Let battle commence!

will.i.am on the joy of coaching youngsters as the Battle Rounds begin in this year’s The Voice Kids…

- RICHARD MCCLURE, VICTORIA WILSON

The talented pint-sized performers have already impressed the coaches during the Blind Auditions of this series of ITV’s The Voice Kids and now they have to up their game for the Battle Rounds.

In the first of two Battle shows, coaches will.i.am, Paloma Faith, Danny Jones and Pixie Lott will challenge their teams of nine to sing-off in groups of three – and there can only be one winner. By the end of next Saturday’s second Battle show, each coach will have just three acts to take through to the semi-final in two weeks’ time.

It’s safe to say that working on The Voice Kids brings out the child in coach will.i.am. Growing up in a tough neighbourhood of Los Angeles, the Black Eyed Peas star and seven-time Grammy Award-winner takes great pleasure in guiding the next generation of music artists.