“I see it as a blessing” says Halifax student Callum on his success in The Voice

Callum, 17, from Siddal, wowed judge Olly Murs in last Saturday’s show, making it into the singer’s team for the next stage of the competition.

“I was nervous but I just thought ‘you’ve only got one shot, so you’ve got to give everything’,” said Callum.

“As soon as the crowd get behind you it gives you that boost of confidence, sand then seeing Olly turn for me was the highlight of it all.

“You never know what the coaches are into, but the reaction from the crowd, how loud it was, it energised me.”

Callum picked Mercy by Shawn Mendes for his blind audition.

“I always sing pop songs, sometimes Ed Sheeran, but I thought I needed to sing something a bit different, something that showed off my range a bit more, obviously with my falsetto,” he said.

“And I thought it was a current song, it’s upbeat, and it would be a good one for the crowd.”

On his new mentor Olly, Callum said: “He was just talking about the soul in my voice, he said he could tell I was confident, he liked the way I was performing.

“He said it’s hard to perform a song at the same time as singing it as well as I did.

“He was saying I seemed like a nice, genuine person, and he just had to turn for my voice.

“It was a bit nerve-racking at first to meet this massive star, but as soon as we spent a few hours with him, we realised he’s just a genuine, down-to-earth person.

“He’s got a lot of time for you, if you’re not getting part of a song, he’ll rehearse it over with you.”

Callum sang two songs for the show’s producers at the auditions in the west arcade in Halifax town centre last March.

“It was 50-50. When I heard the auditions were coming to Halifax, I thought ‘it’s an experience either way whatever happens, I can only get good feedback from it and you never know’.

“I knew this was what I wanted to do so I thought ‘just apply and see what happens’ and I was lucky enough to get to the blind auditions and join Team Olly.”

Callum is studying level three music performance at Calderdale College, which is a two-year course and the equivalent to a foundation degree.

“Because I love music so much it feels like I don’t have to do work every day. It’s just doing what I love.

“I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the college, it’s been great.

“A lot of friends, and even people I don’t know, have come up to me and said congratulations.

“It hasn’t been over the top, so while it’s nice to get recognition, it’s also nice to go back to college and be in the real world as well.

“My friends don’t see me as Callum off The Voice, the just see me as Callum.”

“I’ve always been interested in singing, from a very young age.

“I started when I was about 10 singing Michael Jackson songs, and I then I started to develop my own style.

“Then I started to learn the guitar, which I haven’t done on the show yet.

“I try to write my own songs in my spare time. There are times when I’m really dry of ideas, but then after a week I might be really creative.”

Callum filmed the blind audition in October, and now faces the battles, which are expected to take place in mid-February.

“We’re now going into the battles, where two singers will sing against each other from the same team.

“I’m excited to see what song Olly picks and who I’ll be up against.”

Callum’s mum, dad, step-mum, brother and sister were there on the day of filming for his blind audition.

“My family are just over the moon. We’re all very grateful I’ve been given this opportunity.

“The main reason I wanted to go on the show is to improve my life, kick-start my career but also make my family proud as well.

“We’re all very excited.

“It means everything to me. Just to make my family proud, whatever happens from here on in, if I win the battle or not, no matter how far I progress, I’m just happy I’ve been given this opportunity.

“I see it as a blessing and if I were to go all the way and win it, it would be out of this world.”