‘The Voice’ lacks a pinch of Alex Callier, the man who can break dreams with one well-placed sentence like another’s egg in the morning

You hear at counters and negotiating tables that there are no more certaintiesthese days. However, I know at least one: VTM will fill its Fridays with shinytalent shows until the last viewer has turned off the light or Koen Wautersrealizes that hoisting Duvels above a top billiard is also a way to start theweekend. That moment is not now: Wauters is just another coach in ‘The Voiceof Flanders’. Already in its eighth season, there are still some persistentmisunderstandings about the program.

Jasper Van LoySaturday October 1, 202208:35

Error number one: winners of ‘The Voice van Vlaanderen’ would usually havebeen forgotten before the last shred of confetti has popped out of the cannon.Fits well. won last year Grace Khuabic , who immediately raked in 2.5million streams with her first single ‘Freedom’. Her predecessor Ibe Wuytsmeanwhile know what the backstages of Pukkelpop and Werchter look like and thewinner before that, Luka Cruysberghs know you not only as an up-and-comingtalent, but also as she-who-with-a-Zoom-meeting-from- Hooverphonic -was-flickered. Do it there Paulien Mathues bij, 2013 laureate and backingvocalist for Arsenal at, and you have four winners out of seven who were ableto continue professionally after their win. In times of Spotify and TikTok,that’s not a bad thing.

Furthermore, it’s a myth that all contestants aim for quick fame and cannedpop stardom. ‘The Voice’ also lives on candidates like Sophie , theteacher who wanted to stand alone on stage for the first time in 42 years.’I’m proud that I dared,’ she reacted bravely after her performance, even ifher cover of ‘Nutbush City Limits’ was just a little bit Tina-Turnerian for anew-fangled judge Mathieu Terryn to turn around.

Speaking of Terryn: in advance memden a few members of the community that heand Jan Paternoster somewhat lowered themselves to become a coach of ‘TheVoice’. Another big mistake. Paternoster, for example, immediately proved itsadded value by being the only one to turn his chair for the nervous onejosse , who slipped vocal a few times, but did have the inspiration in histhroat that made Jan the bluesman happy. Josse’s brother warre was thebest singer of the evening: all the coaches were gone after one verse and sawthat the source of their delight came from behind a finely sculpted Adam’sapple, surmounted by a waving blond helmet and eyes that no longer neededdredging in terms of depth. Every year that question: can ugly people in thiscountry also sing?

By the way, it was already a misunderstanding that ‘The Voice’ should takeplace every year, now we are at it twice a week. Sunday is that again:candidate’s story, candidate’s performance, coaches’ commentary, story, song,commentary, story, song, commentary and that into something that feels likeeternity, then the battles and the final. Good stories and good songs, butthey would be even better if everything around them didn’t feel like bandwork. No one is scared of the fifth coach Laura Tesoro a trick to keeprejected candidates back in the race in exchange for a tear shed in front ofthe camera.

Everyone in the blind auditions can sing and those who struggle due to thestress still go home with a motherly mild remark from Natalia or a pat onthe back from Mathieu Terryn. That makes ‘The Voice’ warm, but also soimprobably kumbayarig that I have a sniff Alex Callier Missed, ex-coachand a man who can break dreams with one well-placed sentence like other peopledo their morning egg. But the majority of viewers just want to put theircynicism in the drawer during ‘The Voice’. For them, VTM has already completedits Friday assignment.