PORT Macquarie’s Charlie O’Derry has secured his spot in the next stage of The Voice, winning his Battle Round performance on Sunday 7 September under the guidance of coach Kate Miller-Heidke.
Charlie was paired against fellow contestant Brenton Kneen, a match-up that left him both nervous and inspired.
“I honestly thought, ‘this might be the moment I’m going home, how am I going to beat him?’,” Charlie said.
“Hearing how strong Brenton’s voice was motivated me to push myself even harder.
“But more than anything, I was thinking about how much I’d miss singing with him.
“We built such a strong friendship in such a short time and I just wanted the result to feel fair for both of us.”
The judges praised both singers, but ultimately Miller-Heidke chose Charlie to continue on in the competition.
His next stop will be the knockouts, where he will face another challenge in front of a national audience.
Despite the pressure of the show and his looming HSC exams, the 17-year-old remains grounded thanks to the backing of his community.
“I’m so grateful to my hometown of Port Macquarie for all their love and support,” he said.
“I’ll be playing a gig at Port Macquarie’s The Terrace [on] Saturday, 13 September from 6:30pm.
“I’d love to see everyone there.”
Charlie’s fans across the Mid North Coast can catch him live at The Terrace, before cheering him on again when he takes to the stage in the Knockouts.
By Sis HIGGINS
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