Former Leeds Conservatoire student Oli Ross has caught the attention of household industry names on ITV’s ‘The Voice’.
Receiving praise from the likes of will.i.am and Olly Murs during the blind audition, Oli is rapidly progressing through the competition. Working alongside coach Meghan Trainor, the contestant made it through ‘The Battles’ by performing a rendition of Hozier’s ‘Take Me to Church’ against fellow competitor Dean John Wilson.
Oli graduated from our Popular Music degree programme in July of last year. She has since wasted no time in establishing herself as an artist. Combining fresh pop sounds with powerful RnB vocals, the future looks promising for the vocalist, who originally hails from Kent.
Keep an eye out for Oli during the knockout rounds of ‘The Voice’ on ITV, which is broadcast on Saturdays at 8.30PM. A prize of £100,000 and a record deal awaits the successful winner of the competition.
How did it feel to have such a positive reaction from the judges on The Voice?
I was absolutely overwhelmed to get such a positive reaction from the coaches, and you can see from my reaction that it was a complete shock; I didn’t know how to deal with hearing things I’d only dreamed of hearing from talents that I have admired so much.
How difficult was it in choosing one song to demonstrate the strength of your vocals?
Choosing my song for the blind audition was one of the hardest parts about the whole process.
I’ve worked so hard on my artistry, persona and sense of style over the past few years. The song had to completely reflect me throughout the instrumentation, melodic variation and overall vibe.
‘Sail’ is a wicked song no doubt - but I was eager to put my own spin on it and add in elements of soul, and rock. The process was a long one, but I’m glad that I didn’t settle and followed my gut.
What made you choose Meghan Trainor to represent you?
Meghan and I are so similar, I felt it the second I spoke to her. She represents female empowerment, self-love and worth and has killer confidence; all traits that I really really admire. You can see how much Meghan really wants all of her acts to do well, and I’m so happy to be working with such an incredible person and musician.
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