The Voice UK’s Will-i-am says Instagram is the key to becoming a star

The Voice UK coach Will.i.am has confessed that reality TV is unlikely to make you a star.

Instead, the Black Eyed Peas rapper says that it’s social media that potential singers should be pursuing.

The Voice UK starts its eighth UK series this weekend but has yet to produce a successful winner.

Ahead of The Voice’s return to TV screens tonight (Saturday, January 5), Will said: “Look at The Voice as Glastonbury. Everyone gets the chance to be on the UK’s biggest stage.

“If you look at it from that perspective it’s awesome.”

He told BBC’s Newsbeat: “If you’re looking at it from the perspective that it’s going to turn you into a star – Instagram is.

“That has a better chance of turning you into a star than a reality show.”

Will said social media had “turned the world upside down, inside out”

“It’s not this show versus that show, BBC versus ITV, reality show versus the record companies,” he said. “The feed. That is what we’re all dealing with. How do you handle this feed?”

The Voice 2019 blind auditions begin this evening at 8PM, with a brand new twist introducing trios to the mix.

Teasing the acts he selected for his team, Will said: “I think I got what I was looking for. I’ve got the trio that’s suited for the best career. I have a singer or two that are great performers and awesome singers.

“Young, youthful, singing, performing, dynamite – I have that. Now I have to do my job as a coach to make my singers the best they can be.”

And although the auditions have yet to begin, Will is already looking forward to the live shows.

He explained: “My favourite part is the lives because there’s no breaks. The edit is what the edit is. And there’s no editing. You get to see what people are saying, you get to see what people are thinking, you get to see people’s reactions to the singing and react and act on it.

“The dialogue between the people at home, the people in the audience, the contestants – it’s powerful.”