Will.i.am: I will make The Voice winner a success

Will.i.am has vowed to champion his acts on The Voice to achieve international success – even if it takes a decade.

The eccentric music genius, 38, worked for ten years before he hit the big time with his band the Black Eyed Peas but promised to back his own acts every step of the way if it takes them as long to achieve success.

‘When you are working with singers and you promise them all the things you are going to promise them, I wouldn’t just say it. I will fight for you,’ he said, adding he believes co-coaches Kylie Minogue, Ricky Wilson and Sir Tom Jones would be as true to their word.

Indeed Will has stood side-by-side last year’s runner up Leah McFall, who he is now building up to own the year in music.

‘I am still fighting for Leah. She came on tour with me. She came to Los Angeles and recorded her whole album. We finished officially last week,’ he revealed.

‘I think maybe she wasn’t meant to break in 2013, maybe she is to break 2014. Who is to say when the artist is to be a mega star? I am committed. And so is Leah.’

Until then, The Voice is yet to find a bona fide break-out star – however the Scream & Shout hit maker thinks this is only a matter of time.

‘The only way I know how to do it is how I experienced it with the Black Eyed Peas. If it wasn’t for [Interscope records’] Jimmy Iovine who believed in us to keep us on the label, Black Eyed Peas would have got forgotten between ’97 to 2004 when we finally had a break. And then 2005 came and we released another album. And then in 2009 we hit it really big. But we were signed for almost ten years before we broke as an act!’

Will is also confident the third year of The Voice will be a TV smash with its new line up of coaches and presenter. Minogue and Wilson are replacing coaches Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue respectively while Emma Willis and Marvin Humes are taking over presenting duties from Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates.

‘I really like this season. I like the way it feels. I like the relation between the coaches. It feels good. I was concerned, to be real with you. I thought “Jessie’s gone? Danny’s gone?” But season three, I just love it. It’s amazing,’ he gushed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 3 January 2014]