‘Shy’ pupil mixes with stars after Voice win

A PONTYPRIDD boy has been keeping some star-studded company after being crowned winner of The Voice Kids.

Daniel Davies, a pupil at Hawthorn High School, successfully fought his way through the preliminary auditions to get a slot in the live finals on Saturday – and won.

The 14-year-old was mentored to victory by singer-songwriter Pixie Lott, who was the winning judge for the second year running.

After a busy weekend, which included lunches with the chart-topping star, Daniel has returned home to Pontypridd, where he is still getting used to being recognised in the street.

His dad, Mark, said: “We are so proud of him. I think everybody, as soon as they see Dan singing, they know he has got something. His confidence has grown so much and people have picked up on that so who knows what will happen.”

Mark said Dan only began to sing at the age of six when they got a karaoke machine.

“We bought his sister the machine initially,” Mark said. “And Dan said ‘I want to have a go on that’ and the he took to it like a duck to water.”

Daniel soon joined a choir in Coedpenmaen Primary School and began performing at small events in the community.

But Mark said Daniel has remained a withdrawn personality and it has only been through coaching from Pixie Lott that he has managed to develop his stage presence.

“I think Will.I.Am said something telling,” Mark added. “He said Dan was a bit like Michael Jackson. Off stage you are a shy and retiring but it’s like someone flicks a button on stage.”

On the grand final night on Saturday, Daniel belted out Mariah Carey’s Anytime You Need A Friend to rapturous applause.

And in the days since the show, Dan has even had some recognition for his performance from the US singer. “I don’t know how she knew about it – but she did,” Mark said. “She tweeted him to say he was brilliant.”

The prize for winning is a £30,000 bursary towards Daniel’s music education, but he will also enjoy a holiday to Disneyland Paris with his fellow finalists.

Mark said the family had been blown away by the support Daniel received before the final and afterwards. “He finds it all a bit embarrassing really,” Mark said. “Hawthorn High School have been fantastic. The whole school were asked to go out in to the field on Friday afternoon to take a video wishing Dan good luck.”