Ain’t she done
good, The Girl From The Backwards!
It’s a BIG FAT
nod of approval for Heathrow country singer Talia Smith as she lifts off on the
way to jet set rhinestone fame ...(hopefully)
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| Talia Smith (courtesy of The Sun Newspaper ) |
The Voice
UK 2014 saw the return
of country music to the show on Saturday February 15 , 2014 in the form of John Rafferty and Talia Smith.
Described as two
"Wannabe" country singers in the BBC telecast segment they both performed on Episode 6 in the Blind Auditions.
First up was
John Rafferty a 35-year old Belfast singer, who once, in his slimmer and youthful
days was a Garth Brooks impersonator.
He sang John
Denver's signature US #2 hit "Take Me Home, Country Roads" but none
of the coaches reacted to his audition.
will.i.am
remarked that John didn't impart the storyline with his performance - "It sounded like you were reading it".
Tom Jones thought it
"could of been more grittier" .
The public loved it and further evidence of the UK’s love for familiarity has pushed the song to #1 on UK iTunes Country Songs chart (Sunday 16 Feb).
The public loved it and further evidence of the UK’s love for familiarity has pushed the song to #1 on UK iTunes Country Songs chart (Sunday 16 Feb).
For the second
time this week The Sun Newspaper ran
another exclusive feature (Page 33), on Talia Smith this time with a headline MY BIG
FAT GYPSY DREAM....Voice Star Talia longs for the US.
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| The Sun Article Click to ENLARGE |
After another stormy
affair, when nature, yet again, threw everything it had battering the South
Coast of England on Valentine’s Night this was a welcome respite bringing a ray
of sunshine to its readership!
Ahead of her Voice debut performance Smith spoke
of her passion for country music, a wish to move to Music City USA whist remaining loyal to her roots –“You can take the girl out of the trailer but
you can’t take the trailer out of the girl!”
So up next on
the "Country & Western" Round 2 saw 31-year Romany wife and mum
of three Talia to take to The Voice stage.
In the telecast
she cautioned:
"Not everyone's gonna
like country music, you can't please everybody so as long as I can do the best
I can, I'm OK with that"
 |
You Can Call Me
Tal: Voice Contestant Talia gives it
her best shot
singin’ Hell On Heels and She’s A Keeper!
|
Looking vibrant, vivacious and posed she launched into her take of the Pistol Annie's "Hell On Heels" which was the title cut single and ACM Superstar Women of Country >> taping in Vegas back on April 6, 2011 which introduced the female trio group, that comprises 4 time CMA Female Vocalist Miranda Lambert along with Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley.
The Voice
audience reacted positively and immediately warmed to Talia, backed by a great
sounding house band.
Sensing his
interest in Talia it drew a "I love that" remark from Sir Tom Jones
who was being encouraged by coaches will.i.am, Ricky Wilson and pop princess
Kylie Minogue (who was not going to be "Spinning Around"), to lasso
in the lovely curvaceous Heathrow based country singer during her fab
well-rounded audition.
As she progressed
Talia's mum Debbie, immediate family and Talia's country duo partner Kelly Lee
(Travellin Rose) looked on anxiously backstage waiting to see if one of the
coaches would Turn, turn , turn with
Voice co-presenter Emma Willis reassuring them that there was still time left.
 |
Kelly Lee
(Travellin Rose) (L), Talia's mum Debbie (second from right)
and family look
on nervously as Emma Willis (R) reassures
|
Just as Smith
was finishing her blind auction Sir Tom was convinced, she had for him, pressed
all the right buttons and rotated his chair to signify he was glad to be
working with the singer/songwriter who was clearly thrilled by his belief.
 |
Made Up My Mind: "There's Only One Tom Jones"
- I Want You.
Talia hits all
the right notes as Tom hits the button.
|
"What's
your name luv" he asked.
"My name is
Talia Smith" she replied.
Tom, who already
had "a lot of girls" joining Team-Tom backed up his decision saying:
"I loved that, I love country music and I love it when someone puts some
drive into it and YOU did! So I couldn't help myself, I don't have anyone like
you and I love what you did with that song"
Kylie Minogue
making fun of his welcome predicament said: "You've got 99 problems, but a
girl ain't one"
Kaiser Chiefs
lead singer and Voice coach Ricky Wilson - first referring to Tom said
"He's got 99 problems but his pitch ain't one so he doesn't
have to do one". Then offering some astute critique as to why he didn't
turn around shared "Unfortunately for me it was YOU are British, but you
were singing in an American accent, it was perfect, but for me that's not being
true to yourself. I'm not saying to go and sing in a Yorkshire accent or ow't.
Responding Talia
qualified with "I've grown up listening to country, my influences were
Loretta Lynn so that's where the twang comes from"
Ricky: It was
fantastic anyway"
Kylie Minogue: "I'm really happy Tom turned" then "turning" herself to Tom asked
"You had a country singer last season didn't you not?
Tom responded
"Yes, Mike Ward"
Kylie: So you're
in good hands" to which an excited Talia reacted "Yeah, I know!,
Thank you!"
Be upstanding for all tonight’s awesome chair-turners. #thevoiceuk… pic.twitter.com/1RsdFpErqw
— BBCTheVoiceUK (@BBCTheVoiceUK) February 15, 2014
Brit Women Of Country unite: The gorgeous Emma Jade (Garbutt) the Doncaster based #C2C2014 Pop Up stage
country performer and Voice 2013 Team
Tom contestant lends her support to the gorgeous Voice 2014 counterpart.
Good luck @TaliaSmithMusic !!! #teamcountry
— Emma Jade (@EmmaJadeMusic) February 15, 2014
Talia now proceeds to the Battle rounds, where Sir Tom
will select two of his own team members to sing the same song together in front
of the BBC studio audience.
Good luck Talia - Go Tal It To The Mountains!
Good luck Talia - Go Tal It To The Mountains!
Those of a
certain age will remember the early days of colour TV and American Western
series Alias Smith and Jones which originally aired on ABC from 1971 to 1973
and was shown on BBC2. Well it seems that Smith and Jones is back on the BBC!
>> Watch Talia Smith singing 'Hell On Heels' by Pistol Annies in her Blind Audition. BBC A Review of Episode-6
Follow Talia on Twitter
Download the BBC’s brand new The Voice UK app for 2014 from iTunes! Play the ‘HomeCoach’ game, put yourself in the coach’s chair and decide whether or not YOU would turn for Talia. Plus re-watch ALL the performances from the show.
Music: The Pistol Annies
track “Hell on Heels” is available on Amazon UK - Amazon.com - UK iTunes
Tom Jones was also swept off his feet by Mum-of-two Sally Barker who wowed the veteran, and on this occasion watery-filled eyed, singing star on 11th January 2014 (Episode 1, Blind Auditions).
Fans of Folk
music will likely remember the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire native and
singer-songwriter known for her solo work and as a founding member of the
Cajun, folk, blues and all-woman country outfit The Poozies.
As a Voice contestant she too has joined Team Tom following her delightful and tasteful blind audition singing a cover of Nina Simone’s 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'.
In the past Sally has toured with and supported acts such as Fairport Convention.
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