The game continues on Friday night. Ten candidates take the stage, only sevenadvance to the semi-finals. Each coach forwards a candidate directly. Theremaining five end up in a sing-off for the two remaining spots.
Thursday at 6 pm we can talk to Evert after a long day of rehearsals.“Somebody To Love by George Michael, originally from Queen, is the song I haveto live up to,” he says. “A song that was in my list that I had forwarded tothe makers. My father told me to include that song, even though I had neversung it. Now that I’ve rehearsed it, I know it’s a solid song. I try to speakas little as possible, because I feel my voice starting to get a littledamaged. I had therefore asked to sing less than usual during rehearsals. Ican’t play this song six times in a row.”
With his tweets
According to Charlotte, Evert’s girlfriend, the two of them experience thisadventure. “If only because he doesn’t have a driver’s license and I have totake him to the studio. By experiencing everything from the front row, I canproperly assess the impact. Last week I was in the studio and I was morenervous than Evert. When he was through to the next round I cried. Although Iwas also proud. He’s doing something he likes and is good at, and that makesme happy. I can tell by his face whether the performance is going well or not.When he enjoys, or if he is not in the song.”
Evert had often heard that he had to register for this competition. “But Ialways kept the boat off. Last year you could register again. Because nobodysaid anything at the time, I decided to take my chance.”
© Joris Herregods
“I’m glad he did that on his own,” says Charlotte. “That means that he wantsto go for it himself.”
Music used to be a fun hobby. “I used to be in a band, but that was at scoutlevel. For the rest I was mainly busy with the guitar at home. Charlottealways liked that I was singing in the seat.”
The couple has been together for eleven years. “I knew from an early age thathe can sing beautifully,” she says with a laugh. “It was on our second date inhis room at the parental home that he brought me a song. And I was immediatelysold. So many feelings went through me. And then it was also someone wholooked good (laughs).”
3D
Nevertheless, Evert decided to look for other places professionally, he becamea technical draftsman. “At a carpenter’s shop. I draw everything in 3D andalso communicate with customers and make quotations. It was never an option tofully immerse myself in music. I also like to play football, but that does notautomatically mean that you want to become a footballer. But now that I am inthe spotlight as a singer, I like it.”
Charlotte is his biggest fan. “It’s all a bit unreal. Suddenly someone shineson television who normally sits next to you in the seat. And he gets commentsfrom all angles. That makes it a bit big.”
© Joris Herregods
“I read the social media, but I only try to remember the positive comments,”says Evert. “I’m already advanced in the race, I know it has to be goodanyway. In the previous episode I sang Gran Torino, a less commercial song. Iknew in advance that some people would not appreciate all that.”
Favorite roll
A few weeks ago, the man from Kalmthout was pushed into the favorite role.Thanks to Koen Wauters who shouted “Oh my gosh, we might have a winner!“Thatwas nice to hear, but it doesn’t make me float. Very strong candidates havealso dropped out in the past episodes.”
Next week is the semi-final. “I notice that the stress is increasing at Evert.He used to stay up quite a long time, now he goes to sleep on time. He alsoschedules his day consistently. Evert wants to bring this adventure to asuccessful conclusion. But he always coped well with stress.”
Is Evert already thinking about a life after a possible final win? “When theopportunity arises, I grab it with both hands. Give up my current job for themusic world? We have to look at that systematically, preferably I do thecombination.”
The Voice Of FlandersVTM, Friday at 8.45 pm