Holly Byrnes gives us the lowdown on upcoming TV shows starting with shock news on The Voice
IT’S the moment of triumph, when Australia’s favourite Voice is decided, but this year the winner will have to settle for a glitter gun and applause as there will be no single to perform.
Confidential
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IT’S the moment of triumph, when Australia’s favourite Voice has been decided, but this year, the chosen singer will have to settle for just a glitter gun and the crowd’s applause, with producers confirming that the winner will not be performing a single.
Missing the chance to maximise sales momentum from Monday night’s grand finale, the winning artist is expected to release a solo track by Friday, cramming recording sessions into any post-series publicity schedule.
Nine executive Adrian Swift said the decision to ditch the winner’s single from tomorrow night’s broadcast was to give the singers more time to “polish their recordings” and also to help “de-cheese” the show’s climax.
“We just felt you had to get to that moment when the winner is announced, then they sing a song no one knows and it’s a gear change too far.”
SYDNEY CONFIDENTIAL: FRANK LAKOUDIS RETURNS TO HIS BANKSTOWN SCHOOL
SYDNEY CONFIDENTIAL: JOHNNY ROLLINS CONNECTS WITH KYLIE
But getting traction on the iTunes chart for this season of The Voice has been a challenge in itself, with no artist — except for coach Joel Madden and his brother Benji — breaking through for a No.1.
This compares with the chart domination by last year’s winner, Harrison Craig, who topped the charts with three separate performance singles; while his fellow finalists completed a top 10 shut-out by the once all-conquering show.
The diversity of this year’s final five acts — Anja Nissen, Frank Lakoudis, Jackson Thomas, Johnny Rollins, and ZK singers Zaachariaha Fielding and Kristal West — has “fractured” the vote, Swift argued, with the show’s HomeCoach voting app also drawing attention and downloads away from iTunes.
“Viewers have been much less loyal to a successful act, voting for different singers from one week to the next. It’s all come down to song choice,” he said.
Despite leading the charts all week and peaking at No. 9, Rollins said he took little confidence from them as a measure of how he was connecting with the audience; given singers such as Sabrina Batshon and duet Gabriel and Cecelia were sent packing even when they had climbed higher on the charts.
“In the last few rounds, people who were leading on iTunes have been the ones to go home, so I don’t think you can go by what’s going on there,” the chilled Melbourne singer said.
“Everyone’s too close to be worried about who is the hot favourite or who they think is going to win ... we’re all sitting in a good place to get this far. I don’t think anyone in this top five thought we’d get here.”
Meanwhile, Sydney rocker Lakoudisfired a final salvo, defending The Voice as a platform for legitimate musicians, aiming high with his attack on Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, a fierce critic of the TV talent show format.
“It’s easy for (Dave Grohl) to say we shouldn’t use a television show and that we should just keep playing gigs,” Lakoudis told website SFMedia.
“However, in Australia there is literally no rock scene any more.
“I’m friends with many rock artists who work just as hard as I have, spending their time and money, day after day making incredible music, and yet no one knows who they are.”
Lakoudis told The Sunday Telegraph win or lose, he would use his exposure to keep rock gigs alive in Sydney.
THE Voice host Darren McMullen will be Eddie Everywhere tonight, fronting the Kids spin-off series and then making his acting debut in Nine’s drama series, House Husbands (9pm).
Scottish-born McMullen has been inspired by his stint on the show, playing opposite local legends Gary Sweet and Rachel Griffiths.
He now plans to immerse himself in acting classes, with Leonardo DiCaprio’s coach no less, once his Voice commitments are over.
Starring as quirky librarian Alex, who falls for Gyton Grantley’s Kane, he said he was more concerned about alienating the audience with such an “unlikeable” role rather than playing gay.
Attacking current politics opposing same-sex marriage, McMullen said: “The more shows such as House Husbands and Modern Family, which show gay characters happily raising kids, the more broader opinions will change.”
Teasing that there could be a kissing scene between Kane and Alex in their future, McMullen conceded that he hadn’t enamoured himself to his co-star by scoffing garlic before the cameras rolled.
In real life, his romance with US actor Crystal Reed (Teen Wolf) is going strong, describing her on Friday as “my dream’’.
HERE’S an idea. If the Logies producers are looking to get an early start on booking talent to perform at next year’s night of nights, this week’s episode of The Time Of Our Lives (Thur, 8.30pm, ABC1) should serve as an audition tape for former Packed To The Rafters star Jessica McNamee.
Playing singer Lisa, McNamee puts on an impressive set, accompanied by Shane Jacobsen (as Luce), with Justine Clarke (Bernadette) and Stephen Curry (Herb) warbling away in the showcase crowd.
WHILE a page pleading for federal budget relief over plans to cut ABC funding was shared around Facebook this week, it beggars belief why the public broadcaster’s publicity department would waste serious dollars on sending out a lavish gilt press kit for its upcoming production Anzac Girls.
As historically significant as the story may be, in these austere times surely there can be no justification for commissioning a bound, coffee table-style tome, filled with the same images and cast details available on Aunty’s media portal.
LET’S gloss over those god awful uniforms and get to the good bits about the Glasgow Commonwealth Games (Thurs., 5.30am).
Like winning lots of medals, sadly lacking in London and Sochi.
Even better will be the chance to celebrate the all-new and improved Ian Thorpe, who joins Ten’s commentary team.
Earning more admirers for his candid interview with Sir Michael Parkinson last week, he gets a shot at showing us the media skills he hopes to build into a career.
Go for gold, Thorpie.
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Glamming it up for a return to the racecourse
The first official racing carnival featuring the new $46.6m WINX stand at Randwick Racecourse is kicking off, with model and new mum Ksenija Lukich among those dressing up for the occasion.