TV singing contest open to all

The Voice, a popular TV show that has spread all over the world, hits Thailand this Sunday. Voice, not beauty, wins the prize.

Click button to listen to The Voice Singing Contest download

TV & Radio

Who has The Voice?

Thailand's version of the popular reality TV show aims to uncover hidden gems
6/09/2012
Kanokporn Chanasongkram

This is the golden age of reality TV singing contests and The Voice, with its unique format, has proven immensely successful with over 40 versions worldwide. Naturally, Thailand is now jumping on the bandwagon with gusto.

Teeravat Anuvatudom, The Voice Thailand's producer, has encouraged people to audition for the new show.

Wherever you're hiding, in the trok, sok or soi [alley, lane or driveway], if you have a gifted voice, please come out and sing to the world.

the much awaited singing contest ... premieres this Sunday on Channel 3... 

Around 200 people applied for the first audition in Phuket...

The singing contest is open to a wide range of people aged 16 to 60.

Out of 4,000 applicants, those with exceptional voices were selected for the show's iconic blind auditions that see four coaches sitting in revolving chairs with their backs to the contestant.

If impressed with the singing, a coach presses a button to turn the chair around while lighting up a banner that says "I want you". If more than one coach turns around, each has to sell themselves to the contestant who decides who he or she wants to work with. 

"The blind audition emphasises how voice matters most, not personal appearance," Ardkit said. "But you don't need to be a powerhouse singer or an R&B crooner with complicated vocal techniques. You may have a sweet voice that simply sounds beautiful or you can emotionally express a song in a way that gives people goosebumps."

Most importantly, you need to have a unique voice in order to get the coaches pushing the button." ...

..."I was born for this TV show," said singer Jennifer Kim.

I make a good coach because I've walked this path before in using my voice rather than my looks to get where I am today."...

Four from each team continue to the Live Show, where elimination is based on viewers' votes as well as the judges' choice, until one finalist from each team contends for the title.

..."...The show uncovers the country's greatest voices that we refer to as sieng jing, tua jing (real voice, real singer), who will become recording stars.

As well as signing a contract with True Music, the winner receives cash and a car worth over six million baht.

The Voice Thailand airs every Sunday from 5.45-7.15pm on Channel 3.

(Source: Bangkok Post, TV & Radio, Who has The Voice?, Thailand's version of the popular reality TV show aims to uncover hidden gems, 6/09/2012, Kanokporn Chanasongkram, link) 


Singing Contest Vocabulary

singing - making music with your mouth, vocal chords and body as the musical instrument (See Wikipedia)

voice - the sounds that a person makes with their mouth when they speak or sing, that come out of their mouth  เสียงพูด, เสียงที่เปล่งจากปาก, เสียงร้องเพลง

The Voice - a popular singing contest in the US that spread all over the world (See Wikipedia and Wikipedia List)

Who has The Voice?  - Note: This is a play on words with two meanings: 1. the name of a TV show, and 2. sounds that a person makes

vocal - done with the voice or related to the voice
techniques - methods of doing a task or activity เทคนิค
vocal techniques - singing techniques; ways to sing songs (See Wikipedia)

audition - a job interview for a performer, a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performer, typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece given to the performer at the audition or shortly before. In some cases, such as with a model or acrobat, the individual may be asked to demonstrate a range of professional skills. Actors may be asked to present a monologue. Singers will perform a song in a popular music ... A dancer will present a routine in a specific style, such as ballet, tap dance or hip-hop, or show his or her ability to quickly learn a choreographed dance piece. (See Wikipedia)

blind - unable to see บอด ตาบอด to prevent someone from realising or admitting the truth about something ปิดหูปิดตา
blind audition - an audition in which the judge choosing the winner cannot see the singer so is influenced only by singing and voice, not by beauty 

reality - what is "really" or actually happening ความเป็นจริง

reality TV - "a type of television program that presents with ordinary people instead of professional actors acting without a script sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded, this kind of program became popular around 1999–2000 with the success of TV series as Big Brother and Survivor, often portrays day-to-day life with  sensationalism added to attract audience viewers and increase advertising revenue, participants are often placed in exotic locations or abnormal situations and are often persuaded to act in specific scripted ways by off-screen "story editors" with the portrayal of events and speech manipulated and contrived to create an illusion of reality through direction and post-production editing techniques" (See Wikipedia)
reality TV singing contests

singing contests - (See Wikipedia List)
music contests - (See Wikipedia)

contest - to compete for something โต้แย้ง ถกเถียง ลงแข่ง
contestant - someone who competes in a contest ผู้แข่งขัน

revolving chairs - chairs  with seat that can turn around in a circle, also called a "swivel chair" (See Wikipedia)

four coaches sitting in revolving chairs with their backs to the contestant

hidden - cannot be seen, not visible 
gems - 1. special valuable things; 2. a valuable stone worn in jewelry such as a diamond, ruby or emerald 
hidden gems - special things that you cannot see or find easily (difficult to find)

uncover - to discover something secret or hidden ค้นพบข้อเท็จจริง
uncover hidden gems - find something in a place that you cannot see
aim to uncover hidden gems

version - a form of something that is different from other forms (different from the first or original form)
Thailand's version

