The Voice 2013 is shaping up to be a much better competition than the first series last year given the standard of the artists we have seen so far. However, none have impressed us as much as Jamie Bruce.

The 41-year-old singer lit up the stage on The Voice UK with an amazing soulful tone that we have not heard since the likes of Joe Cooker and Paul Weller were topping the charts.

It is uniquely refreshing to see and listen to a singer like him who is not from the deep south of the United States.

What is surprising to us is that he was rejected at the Judges House stage of The X Factor in 2011. This tells us something about the type of act The X Factor wants the public to see.

Last week Jamie told the Sun: The Sun:

“I have been treated better by the BBC. It has changed my mental state and my insecurities. It’s been very positive.

“I came out of The X Factor feeling low and questioning if I should carry on.

“The first thing I did when I got kicked out was get a McDonald’s. I ate and drank a lot for the next four months to try and forget about feeling like a failure.

“It felt like the whole experience had been a big waste of two months of my life.

“But the difference with The Voice is that you have a vocal coach there who gives you constructive criticism even if they don’t put you through.

“So people don’t go away feeling they haven’t succeeded.”

Jamie is our favourite to win the show this year and we wish him every success. See Jamie’s audition on The Voice in the video below: