First review of The Voice 2013

It's back ... The Voice / Pic: Channel 9 Source: The Daily Telegraph

Holly Byrnes, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Ladies, and a few gentlemen: prepare to fall in love with The Voice Australia's rookie, Ricky Martin.

Stepping in to fill the shoes of local favourite son, Keith Urban, was never going to be an easy task, even if the country rocker graciously gave his replacement his blessing when returning briefly to hand over his "wheels'' that spare big red chair.

As nice as the goodwill gesture was, it is clear within the opening minutes of the first episode of season two, Ricky (purr that when you say it) needs no help in winning the audience over.

In a coaching style all his own, and one that makes him an instant hit with contestants and one lucky fiancé, the Puerto Rican superstar fits comfortably into the show, livin la vida voz (that's Spanglish for living The Voice life).

He is kind, he is cool, he sings along to the songs just like Keith did.

He flirts, he encourages, he dances in his chair just like Keith did. And, some may say controversially, has sexier moves even than Mr Keith did.

He fits seamlessly into the mix with returning coaches Seal, Joel Madden and Delta Goodrem, who love and hug him even when he wins the majority of the all-in fights for contestants.

Never is their camaraderie more apparent than the blockbuster opening coaches' performance of Rihanna's hit, (Shine Bright Like) Diamonds, where appropriately the lyric goes "I knew that we'd become one right away, yes right away.''

Of course, as captivating as the new boy on the block is to watch, it's not just about him.

There's the talent.

And what talent they have found, from the quirky teens to the gigging veterans, the rocking mums to the against-all-odds natural-born artists.

While the relaunch episode is jam-packed with "super dooper, dooper, star'' performances, as Madden calls one hopeful, the nine blind auditions will deliver some of the most incredible singers this country has seen on any stage.

And after the monstrous success of last year's series, advertisers have thrown themselves at Channel 9, with Ford, Vodafone and Swisse among seven premium sponsors paying hugely-inflated rates to be back on board.

Nine's group sales boss Peter Wilshire said: "it is a testament to the results delivered by The Voice that all the incumbent sponsors had re-signed in 2013'' an impressive achievement in the tight advertising conditions.

Responding to the phenomenal viewer interest and social media interactivity last year, producers and digital rights holders, Shine have launched a HomeCoach game, allowing fans to build their own teams like sporting tragics do Fantasy Football line-ups.

Registrations open on www.thevoice.com.au from April 6 and viewers can track their favourite singers across the blinds, battle rounds and final showdowns (with a VIP trip to the finale of The Voice US up for grabs).