He sounds like an ABSOLUTE ANGEL FROM HEAVEN! Seriously, that’s not a child’s voice, right?
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Josh Richards was only 15 years old when he auditioned for “The Voice Australia” in 2018, delivering a powerful rendition of a song that has become a soul standard over the years.
That song was “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson Five. It was originally released in 1970 and featured the vocals of a young Michael Jackson, along with his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. The song reached number one on the charts, making it their fourth consecutive song to do so.
The fact that a teenage boy from Australia knows the song and that the judges on a singing show are familiar with it and enjoy hearing it, shows just how far-reaching its influence has been. While it would be impossible to replicate the sound of the 1970 Jackson Five, Richards puts his own imprint on it, and the results are glorious.
Just by watching the performance, one can see the emotion on Richards’ face. He truly wants to reassure the object of his love that he will always be there for them. Boy George was the first judge to hit the buzzer, thrilled to be able to work with such talent.
Only a few seconds later, the other three judges followed suit, hitting their buzzers to get a glimpse of the young singer. The range of Richards’ voice was a significant part of his appeal. He had a wide range of notes that he could hit for someone so young.
He became a serious contender in the series, unfazed by the fact that the other contestants were much older.
