Tarryn Stokes - THE VOICE AUSTRALIA - Winner

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast past deep theirline. Welcome back guys to TV Reload. As you may know, my name is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast to get all the inside goss on the popular TV shows you may be watching from around the world. Undeniably, our TV sets are a major part of our home entertainment, and yet very little is known about how our favorite shows get made.

Lust.

We will get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes of The Voice Australia for twenty twenty three, which you can now catch up on on seven Plus, which I've actually been doing all week, especially rewatching some of those final performances. If you love Taran as much as I do. Also, you can download her new single Nobody, which is now available on iTunes. Anyway, guys, let's bring Taran into the podcast, and I really hope you enjoy this episode of TV

No, it was great.

I was just watching the whole finale again and it just finished like literally thirty seconds ago, so I've watched it twice.

Oh, you're in mode, You're in the voice mode.

Well, congratulations on winning the Voice for twenty twenty three. This is just so exciting.

Thank you so much.

You have to tell me what was it like last night when you won? Who were you with? I wan don't know how it all went down.

Okay, So I well, as you know, the endings are pre recorded. We record for alternate endings, which is weird in itself, but it you know, you had to kind of put yourself back in that moment. So I was watching it with my family at home and some close friends and just had it like a projector on the wall. My husband organized my friend bought this like Big the Voice cake and it was just really fun. So yeah, we were just still sitting down and the joy in the room was crazy.

When they called my name, when Sonya called my name, it was crazy.

Well, I had to be in a car just at the end. I've been watching it, but I had to be in a cab, and so we were in the cab watching it on my phone. And my partner, you know, he doesn't really get into the TV as much as I do. He was like, you know, who's going to win? And who do you want to win? And I was like, oh, I think Charlie's going to win, but I don't want that to be the case. I wanted you to win. And so I lost my goddamn mind in the car.

Yes, yeah, but did you.

What did you think when you were just at that moment, did you think you were going to win?

I feel like over the last couple of weeks, I was like, maybe I maybe it could be because you know, you have your own kind of fan base, I guess, or and like friends and family that are.

Like we're voting and we're getting our work to vote and all that stuff, so you think, oh, this is cool.

And then yeah, with Charlie, like he's one of my closest friends and he's amazing, and I was like, Charlie, you are going for it, Like his social media campaign was insane, and he is insane. He's got like beautiful songs out in his amazing singer and he has so many tens of thousands of followers as well. So I kind of then resigned myself to the fact that okay, well you know I can't compete with that, so I'll

I was like, ah, so I.

Kind of yeah, I don't know if it's like a protective mechanism, you don't want a hundred percent believe that this could be true.

And happened but it happened.

Did you hear from Charlie, Ethan and Asra? I like, did they call you to that?

Ethan? Yet?

I have message them, but also I haven't read all my I've got like two hundred messages, so I've got to get to it. But I messaged Charlie and just said as well, and he replied and I was just like.

I'm so sorry, you know, I'm so proud of you, and he's like, don't be sorry.

You deserve this year amazing, and so I don't know, like we're really good friends and yeah, he's incredible, and like he works so hard and pushed so hard and totally deserves the win as well. But he also was just so kind at the end and just like, no, you deserve it, and you know that's.

Who he is.

I hate that we don't know second third and fourth. Do you think it's important that we knew what the second third and fourth is? Or do you think we just have to let that go?

I don't know, but I think that everyone should win something, you know, well.

Because they're now all sharing that, you know what I mean, Like they're all sharing this runners up title, which I guess is kind of cool. And away, because you know, when they're at the pubs or catch out with friends, they can be like I came second on the voice, but like, essentially, I feel like, especially with Charlie, I felt like he would have come second and he probably deserves to have that.

Yeah, it's hard to know because we're never going to know the numbers. I don't think the producers will ever share that with us.

So yeah, it's we'll give them some money. I've give them some of the one hundred thousand and see what we can get.

That's right.

But I think that Charlie has he's such an artist and he's such a songwriter, and so he's whatever happened, that fan base for him is going to follow him and just get bigger and bigger.

So it's a win for him as well.

Could you see yourself collaborating with any of the other artists that you've met along the way through this competition.

One collaboration I'm very excited about is Callum Warrender. He's one of my good friends now and he's in musical theater and his voice is crazy, and I just keep sending him duets like I'm talking like nearly every couple of days I'm like, hey, what about this one, and like We've just got a show planned in our head because we just want to do it because it would be so fun to do like Jewets.

And it's always and it happened.

The plan happened from I think it was like second Round or something. I just was like, Callum, you and I need to do like Callum and Friends. And that's what we called it, Callum and Friends. And so last night he was over and he was just like, I don't think we can do Calum and Friends, and like, yes we will.

