Hoseah Partsch was relaxing at home in Victoria’s Cranbourne West when the phone call came that changed his life.
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Boy George was on the line, asking the year 12 student to join his Culture Club national tour in December.
The year had already been a whirlwind for the talented 18-year-old singer. He turned all four judges’ chairs at The Voice blind auditions earlier this year, joined “Team George” and was runner-up in the grand final, narrowly missing out to winner Judah Kelly. His debut single, Paper Planes, debuted at number five on the Australian iTunes charts.
The tour is just the icing on the cake.
“It’s been a crazy ride this year but it’s been the best experience ever,” the softly spoken Partsch tells Weekender.
“Man, I wasn’t expecting that call. It was just a normal day with family and Boy George just called up and said he wanted me to come on tour. I was lost for words.”
Prior to appearing on The Voice, Partsch’s live performances were limited to school assemblies and church.
“I had no training. I just sang and a good voice came out,” he says.
“From the blind auditions to the knock-out rounds I was very nervous. I was shaking backstage. But after each show I felt more comfortable on stage and told myself to stay happy and calm and just go out there and do my thing.”
He auditioned for the show, he says, with one goal in mind. To give back to his family.
“I wanted to give my Mum the house she has always wanted, too. I’m so blessed to have this gift from God.”
Having all four judges vying for his attention at the audition stage was daunting and he had originally decided to join Kelly Rowland’s team. That changed when Boy George made his pitch.
“When he spoke I was like ‘Wow, he is someone who can take me through to the end’. I made the right decision and he took me to the grand finale,” Partsch says.
“He is an amazing person. I took everything he said to me on board. The main thing he taught me was to believe in myself. I’m a person who has a lot of self doubt but he told me that if I believed in myself I could do whatever I wanted to do.
“He also taught me to have fun and enjoy every performance.”
Partsch will join Boy George, Eurogliders and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey at Newcastle Entertainment Centre on December 3.
“I'm so very proud of Hoseah,” Boy George says.
“He’s not only a wonderfully talented artist, he’s a fabulous guy with a big heart and I’m backing him. I’m delighted to welcome him to the Culture Club tour.”
