THE VOICE OF THE
SHINES ON OUR NATION’S TV SCREENS
The lead singer of the Police Band recently made it
through the blind audition phase of The Voice to become
an impressive contender on the top rating show.
STORY AMANDA BEADMAN
POLICE MONTHLY
A
s a little girl Special Constable
Belinda Adams was too shy
to sing in front of an audience – or
anyone at all. But because she loved
to sing, she would do it on her own,
behind a closed bedroom door.
Her parents would listen from
outside, encouraging her to come out
and perform for them.
Eventually the young Belinda
conquered her nerves and took to
the stage as part of a Year 6 Variety
Concert, where she performed
Madonna’s ‘Crazy For You’ in front of
her schoolmates.
“Everyone came up to me
afterwards and said ‘you were so
good’,” said Belinda, who now sings
full time with the Police Band.
“They didn’t know I could sing
like that.”
It’s a long way from the shy little
girl alone in her room to the stage
of one of the nation’s most popular
TV shows.
With decades of experience as
a professional singer behind her,
Belinda has come a long way.
Her talent and ability were enough
to make all four judges on the Nine
Network’s The Voice ‘turn their chairs’
to indicate they were interested in
mentoring Belinda throughout the
competition.
The 39-year-old’s performance
of the Jennifer Hudson song I am
changing had Seal, Ricky Martin,
Delta Goodrem and Joel Madden all
pitching their heartfelt reasons for
18 PoliceMonthly MAY 2013
wanting Belinda on their team. But it
was Latino heartthrob Ricky who won
her over in the end.
“Initially I thought I was going to
choose Seal, and I am a massive fan
of all of the judges, but when Ricky
started talking I knew I had to choose
him,” she said.
The words that won her over
would be music to any vocalist’s ears
coming from an artist who has sold
more than 70 million albums.
“I believe that you can do anything
you want with that voice,” Ricky said.
“I’m looking for a voice that walks
into a studio today, records a song
and years from now you will feel you
can touch the sky listening to that
voice and I’ve found it today – that
is you.”
Although she has performed
on television before, including on
Mornings with Kerri-Anne and singing
the national anthem at the 2012 City
to Surf, Belinda said the intensity
of her blind audition was a unique
experience.
“It was exhilarating, nerve-racking
and exciting,” she said.
“I may have looked calm on the
outside but I was petrified on the
inside.”
Belinda said she chose to compete
on the show because of its integrity
and positivity, adding that, while
some might find it daunting to be
thrust into the national spotlight, she
was ready for any new challenges.
Unfortunately Belinda did not make
it through the ‘battle rounds’ but said
she loved the whole experience and
welcomed the additional publicity
since her appearance..
Trials and tribulations
The excitement and opportunity of
Belinda’s involvement on The Voice
represented a change of fortune for
her entire family.
Belinda herself has suffered from a
severe intestinal disease throughout
her life and on two separate
occasions has almost lost her life on
the operating table.
The condition means she will be on
medication for the rest of her life.
Belinda’s brother also met with
physical limitations after he was hit
by a bus in London and lost a leg.
Despite the tragedy he went on
to represent Australia twice in the
Winter Paralympics.
Belinda’s father, while a
professional cyclist, was involved
in an accident that left him in the
trauma ward undergoing facial
reconstruction, enduring multiple
strokes, two bypass surgeries and
a cancer diagnosis – all within the
space of five years.
Following on from that, her mother
had a breast cancer scare and
Belinda and her husband were badly
burnt when a boat they were on
exploded.
“We’ve had more than our fair
share of misfortune, but I try to
always look ahead,” Belinda said.
“We’ve faced a lot as a family.”
Follow Belinda and the Police
Band on their Facebook
page at www.facebook.
com/nswpoliceband
ABOVE AND RIGHT Belinda
Adams performing with The
Police Band at The Rocks
Started off
perfect and just
got more perfect
from there.
– Joel Madden’s feedback
to Belinda Adams
following her blind
audition for The Voice
FORCE
I love everything
about singing – the way
it makes me feel and the
way it makes other people
feel. I love seeing the
looks on their faces.
– Belinda Adams
MAY 2013 PoliceMonthly 19