I feel like what is going to work so well for you is from the moment you came into this competition. I just felt like Celendon vibes. So it was a good thing that you finished with that song because that really resonated for me as to who I think you

So cool. I would love to do that.

I think for me and my personality, you'll probably see me doing that and all sorts of things, like if you hear my other single. Also, I wrote a single three years ago and it's just a vibe like it's it's just like a party vibe song, and so you just never know what you're going to get with me. And I think I'm excited to surprise people. But I also love singing big, sad, amazed diva ballads, so I'm I'm happy to do that.

I've got all of your because I preview the show and so like I've made my friends on holidays away watch your performances like I'm legitimately obsessed. I think I've seen all of your performances like five times.

So that's so kind. So you really felt like you won when I won last.

Night, I felt like I won. And the cab driver, it was a new belt, wasn't a cab, but you know, he must have thought I was mental. Do you know this woman? No? You do now, I do now, But you know what I was also thinking watching the finale, was you have such a likability that connects, like you eat the lens in who you are as a person. That accessibility. I could see you hosting like Sunrise or the Morning Show. I could I could see you being swooped in to do that kind of work.

Like, oh gosh, thank you. I think i'd be too nervous.

I just did the Morning Show just before this, and yeah, my nervous system was like ooh. But I think I don't know if it's age, but I never used to be like this, but I just feel like I like to be disarming, Like I don't want to put on anything. I hate putting on and I always see three people who do that, So I just I think that's one of my number one things is just to be real and just be like, just tell it how it is. I don't need to like hide anything, I don't need to try to impress people.

I just just want to be real.

And relate to people because that's life, that's real life.

You just have an authenticity about you, and I think that's really powerful. In being maybe a bit older, What did you think about entering in this competition when you are up against youngest singers. Do you think that it was making it harder being older? Do you think it made it easier? Like, how did you feel that was going to be going into the competition.

I think it just helped me feel a bit more grounded.

And I don't know if it's having kids as well or just everything, but I felt grounded, like you know, doesn't define me like I had to.

You know, I did have a psychologist that I would speak to every couple.

Of weeks online as well, because I needed to kind of work through stuff and like work through nerves and work through why I'm feeling this and that. So I don't know, I just feel like grounded really helped me. You know, if I lose doesn't change my worth. If I don't get very far, it doesn't matter what people think, and that stuff that I've had to learn along the way.

I guess that's being an artist, you know. I think anyone that's working as an artist, you're so often putting so much of yourself into it, and the sad reality of that is that you know you don't always win, you know what I mean. So I want to ask you about just interacting with the general public over the

Okay, now I can't remember the first question, but let's go with this one. The live process, I think would be honestly, like, I'm grateful that it's not live because you get to kind of perform and like I get to be in my own headspace and perform and just give everything like that and not also be like on my phone all the time because.

All of a sudden, this is all happening at the same time.

So it was amazing to have space to give everything and then go back to normal life and then prepare yourself for what's about to happen. So on that personal side, I found that a great thing. I mean, maybe it would be good to have more like voting, but everyone did get to vote, so that's pretty cool, So I don't know, like voting maybe for the semi finals as well, would be cool. I think they do that in America, so like having a say in that, but then I don't know how that would work.

The other part of that question was what do people come up and talk to you about the most meeting you on the street. I guess is that something that people come up and say that they'd like to have more control or what is the most common thing that people say.

Look, there haven't been many people coming and seeing me

Like, who did?

I think? It was so funny because it's just the local Bunnings.

But anyway, so I'm just kind of getting used to, you know, people coming up to me. But they have been online, I guess mostly so much like lovely comments. And there's been some like mums that are like connecting in that way, just like you know, they feel like they know me because they're going through that kind of thing. You know, it's hard having you know, young kids is just a real difficult but also amazing time.

So I ended up having like a chat with one of the mums, and.

I don't know, I felt like she was my friend. And then I realized I don't even know this lady, and I'm you know, I I'm so sorry I broke up with your husband and all this kind of stuff, and I'm just like, oh, well your kids. You know. It was so funny, but I just I just love that. I love connecting with people. So I think people like what you were saying before. Just yeah, I feel like

I think it is just as important to not connect to the positive comments these days as it is to the negative, because they're both coming in from a similar energy. You know, taking either of those on board is pretty hard. You were easily the best performer last night, and it all seemed pretty clear to me and to audiences that I thought you were going to win. Do you think it comes down to the performances in a finale or do you think that audiences have already or had already picked their winner.

Well, actually, I had a conversation with someone who knows a little bit more about it, and she encouraged me that you know, yeah, it actually a lot of it does come down to your performances. And so that gave me a little bit more hope because I knew that they went well, like, I felt really good about them, so I was like, ooh, well maybe.

I do have a chance.

