Onwards and upwards after musical show audition

Jessica Cuthbert talks with Albany’s talented Jordan Welshman about his music and recent The Voice Audition.

Can you tell me a bit about your musical background?

I started playing guitar when my brother used to get lessons, I was about seven or eight and I’d play his electric guitar when he wasn’t playing it. Then it turned into me playing acoustic guitar when I found an old one lying around. I was absolutely horrible at singing and playing guitar but I didn’t care because I loved doing it, so I kept going.

How did your love for music and performing begin?

I’ve always loved music, and I had always aspired to perform and play live, but I was absolutely terrified of standing up in front of a crowd. At school in my music class I didn’t even show up on performance nights, which lead me to failing music at school. I played live for the first time about a year ago and instantly fell in love with it; it was a huge feeling of relief when I got off the stage knowing that people didn’t hate it. The rush you get from a crowd is crazy.

What have you been up to lately with your music and performing?

I have been playing gigs and also been doing some gigs on-air for radio stations. Due to contracts I’m not allowed to release any music on social media or anything for a while, so I’ll be taking time to finish writing and recording my first EP (album) which will hopefully be done soon.

You have recently decided to audition for The Voice, tell me about this decision?

I woke up one morning and I was just sitting on the computer and I typed in The Voice auditions and I looked at the page and thought, “so many people audition for that, there’s no point”. So I shut my laptop and walked away and continued on the rest of my day. Later I went to go on the laptop again and I opened it up and decided there was no harm in trying, so I auditioned and the next morning I got a phone call from the show saying I was through to the next auditions. And the next auditions were via Skype, and so was the next audition. Then I got another phone call saying I was going to Sydney.

What was your reaction knowing you were going to Sydney for the blind TV auditions?

I was oddly calm the whole time. I wasn’t excited or nervous or anything right up until the point where I was actually in Sydney. Once I was in Sydney reality sunk in and I realised that if I have the worst performance of my life then it’s going to go on TV for anybody to see, and it honestly was the worst performance of my life.

Tell me about the audition in Sydney, how was that experience?

The song I performed was Amnesia by 5 Seconds Of Summer. I didn’t actually choose the song, some of the producers thought that it would suit my style. I also didn’t get to use my guitar and it was extremely weird performing without it. The whole experience was amazing, everybody was so nice and I met so many awesome people, I got to go to Sydney for free and I didn’t have to spend a cent. I’d never been more that 500km from home before I did it. It was incredible. I’m just really disappointed with my performance.

How was the atmosphere at the auditions?

It was a long day. There was heaps of contestants in a holding room, I sat with a few lads and we were all just playing music and talking, there wasn’t a whole lot else to do as we waited for about eight hours. Everybody that I met was extremely talented; there was not a single person that I heard who wasn’t amazing.

Is this the biggest performance you have done?

It’s definitely the biggest performance that I’ve done, but also 100 per cent hands down the worst performance I’ve done, I wouldn’t have turned around for my audition either. The music I play in a pub is completely different to what you’d hear on the TV.

Despite not making it through to the next stages of The Voice, what’s next for your music career?

I just really want to work on myself, write songs and practice like I’m always doing. I just want to continue trying to progress in the music world and make a career from it — hopefully I can eventually make that happen.

Why would you encourage others to follow their music dreams and goals?

I would encourage people to follow their dreams in any aspect of life, whether it’s music, photography or fishing. I don’t think I could go without doing what I love, I feel like it gives me purpose. You never know where your skill or ability might take you.

Who are your top artists that influence your music and why?

I like artists that write their own music and are just as good, if not better, live. The artists that influence me would be people like James Bay, Ed Sheeran, Vance Joy, Matt Corby, Eminem, Joyner Lucas and Bob Dylan. The list goes on and on, but they’re the most influential to me.