Anja Nissen faces uphill battle for success even with a song written by Delta and released by will.i.am

WILL Channel Nine’s decision not to release The Voice winner’s debut single My Girls until Friday cost her the number single on the ARIA charts?

ANJA Nissen’s music career will be inextricably tied to The Voice, whether she likes it or not, with her debut single co-written by Delta Goodrem and released via coach Will. I. Am’s label.

But any momentum offered by the win on Nine’s talent show has been stalled by the decision not to release her debut single My Girls until Friday.

WILDCARD: Anja Nissen wins The Voice for 2014

ON A HIGH: The Voice winner Anja Nissen parties the night away

Nissen’s career is already off to a shaky start with no considerable iTunes spike for her final performance of I Have Nothing in the wake of her win.

As the music industry swapped conspiracy theories today over how the wildcard finalist pulled a Stephen Bradbury style win, Nissen was doing a lot of talking about a song no one can buy for three more days.

My Girls, written by Goodrem and musical partner Vince Pizzinga, was composed during the recording sessions for the new album from The Voice Kids’ coach but offered to The Voice team for a female finals contestant to record.

Gift ... The Voice Kids coach Delta Goodrem co-wrote My Girls for her own album but gave it to Nissen. Picture Luke Fuda.

For the first time in reality TV memory, a winner’s single was not performed on the grand final of a series.

Channel 9 and Shine, the production team behind The Voice, decided against the final contestants performing any original songs on the Grand Final.

While they all recorded potential winner’s singles, the TV executives insisted they revisit cover versions already performed in the show for the Grand Final.

Music industry insiders have suggested that the decision was also designed to help promote The Voice Australian tour, which Channel 9’s touring arm Nine Live is presenting.

ANJA NISSAN: Ten things you should know about The Voice winner

The tour will play arena-size venues nationally from July 27.

Nine Live are also presenting tours by Voice coaches Joel Madden and Ricky Martin, both promoted on the show.

This year’s Voice has failed to score any major ARIA chart success, something previous winners Harrison Craig and Karise Eden managed while still on the show.

This week’s highest ARIA debut was Johnny Rollins (who came third last night) with When A Man Loves a Woman debuting at No. 38 — no other performances from last week’s semi-final cracked the Top 50.

Nissen and winning coach Will. I. Am will record an album of cover versions heard on the show this week, for release on August 1.

Support ... The Voice coach Will. I. Am has signed Nissen to his imprint distributed by the show’s contracted record label Universal Music Australia. Picture: Luke Fuda.

She will premiere My Girls on the Today show later this week to a considerably smaller audience than the 1.5 million people who tuned in to see her crowned the winner.

While the ratings for The Voice this year have been lower than the first two series, the show did manage to sell music — for the coaches and guest performers.

Australian band Sheppard, who performed their No. 1 hit Geronimo on the grand final, soared to No. 1 on iTunes with their album Bombs Away debut record today. The single has also returned to the Top 10.

Coach Will I Am is at No. 2 on iTunes with his single It’s My Birthday, also performed on the Grand Final using digital technology to have multiple Wills on stage at once.

What’s ahead? ... The Voice winner Anja Nissen.

Viewers took to Twitter to voice their surprise that now former Voice contestants from this series or winners were featured on the Grand Final.

Contestants instead performed awkward duets with their mentors.

The highest Voice contestant to be found on iTunes is Johnny Rollins, who came third, with When a Man Loves a Woman at No. 21. Nissen’s I Have Nothing is No. 25.

None of their performances from last night were released to iTunes; previously sales had counted for votes.

All The Voice downloads also sell for the budget price of $1.19.

The final three also seem to have low Twitter followings compared to their regular national exposure to millions of social media fans. Nissen’s followers have jumped to just under 5000 this morning, with Johnny Rollins and Jackson Thomas still yet to crack 3000 followers.

Originally published as Anja Nissen faces uphill battle for success even with a song written by Delta and released by will.i.am