“Your advice …is it genuine?”
A contestant on The Voice detoured from the script, with a very legitimate question.
- Published by David Knox
- on
A contestant on The Voice last night detoured from the script when she asked the coaches if their feedback was genuine, implying that it may be confected drama.
Soma Sutton, who was eliminated from Team Guy raised the question after she was invited to plea for a Wild Card pick.
“OK, well, the thing about that is that I didn’t really want to come on the show in the first place,” she admitted.
“I was convinced to come here, to be here, to stand here and do this in front of you. And, like, it is disheartening.
“Your advice that you guys all give, it’s like, is that genuine? I would just like to know, you know, what you really think. Do I actually have what it takes to be a musician?”
She added, “I think the disheartening thing about it is that you don’t have enough time to get to know me. You don’t know why I am in my shell.”
"Your advice that you guys give, is that genuine?" Soma did not hold back 😲 #TheVoiceAU pic.twitter.com/AeoCdqkpBQ
— The Voice Australia (@TheVoiceAU) July 7, 2020
Instantly it became another moment of TV drama for the Nine show as some coaches appeared lost for words.
Kelly Rowland soon replied, “Take a deep breath in, no one’s going to waste their time and just tell you something because it sounds good.”
Guy Sebastian added, “We can only dive in to our artists as much as they let us dive in.
“If you don’t tell me what stops you from being the artist you need to be, what can I do?”
He added, “I think you’ve got something very special but you have to trust and you have to deal with the things that are holding you back.”
No surprises that Soma was not selected for the Wild Card spot.
She later told Nine Entertainment, “It was more emotional just to take the leap of faith to come and do this anyway and be convinced by a producer to come on the show.
“It’s taken a lot to be here — a lot out of my life, a lot out of my time, and for a short journey it’s taken a lot of sacrifices.”
But some media also branded her question as a “rant” and noted negative social media posts that depicted her as ungrateful.
Soma’s question was completely legitimate in a mentoring situation, and in the moment for a young and emotional singer.
This season has seen its fair share of heightened Reality TV drama where the singers are caught in Coach crossfire.
The question of allocated mentoring time was also relevant (even Guy Sebastian noted she needed more time).
In the end, it became another drama moment the show drew upon.
No apology necessary.
17 Responses
I get the feeling editing played a part with this Having already been teased with this moment in the preview, that moment seemed to come sharply and not necessarily as an immediate response to not being picked, making her look more petulant and less sympathetic. It all struck a bit of a false note. Pun intended
I feel like they were both right. She was right in asking about whether their feedback was genuine – I’m sure many singers have wanted to ask that – but he was also right in noticing that maybe the show wasn’t the right place for her at that time in her life.
And while she may have been encouraged to come onto the show, the ultimate decision to do the show lay with her. She can’t blame other people for her decision to come on to the show, which is what this sounds like. No doubt the show loved the drama, though.
Once again another ‘reality show’ contestant not liking what happens in a show …. so many comments
what you mean reality tv shows are scripted and not real i am shocked, but dont watch it
Delta’s face was priceless & will be the subject of many memes.
I’ve been watching a bit of The Voice due to the family liking it. Soma was one of only a couple of contestants who had something original about them. They’re looking for pop-stars, not musical artists. Originality has near zero to do with becoming a pop star, It doesn’t surprise me at all when she said she didn’t want to go on the show. It’s simply someone suggesting marketing/promotion to her, since she already has music videos up on YouTube dating back 2 years. I can see her carving out a nice little career similar to what Aussie idol contestants Matt Corby & Lisa Mitchell have.
I think she was annoyed when she was not picked by Guy. Sometimes the judges do go over board with the promises eg I’ll go to your concerts and buy your music.
Sorry if it’s a dumb question, i dont watch the show. Just saw the screens on the chairs, are George and Kelly not in the country? Those chairs are far enough apart for all for to be there in person.
Not in AU. Would have entailed quarantine, Kelly also has kids.
Thanks.
So is she saying that she was “bullied” to go on the show? I am sure the judges do and say what they can within the confines of the show, however in the end they want the winning contestant.
Didn’t strike me as that extreme. Encouraged? Convinced?
Where on earth did you come up with the word bullied in this context? No one even suggested that. My thinking is that she was seen by a talent scout who invited her onto the show.
Nine’s own website has reported it was a producer that ‘convinced’ her to go on the show. Like I said her words were she felt pressured. In this world pressured is another’s ‘Bullying’. Like I said and her quote as reported is ‘I didn’t really want to come on the show’
Sorry she didn’t say pressured, and definitely not bullied. “It was more emotional just to take the leap of faith to come and do this anyway and be convinced by a producer to come on the show.”
Noted, thanks David.
Egged is a better term. But the nature of the show is the coaching is limited, and if a contestant willingly appears but is in a bad head space, it’s a waste of everyone’s time not just theirs.
She may realise this in years to come.