A contestant from the The Voice Australia has shockingly claimed that working with the A-list coaches is far from the glitz and glamour that fans expect.
An aspiring singer from the 2024 series shared their disillusionment with the behind-the-scenes experience ahead of the talent competition’s semi-final
They claimed the coaching from the celebrity judges – LeAnn Rimes, Kate Miller Heidke, Adam Lambert and Guy Sebastian – is more of a façade than genuine mentorship.
‘They sell you this dream of being mentored by these huge names, but honestly, it felt so shallow,’ they confessed to Yahoo Lifestyle on Monday.
‘The coaches barely have time for you. It’s like they’re playing a role on TV and don’t really connect with you.’
The anonymous contestant went on to allege that their experience wasn’t unique but something that all the singers had to deal with.
‘I thought it was just because my coach was an international artist, but everyone I spoke to had the same experience. It was all quite contrived,’ they added.
It adds fuel to the ongoing speculation about how much real interaction the contestants actually get with their celebrity coaches.
A contestant from the The Voice Australia has shockingly claimed that working with the A-list coaches is far from the glitz and glamour that fans expect (pictured: LeAnn Rimes)
They claimed the coaching from the celebrity judges – LeAnn Rimes, Kate Miller Heidke (pictured), Adam Lambert and Guy Sebastian – is more of a façade than genuine mentorship
While viewers at home see heartwarming moments of connection between contestants and their mentors, there have been claims the reality is less personal.
The Voice 2023 winner Tarryn Stokes told Daily Mail Australia that she hadn’t heard anything from her on-screen mentor Rita Ora for months.
Stokes, who was crowned winner of the reality show last October, said the pair exchanged several emails in June, but alleged they have not been in contact since.
‘Not a lot [of contact with Rita], but she gave me her e-mail, so we were emailing back and forth,’ the mother-of-two, 41, said.
However, it appears this digital correspondence was short-lived as Tarryn claims she hasn’t heard from her since.
The allegations came as a blow to the show’s reputation, which prides itself on fostering a sense of personal growth and development for its contestants.
The Voice coaches are yet to respond to the claims.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Seven for comment.
It comes after The Voice completely overhauled its judges this year, with Guy being the only one to return alongside three newcomers.
The Voice 2023 winner Tarryn Stokes told Daily Mail Australia that she hasn’t heard anything from her on-screen mentor Rita Ora for months
Outgoing coaches Rita Ora, Jessica Mauboy and Jason Derulo did not reprise their roles on the popular show.
According to a production insider, the reason for the switch-up was the star’s pay cheques, and a desire from producers to keep costs down.
The insider added that salary increases are necessary to keep returning stars on the show and the price tag for the former crop was ‘too expensive’.
‘The company line was that Jessica, Rita and Jason were all too busy, but I don’t think anyone is too busy to pick up these sorts of pay cheques.
‘It certainly did have a lot to do with keeping the costs down.’
