Clyde North drag queen and former Endeavour Hills local Brenda Bressed (she/her) has emerged as a contender to watch on this year’s season of Channel 7’s The Voice.
Airing on Tuesday 22 August, her blind audition wowed the judges, with two judges spinning their chairs based on her voice alone.
Bressed said singing on the main stage in front of hundreds of people and four global pop superstars was the biggest performance of her life so far.
“I first applied last year as my drag persona,” she said.
“It was a crazy experience.
“I was quite nervous going on the Voice.”
Belting out Cher’s ‘Strong Enough’ dressed in a gold and black pantsuit, Bressed said she enjoyed performing for the crowd and the judges.
“It was so much fun,” she said.
“I was not expected a chair to turn so quickly.
“It was just the best.”
Bressed said ‘Strong Enough’ was one of the first songs she performed and was an easy choice for her audition song.
“It’s one of my favourite songs,” she said.
“It’s such a drag anthem and a gay anthem.
“I wanted something that would get people on their feet and dancing.”
Pop star Rita Ora was the first to turn her chair, with Guy Sebastian being the next to turn.
Bressed said she did not need to think for long about which judge she would pick to be her mentor moving forward into the competition.
“I really wanted Rita,” she said.
“It was a pretty easy choice.
“She’s just a beautiful person and performer.”
Bressed said she was proud to be a role model for other drag queens and queer people.
“Drag itself is so empowering,” she said.
“It’s like a suit of armour.
“I always say that my drag person is just an extension of me.
“It was important for me to be a representative for queer people.”
Bressed said she was looking forward to competing in the upcoming Callbacks part of the show, where she would compete against other contestants.
“I’m really excited for the next stage,” she said.
“I’m excited to show a little bit more of myself.”
The Voice airs at 7.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and streaming on 7plus.
For more information, visit www.brendabressed.com
