The Voice Kids: Edinburgh teenager Elyssa Tait says reaching show finals means she can now 'take on anything'

Elyssa Tait from Edinburgh appeared on the final show of The Voice Kids on Saturday night

An Edinburgh teenager who reached the final stages of The Voice Kids has said the experience of being on the show has put her in good stead to achieve more in the music industry.

Elyssa Tait made it to the final 16 acts out of approximately 60,000 entrants and was praised by judges during the penultimate stage of the competition with singing coach Pixie Lott describing the 13-year-old as her ‘song bird’ - a nod to how talented the Edinburgh teenager is.

Saturday night’s show on ITV saw kids aged between seven and 14 each compete against each other in the battle stages ahead of the final round which took place on the same evening. But despite Elyssa not reaching the final four, she said the experience gained from performing on such a high profile show has given her a boost in confidence to pursue her dreams of making a career in music.

13-year-old Elyssa Tait dreams of becoming a solo artist in the future. The teenager from Barnton said: "Now that I’ve performed on The Voice I think I can take on anything”

Elyssa said: “I’ve gained a lot more confidence from standing on a massive stage with a huge audience and singing in front of four celebrities. And because it was just me on the stage I think I believe in myself more because I know I can do it.” Elyssa added: “Now that I’ve performed on The Voice I think I can take on anything.”

Reaching the televised stages of the competition also saw Elyssa work with vocal coaches who tutor some of UK’s top talent - from West End stars to British pop band, The Vamps. Elyssa said: “It was really cool working with people who teach famous bands because I don’t think I’ll have the opportunity again to work with such distinguished vocal coaches - it was great to pick up tips and tricks from them and I use the same techniques when I sing now.”

Performing ‘Climb Every Mountain’ with three other Team Pixie finalists during the battle stages on Saturday night, Elyssa showcased her vocal range, power and technical ability throughout the song, wowing judges and audience members as she transitioned from falsetto to full voice.

Celebrity judge, Danny Jones, told Team Pixie members - Elyssa, Martha, Hayla and Tiara-Leigh ‘’what you've made here on this show and what you have achieved is so special. It was incredible’ and fellow singing coach will.i.am said ‘when you’re older, you are going to look at this performance and know that this moment was a step to build that future version of yourself.’

Speaking to the Evening News, the Barnton teenager said despite the competitive element of Saturday night’s show, all four girls in Team Pixie supported each other, and were delighted for Hayla who was selected to sing in the final round.

Elyssa said: “There was a tiny bit of me that was disappointed to not get through to the final - I think any kid would feel the same way - but all four of us got super super friendly during the process of filming and rehearsals. So to be honest I wasn’t that upset - I was more pleased for Hayla. And I was really pleased with how far I’d come in the first place so I wasn’t too upset.”

Elyssa’s dad, Dougie, said he was very proud of his daughter and added that the demanding nature of the competition provided a steep learning curve that will no doubt make Elyssa well placed for a bright future in music.

Dougie said: “The kids don’t get very long with each part of the process, they only get so many minutes on the stage, so many minutes with their vocal coach and to warm up - so when they give them direction, they have to be able to respond to it. And Elyssa managed to cope with taking direction from professionals in the industry which is huge.”

Dougie added: “It was Elyssa’s third attempt and she was still determined to audition so getting to the final is an unbelievable achievement. Elyssa’s individual performance as part of the battles was faultless - her vocals were amazing. We were gutted that Pixie didn’t choose her but we are equally happy for the other families because we know them so well.”

To keep up to date with Elyssa’s journey, you can visit her social media pages and look out for plans to perform at this year’s Fringe Festival where she has performed since the age of nine.