Seven’s big gamble has paid off with The Voice – but there’s one big problem with the show that even huge ratings can’t fix.
After a risky move to a new network, 10 seasons in, The Voice is suddenly bigger than it has been in years – but don’t expect it to produce a successful pop star despite the millions of people tuning in.
The show has been a consistent ratings winner since launching in Australia in 2012, pulling in well over two million viewers in its first few seasons. Even last year, when Nine sniffed that it had “become by far the poorest financial performer on our slate” after it was poached by Seven, almost a million people were watching.
Millions of eager viewers – which, in previous years, has translated to a few thousand record sales for the person triumphantly crowned the show’s winner.
Those who won the earliest seasons had the best chance at success: Season 1 winner Karise Eden scored a top five single and a number one album, a feat equalled by season two winner Harrison Craig.
But season three was when the wheels really started to fall off: 2014 winner Anja Nissen was lumped with a dated Black Eyed Peas-lite single penned by her coach Wil.i.am and LFMAO’s Redfoo. It was called I’m So Excited, but fans were not: it charted at 42.
Since then, a couple of winner’s singles have scraped into the charts – season four winner Ellie Drennan’s track Ghost hit number 25, 2017 winner Judah Kelly’s ballad Count On Me just snuck into the top 20. Others, like 2016’s Alfie Arcuri and 2018’s Sam Perry, had to settle for more lowly chart positions (89 and 78 respectively).
In recent years, the disconnect between the show’s loyal viewership and the lack of interest in the winner’s music career couldn’t be more stark: 2019 winner Diana Rouvas’ winner’s single Wait For No Onefailed to crack the ARIA top 500. Last year, Chris Sebastian became the show’s most recognisable winner in years, given his family connection to brother Guy, a longtime coach on the show. Even that controversy couldn’t land him a hit – his single missed the charts completely.
This isn’t to denigrate the fledgling singers who try out for the show, and those who eventually win – it’s tough launching a pop music career in Australia, even when you do have the platform of a prime time TV show behind you.
But it makes for a jarring viewing experience as the years, and failures, roll on. The show’s dismal track record in producing viable music careers is never mentioned or acknowledged by the relentlessly upbeat judges, who shower the – often very young – hopefuls with compliments about their incredible artistry and awe-inspiring talent.
This year, the show’s undergone some big changes – a new network, a new coaching panel – but one element remains: boundless positivity in the face of all available evidence.
“You’re not just Mick the lawn mower,” coach Jess Mauboy assures one unassuming contestant in the show’s latest promo after he belts out an Avril Lavigne power ballad. “You could be Mick the megastar.”
Spoiler alert: lawn mower Mick, lovely though his voice is, probably won’t parlay this TV appearance into a multi-album deal or stadium tour. We’re unlikely to watch him thank Jess for her support as he gratefully accepts the Album of The Year award at next year’s Grammys.
Just once I’d like some honesty on this show. Not just vague allusions from the judges about the industry being “tough,” but real honesty about what lies ahead.
“I hit my buzzer because that was a perfectly serviceable cover of I Will Always Love You. But do you have what it takes? Are you ready for the challenge of releasing one unsuccessful single … then going back to your normal life, never to be heard from again?”
But hey, it’s not all bad – at least The Voice winners walk away with $100,000 in prize money.
Let’s hope they’ve all invested wisely.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMioAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9lbnRlcnRhaW5tZW50L3R2L3JlYWxpdHktdHYvZ2xhcmluZy1wcm9ibGVtLXRoZS12b2ljZS1qdXN0LWNhbnQtc2VlbS10by1maXgtYWZ0ZXItMTAtc2Vhc29ucy9uZXdzLXN0b3J5LzVhMDI0YjRiODVmYjU1NjVmNTIxNmNiMWRlM2JkMmZj0gGkAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3MuY29tLmF1L2VudGVydGFpbm1lbnQvdHYvcmVhbGl0eS10di9nbGFyaW5nLXByb2JsZW0tdGhlLXZvaWNlLWp1c3QtY2FudC1zZWVtLXRvLWZpeC1hZnRlci0xMC1zZWFzb25zL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvNWEwMjRiNGI4NWZiNTU2NWY1MjE2Y2IxZGUzYmQyZmM_YW1w?oc=5
2021-08-27 19:53:44Z
CBMioAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9lbnRlcnRhaW5tZW50L3R2L3JlYWxpdHktdHYvZ2xhcmluZy1wcm9ibGVtLXRoZS12b2ljZS1qdXN0LWNhbnQtc2VlbS10by1maXgtYWZ0ZXItMTAtc2Vhc29ucy9uZXdzLXN0b3J5LzVhMDI0YjRiODVmYjU1NjVmNTIxNmNiMWRlM2JkMmZj0gGkAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3MuY29tLmF1L2VudGVydGFpbm1lbnQvdHYvcmVhbGl0eS10di9nbGFyaW5nLXByb2JsZW0tdGhlLXZvaWNlLWp1c3QtY2FudC1zZWVtLXRvLWZpeC1hZnRlci0xMC1zZWFzb25zL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvNWEwMjRiNGI4NWZiNTU2NWY1MjE2Y2IxZGUzYmQyZmM_YW1w
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