Is it nice to be back for the second time?
It feels natural to be back, I enjoyed it so much and didn’t want the last one to end so waiting for this one felt like a long wait, I couldn’t wait to come back. It feels right, it feels like it’s meant to be.
Do you think you will do anything different this year?
It’s hard to say that because I won so I almost don’t want to do anything different, if I didn’t win maybe I would think, should I change this or that but it seems like the people that I heard at the Blinds were really good. I’m just trying to keep that same feeling of trusting your gut and go with that inner voice and also to just be a friend to these people and be with them on this journey because I know that it must be overwhelming so I am just going to keep doing that.
What can singers expect from Team Anne-Marie if they join your team?
I think it’s a lot of fun, I try and give them a lot of insight to the industry, I am very honest, I think what they think they know of me, is exactly what they are going to get because I feel like people just know me from social media and everything that I post that’s what they get.
Is there any particular kind of voice or style that you have been looking for this year?
Well I’ve been saying that I want to go outside of what I normally go for, my comfort zone are very current voices and more of that radio style, I am trying to obviously get a few of those still but I want to reach out to different genres like rock and different languages. I just want to give everyone the opportunity to be seen.
Do you think you have what it takes to beat the boys again?
I hope so, all I am going to do is try and go with my gut and hear that tone of voice that I think everyone will like. I am trying to do that but Tom has got some amazing people so I’m a bit nervous about his people.
Who is the most competitive in the panel?
I think Olly but then every time I walk in and say ‘oh I won last year remember’ Tom is quick to shut me down so actually I think Tom. I think he is secretly like nah it’s not happening again Anne-Marie, I’m going to win this year so watch out, Tom.
Has the live audience changed anything for you?
Yes, I didn’t know really what to expect because obviously before it was silent and you can hear everything and having the audience is actually difficult because they are shouting so there must be loads of shots of me trying to hear the singers. It’s also really nice because I have missed human energy, so I’ve craved that over lockdown and having people in front of me is really nice to feel. It’s equally confusing because sometimes when I think I’m not sure they are like turn round now, sometimes they help and sometimes they don’t. It’s difficult.
What in your opinion is the hardest thing about being a coach?
I’d say last year, it was probably my own issues of feeling not worthy of it. When I got it, when I was called and they said we would like you to do it, I was like what, really, me? So I had like a doubt the whole time, like am I worthy of this, have I got stuff to give to people that they can learn from? So for the whole of last year I was going through the process when most questions I’d get asked I had something to say and something to give and it was almost like this experience was helping me as well as the people on the competition so I think by the end of the competition and the end of the show. I was like oh wow, I do have knowledge, I do have stuff to give to people, so coming back that’s what I have changed about myself, I know that I deserve to be here so having that confidence actually makes me a better coach. So I am hoping that I can be better than last year really.
What was your number one standout moment from last series?
Obviously winning! I think that’s obvious, but I also think the first day when I stepped out and met the other coaches and sat in that chair, was a really big moment for me because I pride myself on being a good person and in the music industry, sometimes you don’t really get seen as a person, I think you just get seen for your voice and I try and put my personality out there as much as I can and I’m trying to do good all the time. When we started the show and people online and in the audience and at home started saying ‘oh Anne-Marie is so nice’, I think that was a really happy moment for me because people started seeing me for me and not just singing on the radio. So that was a really big thing for me to experience.
