By Casey Neill
Hoseah Partsch cried when he realised he’d miss the Dandenong High School house choral competition.
It was a place in The Voice grand finale that kept the Cranbourne West 18-year-old away from the Tuesday 27 June event.
On Sunday 2 July he’ll perform on stage with coach Boy George as one of the final four singers in the Channel Nine talent competition.
“I’m a house captain. I was so gutted because it’s my last year at Dandenong High School,” he said.
“The chorals is my favourite part of the year.
“To not be there is the saddest thing in my life.
“My fellow house captain Britney, she called me up and told me we won.
“That made me cry even more.”
But Hoseah could not find the words to express how grateful he is to his school, friends, family and the public for supporting him through this months-long journey.
“Thank you is not enough,” he said.
“I’ll be so happy whether I win or not.
“I feel like the show has given me a boost in my music career and grown me to be a bigger artist.
“I just want to thank Australia for getting me this far in the competition and believing I am good enough to perform for them.”
Hoseah’s final performance on the Voice could earn him $100,000 in cash and a recording contract with Universal Music Australia.
“I’m not really worried what the outcome will be,” he said.
“I really, really, really want to win this competition but I feel like a winner already.”
He said his duet with Boy George would be a special moment for him, and said he’d learnt a lot from the industry legend.
“I came to the show as a very shy person,” he said.
“Boy, he’s brought out another Hoseah. I just feel like I’m a fresh Hoseah.
“Every Sunday I’m just so pumped to come out on the stage and give it my all.
“Before, I was always shaking in the back.”
Hoseah auditioned for the show to help his family.
“We’ve had a rough lifestyle growing up, my mum being a single parent with four kids,” he said.
He was born in New Zealand and moved to Australia in 2011.
“I’ve been singing since I was very young. It started back in church,” he said.
“I had a lot of family members who were professional musicians.
“When I sing I feel free.”
