We’re only two episodes into season 13 of and fans are already convinced they know who will win the competition. This year’s season stars longtime coach Guy Sebastian alongside newcomers Adam Lambert, LeAnn Rimes and Kate Miller-Heidke as they search for Australia’s next singing sensation, who will win a grand prize of $100,000 and a recording contract. Tuesday night’s episode featured a singer who not only had an incredible voice but brought viewers to tears with her emotional backstory.
Tia Barnes, 25, shared that her dad is battling a rare and terminal form of brain cancer with a life expectancy of up to five years. “When I think about going busking and not having him there, that is the part that actually breaks my heart,” she said through tears. “We don’t know how long dad will have left, so it’s sort of just taking every day as it comes and taking advantage of opportunities like this.
” Tia chose to perform the emotional ballad ‘Life Goes On' by Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs for her Blind Audition and received four chair turns. “What I really, really loved was how still and centred that was,” Kate remarked while Adam described her performance as “transcendent” and “really beautiful”. “If you did a show, I would want to see it,” Guy added, followed by LeAnn who said, “I felt like I was floating listening to you”.
Kate then went on stage to beg Tia to join her team, although she didn’t need any convincing. Tia admitted that she’s been performing Kate’s song ‘Caught In The Crowd’ since the very start of her career as a busker and would love to be coached by her. Tia and Kate then performed a duet of ‘Caught In The Crowd’ on stage following some encouragement from the audience, which Kate said was “an absolute treat”.
“Thank you so much, this is gonna be so much fun,” Kate shared. “You’re brilliant.” Viewers quickly took to social media to praise Tia’s performance, with many saying they believe she has what it takes to go all the way in the competition.
“What a stunning beautiful voice from Tia Barnes her voice is so pure joy she has real talent in her voice,” one person wrote, while another added, “Tia Barnes should win this season her singing voice [is] amazing”. “Omg, talk about goosebumps Tia! What a gorgeous voice,” a third remarked, followed by someone else who said, “Gosh she was amazing and then the impromptu duet with Kate..
. Tia is going places for sure”. “She was lovely too.
She was very open about what made her sad and then she turned to pure joy. She’s a star in my eyes,” a different user declared. Tia Barnes is a 25-year-old professional busker from the Gold Coast who dedicates herself full-time to caring for her dad, who is battling a rare and terminal form of brain cancer.
She wanted to audition for to allow him to see her perform before he passes away..
