Photo: WENN
The Voice judges Danny O'Donoghue and Will.i.am have apparently never heard of 2012 X Factor winner James Arthur.
The 'Impossible' singer had auditioned for The Voice before making it onto - and subsequently winning - The X Factor, but neither O'Donoghue nor Will.i.am were aware that he went on to triumph.
According to The Mirror, a source revealed, "James was on The Voice last year but we didn’t put it in the show. He didn’t even make it to the judges stage."
And O'Donoghue seemed to verify this, saying, "I’ve never heard of him. He didn’t make it through. 30,000 people audition and then they get whittled down to what gets presented to us, so he obviously didn't make it through to that part."
Will.i.am added, "Who's James Arthur?"
A source close to James Arthur, however, said, "He went to the first audition but didn't pursue it. It's not something he was interested in."
Danny and Will.i.am performing on The Voice with fellow judges Tom Jones, Jessie J
James Arthur recently spoke out about his battle with depression, as part of Red Nose Day's ongoing efforts to raise awareness.
"Sometimes I can't sleep, I've got that many creative ideas going round my head," Arthur said, of his mental health. "I get the guitar out and start singing at the top of my voice until I feel any anxiety draining away. Music is my coping mechanism. Singing something passionately releases that energy."
He continued, "In my life I’ve had some low points, so now it’s really important to give something back because I’m really passionate about changing people’s perceptions about mental health."
This lot definitely know who he is: James Arthur meets sobbing fans at Middlesbrough HMV
