The Voice Australia has kicked off to a fighting start, with week two of the show already serving up some incredible four chair turns and stand-out performances.
On top of all this, secret fifth coach, Tones and I, is in the mix this year – unknown to coaches Melanie C, Ronan Keating, Kate Miller-Heidke and Richard Marx – and has been watching every Blind Audition unfold from a hidden surveillance room.
With the power to save artists who haven’t received any chair turns, Tones is forming a secret coaching program that will be mentoring these contestants behind the scenes, offering them a second chance.
However, many fans are slamming this format change, labelling it “disappointing” as the artists who don’t receive a chair turn don’t even get a ‘thank you’ or interaction from the coaches in the chairs.
After some stand-out performances this week, the grumbles haven’t stopped, as viewers are now concerned that some of the successful artists are “too young” to be on the reality TV show at all.
If you’re a real fan of the show, you’d know that this isn’t the first time young contestants have stolen the show… and even gotten further than anyone expected!
Speaking to WHO, 16-year-old contestant Charlotte Macphail unpacked her fears about doing a blind audition so young, and how it felt to have four chairs turned.
Fans divided over The Voice age complaints: ‘Way too young’
On Monday, August 10, 12-year-old artist Leyla Sabo from Victoria stunned audiences and coaches with her performance of ‘Alive’ by Sia, with all four coaches turning their chairs for her.
Her voice was so good that it fed the ongoing feud between coaches Ronan and Richard this season, as Ronan blocked Richard from turning on the young artist.
The next night, 16-year-old Charlotte Macphail from New South Wales also astounded judges as she turned all four chairs. In the end, the artist ended up on Melanie C’s team after the coach praised her star quality.
While the coaches praised these contestants’ maturity and stage presence, fans had other thoughts, with age being at the centre of the debate.
“Nope, way too young,” one fan wrote on social media after Leyla’s performance. “I disagree with allowing under-16s on the show. It’s too much of an adult environment.
“Too much pressure, too much hype, too much rejection, too much of ‘not normal’, just too much. She’s a child!”
Charlotte received the same sentiment, despite being four years older.
“She is the whole package, but maybe a bit young at 16,” one viewer wrote after the 16-year-old’s performance.
However, other fans saw no issue with these artists’ ages, praising their “stage presence” and pointing out that the format of the show is about “mentoring”, so age shouldn’t be a barrier.
“I still cannot get over that this girl was 12 during auditions,” one fan wrote about Leyla. “Great range, control and a little vibrato.”
“Exceptional vocal ability & stage presence that belied her youth,” another agreed.
‘There were moments where I wondered if that would work against me’
Charlotte admitted that she “definitely thought about [whether she would be too young to audition].
“Being 16, I knew I was one of the younger people auditioning, and there were moments where I wondered if that would work against me,” she told WHO. “But I also knew that this has been my dream for as long as I could remember and I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way when I had an opportunity like this.
“I just wanted to go in there and show who I am as an artist. I’m still young and have a lot to learn, but I think that’s also exciting because I have so much room to grow.”
However, Charlotte did confess that the feeling of having four chairs turn for her was “surreal”, and that she felt “so lucky and grateful”.
“It was a really special feeling,” she said. “I have so much respect for all of the coaches, so hearing them talk about me as an artist and why they wanted me on their team felt so surreal.
“It was also a little overwhelming because I was standing there at 16, listening to people I’ve looked up to saying such positive things about me. I was trying to take it all in while also making such a big decision. I feel very lucky to have had that experience.”
Young contestants are a part of The Voice Australia history
As viewers worry about whether a 12-year-old singing powerhouse is “too young” for The Voice, they’re forgetting about the show’s rich history of spotlighting young talent.
In 2021 and 2023, Janaki Easwar and Gezel Bardossi made history as the youngest contestants to audition for The Voice Australia, both just 12 years old.
Like Leyla and Charlotte this week, Janaki and Gezel also received four chair turns during their blind auditions, with Gezel going on to reach Top 6 after earning a place on Team Rita Ora.
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