Yeah. Now, I felt like your performances were just so strong. I mean, everyone was great, and you could tell that by the fact that all of the other coaches started supporting you that way, do you know what I mean? Like guys Sebastian standing on his chair, like he didn't do that for his own artists.

That was crazy.

My George just drops every time, especially guy, because I just look up to him so much. And so when he says that, like, you know, his voice is the best I've ever heard. His voice is ridiculous, and I've obviously followed his whole journey as everyone has. And so when he stands up and says that, I just, yeah, I probably dissociate because I'm like, this can't be real.

Is this happening? So it was crazy?

What about this relationship with Rita or I love the fact that she said, to you remember to answer my phone.

Well, I don't have her phone number, but Rita is. Rita was wonderful.

She was just the best, honestly, Like we got along so so well, and I just feel like she was the perfect coach for me, Like I don't want to be boxed in.

I always liked to challenge myself and do.

New things, and I feel like I was excited to see what Rita and I would do together, and I just kind of also love that. People got a bit shocked, like, oh, I thought you would have chosen Guy and Jess, And there was a few people that were really like disappointed in me. I was like, well, I chose Rita, That's what I did. And I was just really grateful because Guy and Jess are always going to be in my corner because you know, we've done a bit of life

It felt pretty clear to me that that was the right choice. I watched you make that choice, and I did read this stuff online where people were like, we surprised you chose Rita, considering you already had a bit of a backstory. But I think it was the right thing to do. I mean, she won last year, which is great, but also so Rita. Aura is like probably the most internationally recognizable coach on this show. Has she

Look, I do remember that she didn't really contact Lockie last time, not that she like Lockie just kind of said in an interview, I think that you know, she's busy.

I don't expect her to Like he wasn't.

Saying that in a negative way at all, but I just kind of was like, I know she's busy, Like I know she has a huge Like I saw it. She flew off the next day and wherever she went, and then she's gone off to meet I saw her next to George Clooney, and I saw her then singing at this huge festival, like she's she's got a lot going on, Like the voice isn't everything for her, Like she gave her everything, but then she's moved on to

Can we be friends?

But at the end, I gave her a like her little present, and she she bought me a present, and she actually like went to the shop and bought me the present and gave it to me as like a book that is like a little inspirational quotes for artists, and it was like, yeah, like an independent kind of creator who made it.

And it was the sweetest thing for her.

And then I said, is there any way we can contact like there's no pressure and obviously, and so she gave me her email and so I emailed her the next day or whatever just to say thank you, and she emailed me back. So that was just like that was just really really sweet to be like, Okay, she really like did connect with me. It's not just tally like she really did. And then I saw that she posted he was the funniest post she has. You know,

So go back to Bunnings and just be at the registers and be like, excuse me, I'm the winner of the voice and read or is my best friend?

Than Yeah, that would be funny.

Do you think that the artist should work with coaches on the song choices? I read this quite a bit throughout the series, and I never really thought about it, but I was like, do you just have to trust that reader is going to pick the right songs for you or do you think moving forward it would be in your best all the artist's best interest to work and collaborate to find that song.

Yeah. I think also the crew behind the scenes help with that as well.

So there's an amazing like music team as well that support Reader as well.

So before Reader really knew me, they knew me.

Because we've done like other auditions with them first, and so we send in like a list of twenty songs I think, just to get like an idea of who we are as artists. But let me tell you, I think maybe one of that so other people like, yeah, all the songs they sang was on the list, but mine wasn't. So I think they just I think they decided to challenge me and just throw different songs. And I remember guy saying she can sing anything, and that's such a compliment for him to say that.

So I think maybe they just threw me some songs and.

Went, you'll you'll swim, you'll be all right, you'll stay afloat what's.

The song that's the most like you as an artist as to who you want be?

Though I actually love to sing a little bit more soul Wow.

Okay, so I really.

Didn't get the chance to sing this time. But I think the problem with me or not the problem, but the thing about me is that I like to sing lots of different.

Styles, and I don't think it's a bad thing anymore.

I used to people used to always be like, you need one, and I'm like, you know what, It's just not who I am.

I like to do different things.

So I think they had to kind of like help me with like one kind of linear style over the show, because otherwise I'd just be like a mixed bag of like I'm going to sing soul now, I'm going to do country, now, I'm going to do so. I love that, you know, musical theater, and you know, those big diva songs are something that I love as well. So yeah, I think I think they I trusted them and they definitely pulled through for me.

Well, I don't know. I can't tell you really how many times I watched you do the Battles alone with my heart. I watched that one the most. But I feel like, now I'm going to watch that Celene teon No because the Scientist. You did a really good job with that Coldplay song as well. Like it didn't just sound like that's song, you know, And so often on music shows like this, you can see you could feel a bit of like karaoke to it. Yes that person

The Scientist was one night I was most proud of because I feel like I put like that was a song on my list and I showed them that and they were like, Okay, how would you sing that? And it's just a song that I've really loved, And I actually had these ideas as over the years of like changing the structure of the song and so doing that now going back into the.