Thailand's version of the popular reality TV show aims to uncover hidden gems

golden age - a special time in history when something thrives and is successful (example: the golden age of Hollywood)
the golden age of reality TV singing contests

unique - very special, unusual or good ที่มีลักษณะพิเศษ เป็นเอกลักษณ์
format - the arrangement, design or organisation of something รูปแบบ
unique format - a special design or arrangement (different from others)

prove - to show that some fact is true
proven immensely successful - has shown itself to be very successful

jumping on the bandwagon - when everyone starts doing some activity at the same time
with gusto - with great energy

This is the golden age of reality TV singing contests and The Voice, with its unique format, has proven immensely successful with over 40 versions worldwide. Naturally, Thailand is now jumping on the bandwagon with gusto.

producer - a person who makes the practical and financial arrangements needed to make a film, play, television or radio programme ผู้อำนวยการสร้างภาพยนต์, ผู้ผลิต

The Voice Thailand's producer

encouraged - having more confidence or hope about something มีกำลังใจ
encouraged people to audition for the new show

gifted - does some activity very well (examples: a gifted singer, a gifted artist, a gifted mathematician)
gifted voice

premieres - the first time a show, movie, play, etc is presented to the public to watch
the contest premieres on Sunday

range - a number of different things that are of the same general type ขอบข่าย, ประเภท
wide range - wide variety; many different kinds or types
a wide range of people aged 16 to 60

Teeravat Anuvatudom, The Voice Thailand's producer, has encouraged people to audition for the new show. Wherever you're hiding, in the trok, sok or soi [alley, lane or driveway], if you have a gifted voice, please come out and sing to the world. ... the much awaited singing contest ... premieres this Sunday on Channel 3...  Around 200 people applied for the first audition in Phuket... The singing contest is open to a wide range of people aged 16 to 60.

applicants - a person who has made an application (a formal request, for a job, to study at a school, etc)
4,000 applicants

exceptional - much greater than usual, especially in skill, intelligence, quality, etc; unusually good ยอดเยี่ยม, ดีเป็นพิเศษ, ดีเด่น
exceptional voices

iconic - an important part of something that represents the thing in people's minds
the show's iconic blind auditions

Out of 4,000 applicants, those with exceptional voices were selected for the show's iconic blind auditions that see four coaches sitting in revolving chairs with their backs to the contestant.

impressed - admiring someone or something very much because of an unusually good quality or achievement ประทับใจ
impressed with the singing

banner - large words or message that stretch across a long wide space 
lighting up a banner that says "I want you"

sell themselves - say things to make someone choose them
contestant - person competing for some prize in a contest
each has to sell themselves to the contestant

If impressed with the singing, a coach presses a button to turn the chair around while lighting up a banner that says "I want you". If more than one coach turns around, each has to sell themselves to the contestant who decides who he or she wants to work with. 

appearance - the way that someone or something looks
personal appearance - the way that a person looks (neat, clean and tidy or messy, dirty and untidy)

X matters - X is important 
voice matters most, not personal appearance

powerhouse - very strong at doing some activity (very successful); a team, country, organisation or person with a lot of influence, power or energy
a powerhouse singer

crooner - a singer (old-fashioned word) 
R&B - the rhythm and blues style of music, a style of popular music in the US that originated in the 1940, the term has had many changes in meaning: "In the early 1950s, the term rhythm and blues was frequently applied to blues records. Starting in the mid-1950s, after this style of music contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became used to refer to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. By the 1970s, rhythm and blues was used as a blanket term for soul and funk. In the 1980s, a newer style of R&B developed" (See Wikipedia)
an R&B crooner

complicated - having so many parts conected in so many ways that it is difficult to understand and deal with (for example, a complicated machine or a city with a complicated system of streets) ที่ซับซ้อน

complicated vocal techniques

goosebumps - when a person is cold, excited or frightened the little bumps that appear on their skin ขนลุก (See Wikipedia)
emotionally express a song in a way that gives people goosebumps 

"The blind audition emphasises how voice matters most, not personal appearance," Ardkit said. "But you don't need to be a powerhouse singer or an R&B crooner with complicated vocal techniques. You may have a sweet voice that simply sounds beautiful or you can emotionally express a song in a way that gives people goosebumps. 

unique - special, one of a kind (nothing else is like this)
have a unique voice

looks - a woman's beauty 
my looks

using my voice rather than my looks to get where I am today

Most importantly, you need to have a unique voice in order to get the coaches pushing the button." ... "I was born for this TV show," said singer Jennifer Kim. I make a good coach because I've walked this path before in using my voice rather than my looks to get where I am today."...

choice  
the judges' choice

elimination - when one or a few are chosen in a contest or competition, the others are "eliminated" meaning "not chosen"
elimination is based on viewers' votes as well as the judges' choice

contend - fight or compete for something (with other competitors)
title - the position of a winner ตำแหน่งแชมป์

contend for the title - compete or fight for the prize (against other competitors and contestants)
each team contends for the title

recording stars - a singer, band or musician that cells a lot of CDs or music

contract - a written (or oral) agreement that is legally binding สัญญา
sign a recording contract - when a singer agrees to work with a music company to make CDs and sell music
signing a contract with True Music

cash - money เงินสด
the winner receives cash and a car 

Four from each team continue to the Live Show, where elimination is based on viewers' votes as well as the judges' choice, until one finalist from each team contends for the title. ..."...The show uncovers the country's greatest voices that we refer to as sieng jing, tua jing (real voice, real singer), who will become recording stars. As well as signing a contract with True Music, the winner receives cash and a car worth over six million baht.