The Voice has a major twist this season, with not four, but five coaches battling it out to nab the best artists auditioning.
Despite still singing to only four of the iconic red chairs (and hoping to turn them), the artists now have a lifeline thanks to Tones and I, who is hiding out of sight and listening to everything.
If Ronan Keating, Melanie C, Kate Miller-Heidke and Richard Marx don’t turn for a contestant, Tones and I can decide to give them another chance and bring them into her team.
The whole format change has given the show a new lease of life for its 15th season, but some fans have been quick to express their dislike of it, claiming it puts too much focus on the coaches and them “peacocking” to try to outcompete each other for the contestants, rather than honing in on the contestants themselves.
However, Keating told WHO why the coaches are more competitive than ever this season.
It’s a tough piece of criticism, but some viewers are saying the coaches are too focused on their “egos” rather than keeping the contestants front and centre.
“Sad to think this show has become more about the judges than the artists,” one fan wrote, while another said the coaches were “ego bending”.
While that phrase doesn’t exactly make sense, you get the gist of the complaint.
However, others are saying they really like hearing what the coaches have to say and watching them compete with each other is entertaining.
Ultimately, these acclaimed artists are asked to be mentors on the show to pull in audiences and to show off their personalities.
“I’m enjoying it so far!” one viewer said.
‘We’re not coming here to take it lying down’
This is the third season Keating has been a coach on The Voice Australia, and he has even taken on the role in Germany and the UK.
He explained that the coaches, with all their expansive and unique experiences in the music industry, take their mentorship seriously and get animated when they think their expertise can help the artist be the best they can.
“We’ve been doing it for a long time, all of us. We’re not coming here to take it lying down; we’re going for it properly,” he told WHO in March.
“I enjoy the whole journey and watching artists grow and being part of the team.”
He admitted that he feels “10 feet tall when the artists choose you in front of the other coaches”, but he has nothing but love for his fellow coaches.
“To be part of a show like this with the coaches that I have massive admiration for and there are great friendships there, it’s very special.”
Why Keating vouches for The Voice
Keating, who became famous in the early 1990s as the frontman of Irish band Boyzone, explained why he loves the show so much.
“The industry has changed so much. There’s no A&R people [scouts] anymore going out there and discovering new talent. A show like The Voice can now unearth new talent,” he said.