Viewers saw 24-year-old Chantelle Padden wow the judges on The Voice on Saturday night. Will.I.Am and Olly Murs turned for the country singer from the west of Ireland while the other judges Anne-Marie and Sir Tom Jones also expressed regret that they did not turn. Ireland’s only contestant on this year’s show chose to join Olly’s team.
Chantelle told The Irish World recently how the song she was singing for the audition was a risk. It was a risk that paid off with all four judges seeming enthralled from early on in her performance of When I Look At You by Miley Cyrus.
Olly turned to fellow judge Tom Jones to say, “Wow” in reaction to how Chantelle held a high note.
Anne-Marie responded, “You have to go”.
However, it was Will.I.Am, looking nonchalant, who pushed the button first, with his foot, with Olly following him only seconds later.
An overjoyed Chantelle told the judges, “I’m shaking” when the song was finished and all four of them were facing her for the first time.
Anne-Marie was quick to say, “I feel like I made a mistake there. I’m sorry I didn’t turn around. You’re amazing. Unbelievable.”
Tom echoed the sentiment: “I have no excuse. I’m a schmuck. I can’t fault what you did. You’ve got a beautiful voice and you have strength. That was really something.”
Explaining why he had to turn, Will.I.Am said, “I didn’t want to push my button, but you pressed my button. Really, you kept pushing and pushing and showing us how strong your voice is.”
When asked if she saw herself as a country singer, Chantelle answered, “Country with a bit of a twist.”
Hearing she liked Miley Cyrus, Will pitched with: “Miley Cyrus is awesome. She comes from country. I wrote a song for her, a country twist song. I know how to do those.
“With me it’s just about experimenting and having fun doing it. I would love for you to be on my team. You’re awesome.”
Olly then told Chantelle, “That was phenomenal, genuinely. You sound great. You look amazing as well. Country music is such a popular style of music. It’s so current still.
“For me it isn’t about us putting you near Miley Cyrus. It’s about just making you you. Just keeping that lane, keep dong those country songs and just making you shine.”
Chantelle thanked both judges for their lovely statements: “I’m actually overwhelmed and in shock. Thank you so much both for turning. It means the world. This is possibly the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.”
From ITV Studios
The Voice UK: SR5: Ep6 on ITV
Pictured: Chantelle Padden performs. will.i.am and Olly turn and she chooses Team Olly.
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Chantelle started singing at a very young age with her grandad Tony Cawley and she was shown ringing her grandparent to share her good news.
Tony told her proudly: “Congratulations, you always had that talent. It was there since you were eight, nine, ten.”
Chantelle had to wipe away tears before telling her mentor : “I wouldn’t be here without all your years of hard work and support.”
“You’ve done me proud,” Tony told her in response.