED: 20:49, 30 March 2013 | UPDATED: 22:15, 30 March 2013

As series two of The Voice burst onto TV screens on Saturday evening, viewers were treated to a truly heartwarming moment as visually impaired singer Andrea Begley showed the beauty of the blind auditions.

While of course the judges on the show are unable to see those singing in the first round, unlike the other hopefuls taking part Andrea in return was unable to see them.

Dazzling the judges, with her version of Angel by Sarah McLachlan, Andrea had no idea whether she had impressed them - because she couldn't see whether their chairs span.

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Singing sensation: Andrea Begley was unable to see if the coaches had turned around because she is visually impaired

The 26-year-old, from Belfast in Northern Ireland, has lost 90% of her vision after suffering from glaucoma as a child.

After her performance in the audition coach Danny O'Donoghue, who was the first person to turn around told her: ‘That was incredible.’

The wannabe singer told the BBC1 programme's experts about her vision problems and admitted: ‘I'm not entirely sure whether anyone turned round or not.’

Impressive: Will.i.am is delighted by what he can hear but he too can not see what is happening

Moved by what she said, Danny jumped up on stage to give her a hug and assured her: ‘The whole of the UK just turned round.’

She said: 'For once I'm on a level playing field with all the other contestants.'

After much toing and froing between Tom Jones, who also pressed his buzzer, and Danny, Andrea decided to go for Danny, but she made sure she thanked Tom for turning around.

Impressed: Tom Jones listened intently as Andrea sung her heart out

The famous coaches kicked the show off with a medley of rock and roll songs, which each of them getting the chance to take centre stage.

Will.i.am made the crowd go wild by jumping around the audience, while Jessie J made sure she engaged with them.

Each coach has to build a team of 12 singers. It’s starts at the blind auditions with the coaches listening while their back is to the singer.

Moving: Jessie was almost moved to tears watching the singer perform and discovering she is blind

Team Danny: The hopeful picked Danny after both he and Will.i.am turned around

If they like what they hear they turn around but if more than one turns around they have to battle it out to get the contestant on board.If no coach turns around the person has to go home.

Danny declared that he means business this time round: ‘This year I’m not settling for anything other than winning.’

And after thousands applied, only the very best got the chance to sing in front of the global superstars, starting with Ash Morgan, 26, a youth arts coordinator from South Wales.

She's in the mood: Jessie J looked delighted as she listened to the first hopeful to take to the stage

Pitch: Danny seemed delighted when he turned his chair and saw Ash singing

The first hopeful admitted that he had never had any singing lessons and only sung for first time at 16 doing karaoke.

Speaking about the premise of the show Ash said: ‘I think image if you are singer is really important but it should be secondary to the voice.’

‘I don’t really play that often in public.’

Tone: The judges were very impressed with Danny County's performance which he accompanied with guitar playing

As he took the stage the young Welsh man looked visible terrified but he was instantly met by huge cheers from the audience. Jessie looked very excited and shook her hands in excitement, getting ready to press the buzzer.

It didn’t take long for Jessie to press the buzzer and turn around. So excited about what she saw, she ran to the stage and sat on the edge to watch him sing.

Next up was Danny, who then egged on Will.i.am who also quickly turned. And before it ended Tom also turned around.

Pub star: Essex singer Leanne revealed that things were very tough for her at the moment

As the song came to an end Jessie ran up to Ash and gave him a massive hug, while he got a standing ovation form Danny.

Tom quizzed him on where he was from in Wales before saying: ‘I know it well' and asking how it is.

Jokingly Ash replied: ‘It’s got pavements and everything now’

I like it: Tom Jones turned around when he heard Leanne from Essex sing

Tom then added: ‘One thing I’ve got to ask you is what’s occurring?’

Trying to get him on side Danny said: 'I don’t think you are a great singer, I think you’re an expectational singer.’

Will.i.am joined in: 'When I turned around I was more pleased to see you singing with passion. Your heart is as big as your voice.'

Unexpected: Mike from Manchester surprised with his country vocals

Jessie then gave her pitch: 'I will kick myself if you don’t pick me after this speech. We probably share the same CD collection. There’s a difference between singing and Sanging. And you SANG.

'I’m very real, I wanted to sit front row.'

Overwhelmed Ash said: ‘I’m really flattered and overwhelmed, but I think I’m going to…. I’m going to have to go with Jessie.’

No turns: Not all hopefuls have a judge turn around to see them, like this pink-haired singer

Jessie jumped up, and said ‘it’s an honour’ before embracing him.

Following successful Ash came Danny County, 22: ‘I have always sung maybe quietly to myself in my room. I did my first gig this year. I was so so nervous.’

'It will my third time I’ve ever sung in public. I feel like I must be the least experienced person here.’

Sitting with a guitar, he sang About You Now, while the coaches looked deeply moved by what they were hearing.

Having fun: Will.i.am came up with new and inventive ways to spin his chair when he heard something he liked

Jessie closed her eyes to take it in and Tom looked close to tears as he listened, but it was Jessie who hit the buzzer to turn and shortly afterwards Danny did the same. Jessie ran up to him and pretended to throttle his neck.

Jessie: 'I turned around because it’d be a challenge to me.’

The audience seemed to want him to pick Danny and start chanting his name, which prompted Will.i.am to get involved.

Musical theatre: A talented teenager impresses the judges with his singing but they think he is a little too musical theatre for them

However sparks flew between coaches Jessie J and Will.i.am after Jessie took exception to the Black Eyed Peas star chipping in while she was trying to entice Danny to her team.

