Seann Miley Moore gave an unforgettable blind audition on The Voice Australia, rising to the challenge with a show-stopping version of “The Prayer” by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. The 30-year-old Filipino-Australian singer delivered the delicate opening verse with a whole lot of passion and when his voice soared at the iconic chorus, all four judges turned their chairs. The judges were soon battling to get Moore on their team, with all of them recognizing his prodigious talent.
It takes a brave singer to take a shot at “The Prayer”, as after all, who can compare with the legendary Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion? But Moore stepped up to the plate in a big way and delivered a vocal tour de force, showing off both raw power and the ability to nail the challenging dynamics of the hit. You can hear his audition for yourself in the video below.
Moore also showed off a natural x factor, turning up in a fabulous white suit and putting out the relaxed vibe of a born entertainer. As he explained prior to the audition, things haven’t always been so rosy though. He said “I was heavily teased, for my brownness and my flamboyance. As a kid I always found an escape in my music. I love to be onstage; I love to sing. It’s vulnerable when you put your heart and soul out there, but you have to be brave.”
After his audition, the judges quickly began chatting him up and putting in their bids to get Moore on their team. When Guy Sebastian asked how he got “so damn good at singing”, Moore repped some Filipino pride, saying that “I got a Filipino mother so we’re doing karaoke every weekend,” which caused a big celebration from his family on the side of the stage. Moore has been on the big stage before, as at age 22 he competed on The X Factor UK, where he sang Queen’s “The Show Must Go On”.
On The Voice Australia, Moore only had three judges to choose from, despite the fact he turned four chairs. This is because judge Jessica Mauboy hit her block button to eliminate Rita Ora from the equation. After hearing the song, Ora admitted she was “actually really angry” on missing out on the chance to work with Moore, although she vouched for the skills of the three remaining judges.
Judge Keith Urban then called Moore’s performance inspiring. He also told the singer that “I want to say one thing that I loved about your performance, because you’ve got a beautiful voice – no question about that. But it was what I felt in your voice when I sang, that’s why I turned around.”
Sebastian then tried to butter up Moore even more by talking about how great their collaboration would be, but this devolved into squabbling as Mauboy interrupted him. All three judges then began talking over each other, leading Moore to agonise over which one to pick. However, he eventually said “you know what, I pick my homegrown girl Jess!” Mauboy and Moore then danced together onstage in celebration.