Jennifer Hudson can’t understand what her acts say because of their accents.
The 35-year-old American singer is currently a mentor on BBC One show ‘The Voice’, and with her final contestants now ready to battle it out to be one step closer to their singing dreams under the guidance of the star, Jennifer says there is a dialect barrier.
Speaking on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ on Tuesday (01.03.17), she said: "I’m struggling because I have to look and look and I’m like, ‘what they say?’ "
She explained to her acts – who appeared alongside her on the show – and hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield: "Because to me each of your accents is completely different and I know mine is different to y’all because y’all give me the same look and you gotta know what I’m saying, and I’ll be like, ‘why you looking at me like that?’ and I’m like, ‘oh wait, you don’t know what I’m saying’ and half of them are like, ‘what did they say’ then it comes to me."
The contestants that remain on Team Jennifer for the live finals are 21-year-old Mo Adeniran, who won his place in the team after battling against Diamond in the sing-offs. Georgie Braggins, 21, after winning her battle against Liza Baker, David Jackson, 29, who won a battle against Israel J Allen singing ‘It’s Your World’ by none other than Jennifer Hudson herself. Plus Jamie Miller, 19, Jack Bruley, 20 and Tim Gallagher.
And despite being up against fellow judges Will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones and Gavin Rossdale, Jennifer is confident she is the right person to find a star – having gone from underdog as a contestant on 2004’s ‘American Idol’ to Oscar-winner.
She said: "I think it does because I can relate to the contestants and I feel like it helps them too, to say, ‘I know what they’re going through’, through each phase and to know how precious this is to them. Because it’s like you get this one moment to have an opportunity of a lifetime, like, I get all of that because I went through it."
She added: "You have it in your hands, you’re there, you’re in it."