“Jade De Rijcke, a 14-year-old vocalist, captivated the panel of judges on ‘The Voice Kids Belgium’ and ultimately secured the title of overall champion for the 2018 tournament.
Both De Rijcke and her coach, Gers Pardoel, celebrated remarkable victories in this competition. It was Pardoel’s inaugural season as a coach in 2018, and he strategically led De Rijcke and his other vocalists to triumph over more seasoned trainers.
Not widely known is that 2018 was not De Rijcke’s first appearance on ‘The Voice Kids.’ In 2017, she auditioned but did not progress beyond the blind auditions. De Rijcke attributed her previous setback to nerves and expressed disappointment as her audition didn’t make it to television.
Undeterred by the initial setback, De Rijcke persevered, returning to training and making another attempt that surpassed her expectations. Sometimes, experiencing failure becomes the catalyst for hard work and success in any chosen endeavor.
The ‘Road to’ videos chronicle a contestant’s performances throughout their journey on the show, providing a comprehensive retrospective of all their songs. For her blind audition, De Rijcke chose to sing ‘Homesick’ by Dua Lipa.
‘Homesick’ is a poignant, piano-driven ballad depicting a woman separated from her lover, navigating obstacles and loneliness to reunite with him. Similar to De Rijcke’s unwavering pursuit of victory in the competition, the song’s protagonist refuses to give up on her quest to find her lover.
In the semi-final, De Rijcke selected ‘Sober’ by American pop singer Demi Lovato, a melancholic song addressing Lovato’s struggles with alcohol. While singing a song doesn’t necessarily reflect one’s life, it was a bold choice for someone as young as De Rijcke, and she approached it with composure.
De Rijcke’s final performance on the show was ‘Grand Piano’ by Nicki Minaj, a song in which a woman questions her lover’s sincerity and faithfulness in the relationship. The singer also reflects on her own decisions. Troubled relationships seem to be a recurring theme in De Rijcke’s song choices.
Despite the themes of angst and sadness in her song selections, Jade De Rijcke overcame obstacles, securing victory in a competition that initially seemed insurmountable. Her story serves as an inspiration, and watching the video provides a glimpse of what a champion in the making looks like.”
Here is the video:
