LONDON: Zim-born teen Blessing Chitapa wins The Voice UK 2020

LONDON: Blessing Chitapa has been crowned the winner of The Voice UK 2020.

The 18-year-old wowed this year’s virtual audience, which voted for the winner during the socially distanced final.

She grew up in Zimbabwe until the age of seven then moved to the UK in 2009. Her passion for music is integral to her upbringing in a family of gospel singers.

The talented vocalist has even built her own recording studio in her back garden where she practices with her sister.

As the daughter of a pastor and reverend at a local church in Dudley, Blessing says faith plays a massive role in her life and her success so far.

As well as singing, the teenager has a passion for the sciences and dreams of becoming a doctor or surgeon if she doesn’t become a professional musician.

Judge Olly Murs’ act had been up against Jonny Brooks, Gevanni Hutton and Brooke Scullion as they all battled it out for a recording contract with Universal’s label UMOD.

Each of the finalists pre-recorded their performances last week, which were watched by a virtual audience and mentors Tom Jones, William, Meghan Trainor and Olly Murs.

The finalists were also joined by their mentors on stage for a duet, with Jonny crooning Dobie Gray’s Drift Away with Sir Tom, Gevanni singsing Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry with William and Blessing performing James Bay’s Hold Back The River with Olly.

But due to coronavirus travel restrictions, Meghan was unable to perform with her act.

Instead, Brooke sang a duet with Ella Eyre to Rag N’ Bone Man’s Giant.

It then came to the final two as Blessing was voted through alongside Jonny, but she managed to win over the audience.

Following her win, Olly said: “Blessing absolutely deserves to be crowned the winner of this year’s Voice UK! I’ve always believed in her from the start, and to think that I was the only Coach who turned for her is amazing.

“She’s got an incredible voice, infectious personality and has a bright future ahead of her. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”

Meanwhile, Blessing branded her win her “biggest achievement yet”.

She said: “I am so proud of how far I have come and I’m so intrigued to see what the future holds for me! I’m hoping my new single Angels can bless and inspire people to think about a certain someone in their life who has always been there for them.”

The Voice UK had filmed its blind audition stage and much of the show before the country went into lockdown earlier this year.

Filming was suspended in March, with ITV bosses confirming that the semi-final and final would air later in the year.

In a statement, they said at the time: “We have taken the difficult decision to postpone The Voice UK’s live Semi-Final and Final until later this year. -UK Media