The Voice

Nobody is irreplaceable.

That’s what’s clear from the first episode of The Voice for 2014.

New coaches will.i.am and Kylie Minogue amply fill the big red chairs vacated by Seal and Delta Goodrem in Nine’s returning talent quest.

“Australia, The Voice Season 3, I’m home,” says Kylie.

While it sounds a little bit bumper-sticker, landing Ms. Minogue for the third season is surely a coup for Nine. She looks relaxed, happy and keen to share her knowledge.

“I’d wanna be on her team” says Joel Madden.

will.i.am is like a musicologist with his wry observations and science of music. Before the episode is out he will offer his producer skills and even his own compositions in a bid to win singers for his team.

“If you were on my team… you’d be on my team,” he says.

The two newcomers join returning coaches Joel Madden and Ricky Martin who all open the show with a performance of Hall of Fame, originally recorded by The Script and will.i.am. It’s like a glossy music clip with multitrack vocals, but doesn’t quite feel like the raw ‘As live’ television performance required of contestants. Stadium-style cheering on the audio adds to the manufactured feel.

But we’re here for the contestants and on that front The Voice does not disappoint.

In episode one you will hear sweet songbirds, deep, resonant voices, screaming rockers, cool hip hop acts and sultry storytellers. I’ve said in previous seasons, that some contestants arguably sing better than the coaches and it applies here too.

Amongst the contenders are 23 y.o. Kat Jade from South Australia (complete with pussycat ears and a snorting laugh); 23 y.o. Mat Verevis 23 who studied music theatre at WAAPA; 18y.o. motorbiker Anja Nissen; 22 y.o. web designer Frank Lakoudis and 45 y.o. Lionel Cole, nephew to Nat King Cole, who once had the Black Eyed Peas open for his former band.

Amongst the songs are Wrecking Ball, Unforgettable, Crazy (Beyonce), and Can’t Fight The Moonlight.

They are again accompanied by friends and loved ones in suspense as they take the trademark “long walk” to the stage.

The Blind Auditions are readily recognised as the high point of this show as we discover voices that belie appearances. All the drama hangs off whether the judges will turn, and the subsequent pitching for teams. I have a smile on my face when the first chair turns. As singers are chosen and embraced by elated professionals (including one standing ovation) the show hits its sweet spot.

While nobody is stuttering or visually impaired contestants are digging deep for their mandatory backstory -in one case even in drawing on that of a relative.

“My grandparents lost their house in the bushfires,” says one. Sheesh.

The judges are also expert at turning on the theatrics: grooving in their big red chairs, hovering their hands over buttons, stamping it with their feet. You know the drill.

It’s also ‘accessory season’ this year with all manner of trademark attire seemingly to help us remember the acts -even a kilt, wee laddies!

Host Darren McMullen is barely seen, narrating from afar until we eventually catch sight of him chatting backstage. Recaps and ‘sweetened’ applause are  also overdone, the latter making the audience sound gladiatorial.

At around 90 minutes we get through about 7 featured acts which is indicative of the format’s padding. That’s a shame because on the talent front The Voice is off to a good start.

Any suggestion that we have exhausted our talent search should be left at the door. The Voice celebrates singers of experience who just need to step out of the shadows so we can all applaud their talent.

And it has Kylie.

The Voice premieres 6:30pm Sunday and continues 7:30pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on Nine.