Hutchence comparisons fine, but WA singer forges his own identity (2025)

West Australian singer Matt Evans says while he doesn’t mind his look being compared to that of late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, he’s certainly not trying to be him.

“He’s always been a big influence of mine and I adored what he did as a performer,” Evans told WAtoday.

“So yes, it’s always good to get that kind of comparison but I mean the thing with comparisons is you really don’t want to be too much like someone, but I think I’m safe enough … because I don’t really sound like him when I sing.”

The acoustic singer-songwriter, who got similar comments when he played the Perth and Fremantle pub scenes with his band Atlas Chasers before auditioning for The Voice last year, says he’s keen to forge a career in music, regardless of whether he wins.

Evans has made it through the playoffs of the hotly contested talent show, which airs on Nine, the owner of this masthead.

“I think the really important thing is that when you leave this show you can’t just leave and expect everything to follow you – you have it bring it, it has to come from you,” Evans said.

“And you really have to put in the hard work and build yourself a foundation that people are interested in, so that they can continue to follow you, no matter what you do.

“I really want to be able to do something that I love.”

The grounded 23-year-old former Trinity College student is one of four WA artists still on the show and took up an off-script offer last weekend to form a duo with playoffs partner Janie Gordon, from Victoria, when coach Delta Goodrem couldn’t choose between the pair in their version of Taylor Swift’s Lover.

Their initial hesitation to sing together was because they were thinking too far ahead, Evans said.

“We were just thinking very long-term about it and I think what we struggled to see, at first, was that it’s a reality TV show and the further you progress into the TV show, the more exposure you get which will then help towards your career,” he said.

The WA Academy of Performing Arts graduate said neither had asked Goodrem who she would have picked, had they opted to stay solo.

“We always joke about it. We’re like ‘yeah she would have picked me, no she would have picked me’,” Evans said.

“But look we don’t know, we honestly don’t know.”

Having Goodrem as a mentor had made him a better-rounded performer and taught him versatility on stage.

“My biggest thing going into the show was I wanted to pick an Australian coach,” Evans said.

“Delta specifically, she’s in her ninth season of the show now – it’s not her first rodeo. She’s done it before and I saw what she did with some of her contestants in her team last year and she’s unbelievable.

“There’s a lot of positive reinforcement before she kind of gives any form of constructive feedback.”

Evans said those behind the scenes on The Voice were legends too.

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“They are incredible, the music team, they help to produce it all and come up with really good arrangements for songs. There’s such a massive team behind it all,” he said.

He said he had already picked a star amongst the show’s younger artists: 12-year-old Emmagen Rain.

“Mark my words, that girl’s going to be a star and she has a great personality about her too, she’s so lovely, she’s so well raised by her parents – she is awesome, she’s such a cool little girl,” he said.

The Voice experience was nerve-racking for everyone, but particularly the young artists.

“It’s that wow factor and especially in your blind audition when they turn they chairs,” Evans said.

“It’s like they light up, they just don’t look real, they look like fictional characters – it’s very overwhelming but you slowly grow to learn that they’re just people as well, and the more time you spend with them you see how normal they are as people, too.”

Evans said he’d urge more WA singers to audition for the show.

“For sure, because there’s a lot of crazy talent in WA and we need to show it,” he said.