Nerves got the best of 16-year-old Aydan Calafiore when he auditioned for The Voice Australia the first time, and he failed to turn any of the judges’ chairs. However when he returned a year later to sing Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito”, he was firing on all cylinders and turned all four of the judges’ chairs the second time around. Aydan sang the Justin Bieber version, nailing both the English and Spanish lyrics as well as all the big vocal hooks.
Aydan displayed a lithe flow on the rap sections as well as a voice just made for radio in Bieber’s sections. The 17-year-old also put out a truckload of energy onstage, getting the entire audience and the judges up on their feet and grooving along by the end of the song. You can watch the video below, which has gained a massive 17 million views on YouTube.
Before his “Despacito” performance, Aydan reflected on his previous audition, saying “I got to the blind auditions. I was a little nervous – my heart was in my throat. I was totally freaked out, so I didn’t turn a chair.” The teen came very close to turning judge Delta Goodrem’s chair, and she told him “I really like your energy and you’ve got a great vibe. I should have turned, I was really enjoying that.”
Aydan said he was determined to “go big or go home” on “Despacito”, which features Spanish lyrics – a language he doesn’t speak. He certainly delivered on that front, as he turned Goodrem’s chair in the first verse. Joe Jonas then turned as Aydan sang the Spanish language section, and Boy George and Kelly Rowland soon followed suit. Aydan later had another big moment on the show when he sang “Uptown Funk” with Madi Krstevski in the Battles, which has gained 29 million views on YouTube.
After hearing “Despacito”, the judges then made their pitches for the charismatic young singer to join their team. Goodrem said “I do remember being absolutely so disappointed that I didn’t turn for you [last season]. I believe in timing and your moment right now is right.” Jonas then had his turn, telling Aydan “I’m so glad we hit our buttons earlier, because what you do reminds me of myself. I can see that I can work with you perfectly in a way that I can help you hone that craft. You demanded the audience to get on their feet, and I think you’d be absolutely perfect for team Joe.”
Things got a bit spicy when it came time for Aydan’s decision, as he told Goodrem that he felt he owed her a lot for her confidence in him, leading her to have a bit of a premature celebration. But then the teen admitted that he had a “but” to add, which was that he felt the best fit for him was actually Jonas.
The decision served Aydan well, as he eventually progressed to the final under Jonas’s direction, where he placed fourth overall. Aydan has since pursued a career in the music industry and has released several singles after he signed to Universal Music Australia.
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