In a heartfelt tribute to his late father, Charlie Pittman performed Dean Lewis’s “How Do I Say Goodbye” on The Voice Australia.
Singing with only a piano accompaniment, the 25-year-old baritone clearly gave his all to the performance. He let his emotions out in the song, and Pittman’s distinctive voice was beautifully showcased by the melody. He started off in a buttery low range and worked his way up to some flawless falsetto high notes that floored the judges.
Pittman stands out greatly due to his unusual tone and his captivating use of his entire vocal range. As Pittman sang the chorus, Jessica Mauboy was the first judge to give the singer the chair, much to the delight of Pittman’s proud family. Guy Sebastian turned his chair to join team Pittman after hearing the 25-year-old sing a silky falsetto high note shortly after. Not long after that, Jason Derulo also turned his chair.
While Pittman said he is “originally from Sydney” on The Voice, he actually resides in Holbrook, Suffolk. Although he spent most of his childhood in the United Kingdom, he claimed to have been born in Australia to parents of English and Australian descent. During his appearance on the show, he discussed the circumstances surrounding his dad’s diagnosis with advanced colon cancer that had spread to his liver, which served as the inspiration for the song “How Do I Say Goodbye.” Just one month before to Pittman’s audition, he tragically passed suddenly.
“Charlie, that was just such a great audition,” Sebastian told Pittman in a dramatic plea to join his squad. The ease with which you switch between your falsetto and the emotion conveyed by the lyrics is enough to convince me that you’ve been performing this for some time. Sebastian was later selected as Pittman’s coach. Performing at the finals of The Voice with Sebastian, who sang “Torn” with him, was a highlight for Pittman.