Teen Singer Hopes For Success On TV Talent Show

An aspiring teenage country singer has made it through to the second round of vocal talent show The Voice after impressing the judges in the trial auditions.

Frankie Loveridge, 16, from Cricklade, was taken aback by the news when he got an email informing him he had made it onto the shortlist for the next round of selections.

“I have just found out I made it through the first round, and after they interviewed me they told me I am now on the shortlist for the second round,” he said.

“This is the first time I have applied for The Voice, because I am only 16, so it was a bit of a surprise when I found out I had got through. The competition looked very tough this year, so I didn’t think I had a chance.”

The winner of the hit BBC One show will follow in the footsteps of previous success stories Leanne Mitchell and Andrea Begley, and will receive a cash jackpot and sign a dream record deal.

But Frankie admits the competition this year is fierce.

“I had to go to the auditions in Birmingham on July 13, where there were literally thousands of people. I am a country singer, so I sang I Told You So by Randy Travis,” he said.

“At the auditions they said they had raised the entry barrier this year by 50 per cent, so to get through even the first round was going to be very difficult.

“If I am chosen from the shortlist for the second round, I will need to pick a selection of songs to perform and if I make it through that I will get to sing properly in front of Tom Jones and the rest of the judges in the final auditions. It is very exciting.”

The contestants who make it through will face a new line up of judges after Danny O’Donaghue, who mentored this year’s winner Andrea Begley, announced he was quitting the show.

But Frankie is quick to play down his chances, choosing just to concentrate on his songs.

“I think the next song I want to do is going to be Don’t Close Your Eyes by Keith Whitley and I will just hope for the best.” he said.