Chorus, and so I really loved that I could do that.

But that made me the most nervous because I'm like, I'm not sounding like anyone else here, Like this is just me doing my own thing. So I felt very vulnerable in that moment. And I also couldn't breathe in the dress, so I had to.

Change some things on the fly. So I was nervous about that. But I'm most most proud of.

That one man. It was powerful, like even just when you sung that, then I got the chills, Like I'm like, it's it's so so so good. Has this experience changed your life? I mean, we're all going to talk about what happens to these people that win these shows, you know, and how they're going to go. You've picked up one hundred thousand dollars and you now have a contract with Universal. How do you want to shape that?

I think it has changed my life over this time because my daughter was just two when I started this process and now she's nearly three, and so I was like, I was breastfeeding her, like to be honest, and that's like basically you give your whole body and everything in time. It's like it's you have to be attached to her and in that way, and so that just literally, I don't know how else to put it, but just sucks

So that's a huge change.

And then the next part of it is just yeah, my mental state that I am seeing myself as an artist now and finally walking in that. So I have no idea what the future is going to look like. I'm just going to give it.

My best go.

But I really feel like it's definitely set me up for yeah, new life.

What I think you should do? If I honestly think you could win Eurovision, that would be so funny, Like I felt like when Dami Im did Eurovision, she got so close to it, and I feel like there's some similarities between how universally or internationally appealing your voice could be. And I think that would be a really good platform. And I genuinely think you could be the first Australian to win that. Wow.

But that's all I've good to say about that. Just wow. I would love that. It's just like crazy.

Yeah, I love Dammy and I love everything about her, and yeah, and Sheldon who did Eurovision as well.

I don't know, I just that would be incredible.

I see, I've got to kind of like start to believe this stuff like that could actually be cool thing to do, like crazy.

Start to believe it, girl, because you woke up this morning with a number one on iTunes. I mean, nobody people are loving this song? How do they pick the winner's song? Like did you what's the process with that? Do they give you like a catalog of songs that you can pick? Like how did It Go?

That was actually the only song I listened to. So yeah.

So basically I was on stage after the semifinals will Take It had sung and then we had taken photos and I started walking off the stage and the Universal representative was like, Hi, I'm from Universal. Would you like to come here? And we're just going to play some songs. And so I was still in my pink dress, sitting in a room and had to decide on my winning

And so I was kind of ready.

To be like I don't know who the saying on the back foot, on the front foot, whatever foot, and say look, I'm not sure about this song or that's not me or can I changed this bit or can I change that bit?

But basically what happened is I had someone with me.

I'm like, okay, I'm ready to be like, you know, hold my ground, even though they were wonderful, and I started listening to the song and I was like, yeah, I love this, Yep, this is its great. Yeah, there was nothing I needed to say. And then I find out later that one of the writers on the song is has written Genie in a Bottle.

Christina Aguilera like these.

Writers that song me too.

So I was like, that's why it was such a good song, and I couldn't let it pass, and so I actually didn't hear any other songs and recorded it that week.

I think, well, just so you know, you're number one and Jason Derulo is number two, so I saw that. I wonder how he feels about that.

Today, you know, so weird to see my name there.

The last question I want to ask you is what is something from behind the scenes, something that we as an audience wouldn't see or wouldn't know from your time on the Voice.

Well, basically, I mean I started an early audition in December last year, so before the blinds, you have quite a few auditions with the producers. So that's when it started. And then in April or March or April built up to the blinds and did the blinds and then got to go home for a little while. Then when I came back, we kind of knew that you're kind of

So I'm just.

Spending a lot of time in the bathroom just like working on the song, like obsessing and working over every bit over and over again for two weeks for one minute song.

You know, it's quite a process because you're a Victorian. So they find you home in between some of those moments and no, oh no, no they're not, so you just have to stay that.

Yep, I did get to go, So there was one so I did the callbacks and then the ultimate callbacks I didn't need to do because I went straight to the battles.

So I actually got.

Six days at home to see my kiddies and they were really sick. So as soon as I got home that night, I took my daughter to hospital and then she got me sick, and so then I came back up sick. And then when I did the winning it takes it All, I was still a bit sick, but I was really glad to get like a little bit of a break, just to be mum again and then go back into it ready to go.

Well that's going to be a life now, but a balance between mum and being a complete rock star. So yeah, charting, well, I can't wait to watch the journey that you go on from here. It's just been so lovely to chat with you today, and thank you for being so generous with your time.

Thanks Ben, it's been great chatting