Jessie accused Will of siding with fellow judge Danny O'Donoghue and claimed that he was continually trying to stop the contestants from choosing her. In the show the coaches often have to go head-to-head to persuade the best entrants they should join their roster.

At one stage, Jessie grumbled: 'He never wants people to pick me.'

He's got The Voice: Ash from Wales impresses with his vocals

The dispute led to fellow panelist Sir Tom Jones wading in to sort out the argument after an audition was over.

Jessie moaned: 'I think it's unfair to influence them on their decisions.'

But Will defended his decision to offer his view when a contestant seemed unable to make a decision between Jessie and O'Donoghue.

Skills: Matt Henry who revealed that he had been in The Lion King on the West end impressed

He said: 'They asked for my help - it's not passing out cookies.

'I think I did the right thing because he obviously couldn't make a decision.'

After the tiff, Leanne Jarvis from Essex took the stage, beforehand she admitted: 'I haven’t had professional training. I go two steps forward and then it’s two steps back.'

Brothers: The judges were taken aback by how much he looked like Will.i.am

The pretty blonde currently shares a room with her mum, after working as pub landlady fell through.

‘If it doesn’t work I’m back to square one again. This could be it for me.’

She began to sing Stay With Me Baby and again she instantly caught the attention of the coaches.

Jessie again was the first person to turn around and next up was Will.i.am who sat on top of his button to turn his chair.

Familiar face: Pop star Kavana failed to impress with his audition

Danny can’t resist either and the Jessie then persuaded Tom to press his button too. When the song finished the legendary singer gave her a standing ovation.

Jessie began and said: ‘I turned around first before Will jumped in saying: ‘But I turned around cooler’

Jessie: ‘If you watch back these guys were not feeling it.

‘I know how to nurture your vocal. I know how it is to be 24 and want to be a female.’

Quickly backtracking she said that it sounded weird before making a joke that the rumours about her being a man were true.

Listen carefully: All of the judges took their job very seriously and listened intently to the singing

When it came to decision time Leanne said ‘I feel like I am in a weird dream’, before opting for Will.i.am.

As she came off stage, she said: ‘In my wildest dream I didn’t think they would turn around.’

Next up came a talented teenager prompted Sir Tom Jones and Jessie J to burst into a jive as he rattled out a rock'n'roll hit.

The pair leapt from their seats after inviting 16-year-old multi-instrumentalist Louis Coupe to perform the Jerry Lee Lewis hit Great Balls Of Fire.

The young hopeful had told the coaches he was most comfortable playing old rock'n'roll tunes so Sir Tom asks him to give them a blast of a Lewis hit.

Comfort: Host Holly was on hand to help emotional families, like Mike's mother

Coupe - who began to teach himself to play piano four years ago - said afterwards that playing for the coaches was ‘the best moment of my life - that was amazing’.

Jessie also encourages the contestant to write his own musical to showcase his talents.

‘Can I just say? I have written a musical,’ he tells her.

Despite his energetic performance, he didn't get picked up by any of the coaches.

Kirsty Crawford, 29, came next and declared that she had a lot riding on her audition.

Fighting back: Jessie made sure that she gave an impressive pitch each time she had something to share

She was stopped singing for over three years at a first attempt at fame didn’t work out.

Concerned about her nerves, the pink haired singer looked like she was going to be sick before starting to sing Hedonism.

Unfortunately none of the judges turned around, leaving Kirsty crying on stage.

Mike Ward from Salford who is currently unemployed, only decided to audition after his mother persuaded him he could do it

‘I’ve never really sung in front of public before. My mum believing in me has given me a lot more confidence, I just want to show her I can do it now.’

Chatting: Host Reggie got to know Leanne before she took to the stage

When he began singing Don’t Close Your Eyes his voice was very unexpected and not surprisingly it didn’t take long for Jessie to hit her buzzer and turn around.

Danny soon followed by turning around as did Tom Jones, who was very impressed with is country style.

Tom said: 'I wanted to hear the whole thing before I hit the bottom. To use Will's expression that was fresh.'

The young singer looked confused by all of his choices and said that because he was a massive a country fan, he wanted to pick Tom.

Next up was vintage fan Katy Benbow from North Wales, who said that old music made her feel safe.

Hands at the ready: Jessie was probably the keener judge, always ready to turn around

The 20-year-old confidently began singing Feeling Good and as the song kicked in Jessie turned around, meaning she automatically went on Jessie's team.

When she finished she asked Tom to wink to at her sick grandmother who was waiting behind the scenes.

The first audition show also included a familiar face for 90s pop fans with former chart Kavana - whose real name is Anthony Kavanagh - among those who tried out.

However none of the coaches were moved to turn around and they were embarrassed when they discovered who he was.

The last act for the evening Matt Henry, who revealed that he took part in the Lion King on the West End.

Banter: After Ash performed Tom Jones shared a few jokes with him on stage

The charity worker said: 'I feel like I'm free falling at the moment, I feel like it's time for me to step up.'

As he started singing Trouble by Ray LaMontagne, Danny immediately turned around and Will got ready to turn around himself but couldn't quite make up his mind.

Seizing the opportunity Jessie pressed her buzzer and as the song came to an end Will and Tom also pressed theirs.

It was long until they noticed that he looked a lot like Will and made him try on his shades.

Will said: 'You look more like my brother than my brother.'

The coaches then began to pitch to Matt but it seemed to be Will who said 'I'm living for my mom, everything I am doing for her' that swayed him to pick him.