The Voice Australia quietly makes huge change to winner's prize: 'Breaking a terrible cycle'

The Voice Australia has been through a series of changes since it premiered again in 2024, including a nearly brand new lineup of coaches with Adam Lambert, LeAnn Rimes and Kate Miller-Heidke all stepping into the big red chairs to mentor up-and-coming singers. Guy Sebastian, who has been on The Voice since 2019, remained the one original judge in the lineup.

With blind auditions wrapped and the battle rounds about to commence, there's been one sneaky change to the outcome of this season of The Voice - and one that viewers may not have picked up on initially.

While the $100,000 prize money has been heavily promoted, one big prize change will ultimately make a huge difference to the 2024 winner of The Voice, with an insider telling Yahoo Lifestyle why this change could ultimately be a good thing despite Channel Seven keeping 'quiet' about it.

'Vital to breaking a terrible cycle'

The show has quietly dropped the recording contract offer that it had in previous years, with a recording contract with Universal Music Australia or EMI Music Australia no longer being part of the winner's prize package. Instead, the winner will receive an artist development package with a recording studio in Alexandria, Sydney.

"Channel Seven have been pretty quiet about the change in prizes," the insider told Yahoo Lifestyle.

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The insider went on to say that the lack of a recording contract would break 'the spell' or perhaps the curse that previous winners of The Voice have suffered through, as their music careers have failed to kick off.

"Many former 'coaches' and 'judges' on these singing shows agree that dropping that part of the prize to lift the restrictions on what the artists can do once they have won the show is vital to breaking a terrible cycle," they said. "[The contract] is something that has blocked 'winners' from making a profit or owning their music for years."

The Voice winner's record deal is only good 'in theory'

The insider said given the history of The Voice winners not having any rights over their music or distribution of it due to a recording contract, the dropping of the contract could ultimately benefit the 2024 winner, given that past winners are 'hardly household names'.

"A record deal sounds good in theory but ask the last three winners about their journey with these sorts of contracts and they will tell you a fairly dark tale," the insider said. "The last three winners have been fantastic but apart from their diehard fans - you would have to agree that they are hardly household names."

"So many voices and executives are there to control you and make money from these artists," they continued. "The record contract has actually had a negative effect on the winners of many of our reality shows."

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While the dropping of the recording contract could be initially disappointing for the 2024 winner, the insider points out The Voice hasn't had the same success stories within the show that Australian Idol brought back in the day.

"The Voice Australia in particular hasn't really had the same success story that Australian Idol did with Guy Sebastian, Casey Donavon, Rob Mills, Ricki Lee," they said. "Yes the country fell in love with Harrison Craig and Karise Eden but their stars burnt out and you have to ask what was wrong with the formula.

"Time will tell, but what looks like a disappointment for this year's winner could very much be the change that is needed."

Yahoo Lifestyle has contacted Channel 7 for comment.

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