October 19th 2024.
Kyra Smith, a talented contestant on The Voice UK, recently shared a surprising revelation – she lost her vision while performing on the show. The 20-year-old student from Manchester has made it to the semi-finals and will be competing for a spot in the final on tonight's episode.
Before appearing on The Voice, Kyra had never performed professionally and was studying veterinary medicine. Her journey on the show is even more impressive considering that just a year ago, she had to learn to sing while sitting down due to being diagnosed with POTS syndrome. She now uses a wheelchair but has not let her condition stop her from pursuing her dreams.
In an interview with Metro, Kyra spoke about how life-changing her experience on The Voice has been. She never imagined herself being on a reality show, as her only performance experience was in school talent shows. But upon encouragement from a friend of her mother's, she decided to audition for the show, looking for something to look forward to in her life.
Reflecting on the past year, Kyra admitted that she would have laughed if anyone had told her she would be on The Voice. She was bed-bound for a long time and couldn't even leave her house or her bed. Being on the show was a shock, but also a cool experience for her.
However, her condition did make things more challenging, especially when it came to performing. Kyra explained that it was like being allergic to gravity, and she had to figure out how to support herself while singing. Her breathtaking Blind Audition impressed the coaches and viewers, and she broke down in tears when Sir Tom Jones and Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones turned for her.
But behind the scenes, Kyra was struggling with her nerves, as an increased heart rate can trigger her symptoms. She shared that she can sometimes lose her vision if she belts too much, which actually happened during the semi-final. However, she is trying to condition herself to get used to it.
It's only been two years since Kyra was diagnosed with her chronic illness, and she still doesn't consider herself a spokesperson for it. But after receiving an overwhelming amount of messages from viewers with chronic illnesses, disabilities, and wheelchair users, she feels grateful for the love and support.
Despite feeling like an imposter at times, Kyra has received strong support from the coaching panel, which also includes will.i.am and LeAnn Rimes. However, in the Callback round, a simple cold nearly ruined her chances of moving forward in the competition.
But Kyra's journey on The Voice has opened new doors for her, and she is now pursuing a career as a performer. She even applied to a music university during the show and got accepted, and is now studying music in Leeds. She credits The Voice for giving her the opportunity to pursue her passion for music and is grateful for the experience.
The Voice UK's semi-final will air tonight on ITV1 at 8:20 PM. We can't wait to see Kyra and the other talented contestants perform. Do you have a celebrity story to share? Get in touch with our entertainment team by emailing us, calling us, or visiting our Submit Stuff page. We'd love to hear from you.
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