“I can’t wait to perform again” says Halifax singer Callum after making it through on TV show The Voice

Halifax’s Callum Butterworth says he can’t wait to perform again after making it through to the next stage on ITV’s The Voice.
Team Olly: Eva Campbell and Callum Butterworth perform on The Voice on Saturday. Picture: ITV.Team Olly: Eva Campbell and Callum Butterworth perform on The Voice on Saturday. Picture: ITV.
Team Olly: Eva Campbell and Callum Butterworth perform on The Voice on Saturday. Picture: ITV.

Callum, from Siddal, was on coach Olly Murs’ team for the Battles stage, singing a duet with Eva Campbell.

Eva was chosen to go through by Olly, but Callum was ecstatic when fellow coach Will.i.am opted to steal Callum and transfer him to his team.

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“It feels great because it’s always been a dream of mine to be on the show,” Callum, 17, said.

“It’s a great experience, and as you get further into the show you become more relaxed and they can really see the side of you they didn’t get to see in the blind audition, because you were nervous.

“You’ve just got to be grateful for every stage you get through because some people didn’t make it.

“I’m really excited to work with Will.i.am, I’m sure he’s got some great song choices for me.

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“I’d like to get to know him as a person. Being on Team Olly was amazing, and I’ve got Olly Murs to thank more than anyone because if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been in the Battles and I wouldn’t have got the steal.

“You’ve got to prove you were worth the steal, but I’m excited for the next stage, and I just can’t wait to perform again.”

The Battles were filmed in November last year, and Callum, who is studying level three music performance at Calderdale College, admitted he went through a range of emotions on the day.

“When I found out I was singing against Eva, I knew it was going to be tough because her style is very different to mine,” he said.

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“When I found out the song was going to be ‘This Town’ by Niall Horan, it wasn’t my particular style or taste.

“She knew the song a bit better than me.

“It was a tough battle. The way I saw it was more of a duet than a battle.

“We were having to harmonise for quite a lot of it and you’re having to really concentrate.

“It wasn’t one where you could let yourself go and sing as much as you want.

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“Also the fact that we became really good friends, so it’s harder to battle on a personal level.

“We just had in mind that we’d both try our best and that, whoever won, we’d support each other.

“I was a bit gutted I didn’t win. With the audience reaction to my side of the performance, I thought I might have won it.

“Eva deserved it, we’re really good friends and I gave her a hug and said ‘congratulations, I hope you do well’.

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“It just went from that to 10 or 15 seconds later, from thinking I was going home to automatically going through. It was very emotional.

“I just didn’t expect it, with it being a slow, country, pop song, I didn’t think that would appeal to Will.i.am.”

Callum had his mum, dad and his two brothers Oliver and Joe in the audience.

“It was very emotional for my family as well,” he said. “They just want the best for me.

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“They were saying after I came off they were praying and praying I either won or got a steal, and luckily I was given a steal.

“The fact it was the only one Will.i.am had - the fact he chose me is mind-blowing, especially someone as big as him in the industry.

“It was a proud moment for me and my family. It’s hard to talk about it because I never really expected it.

“It’s just overwhelming, a lot of mixed emotions.”

Callum says he now feels more comfortable on the show after getting more used to the surroundings.

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“I think in the Battles I was a lot more calm than my blind audition. I think you could hear it in my voice,” he said.

“In my blind audition, I was a bit shaky and nervous, but that’s to be expected singing in-front of all the judges.

“I think it gets better each time because you get to know the judges on a personal level.

“The first time you see them as these massive superstar coaches, but by the time it comes to the Battles, you realise they’re just normal people.

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“You get used to the cameras being in your face, and used to the audience and the coaches.

“There’s not the stress there from the blind audition, because you’re trying really hard to get someone to turn for you, but at the Battles, you’ve got to relax a bit more and show them your performance side.

“The fact I get to go out there and perform on television is amazing, the platform to get myself out there. It’s great to build myself up as an artist.”

The next stage for Callum is the Knockouts but he is tight-lipped about the outcome. They are expected to be broadcast over the next few weeks.

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“You’ve just got to enjoy the experience,” Callum added. “The next stage is really tough.

“I can’t give too much away but it’s definitely the toughest stage of the competition so far.

“It’s just about being myself, showing the public who I am and hopefully I can progress to the next stage.

“If not, then take on board every bit of advice, enjoy it while it lasts and regardless of how far I get, just keep pushing forwards.

“Its been great so far and I can’t wait to carry on.”