18 October 2016

My experience on The Voice was the most life-changing experience I've had so far. Being able to meet such talented people and to be able to work with professionals in the industry is truly a dream come true. Being able to perform in front of such a large audience and spread the word about Tourette's Syndrome was definitely the highlight for me!

The show was full of unexpected, unscripted plot twists. You always had your predictions on who would go and who would stay, but for some reason ninety percent of the time they were wrong! I honestly thought Andrew Loadsmann was going to win!

The hardest part about it all was having to face negative comments on social media. The live shows were so stressful because of the voting that every time you saw a bad comment it would mess with your mind. Luckily, Delta helped me overcome that!

How did the experience change you? 

The Voice has changed me as a singer for life. I've learned so much about singing and also about myself. It's confirmed for me that I want to pursue a career in singing. I doubted myself a lot before The Voice and decided that I wasn't going to try singing as a career, so I was preparing myself for a career outside of the arts. But coming second on The Voice has just made me want to achieve greater things even more. It's also brought me a lot of singing opportunities, which are coming in left, right and centre!

What was it like returning to school after The Voice? 

Going back to school after such a huge event like The Voice is definitely a bit of a challenge. It took about two weeks to fully get back into the mindset of a student. Having to go from a life that feels too good to be true to your everyday life is difficult. But luckily it wasn't too different for me. A lot of things are still happening for me regarding my music, so the experience hasn't even fully ended! It's just the beginning for me!

It took a while to catch up on all my missed work, but luckily I'm up to date now! I also get special 'privileges' from my friends like being able to play 'king' in down ball!

Singing seems a really important part of your life. Please describe the role that singing has played in your life. 

Without singing I don't know what I would do with my life. I've been singing since I was six years old. For me, it's always been a way of expressing myself. Writing my own songs has served as a form of a diary for me. It's also my only release from my Tourette's. I love singing, just because it gives me a break from the real world.

You are very open about your Tourette’s. Please describe what it has been like to have Tourette’s. 

I was diagnosed with Tourette's at the age of 14 but had minor symptoms before that which were never picked up. It was a huge challenge being faced with it. One day you seem completely fine and the next you have a new tic that is affecting your life. It does take a while to get used to it and in the beginning of it I wasn't open or positive about it, I was actually quite negative.

However, when I started a YouTube channel (TicTwitchTeen) to help others, it made the experience so much easier for me and I started to see the opportunity I had been presented with to help other people.

Singing has been my main way of managing my Tourette’s… along with tons of medication. On The Voice I met Aja, a girl with Tourette's, which was the first time I had ever met someone else with Tourette's. For me, that was absolutely amazing. She told me that I had made a difference in people's lives and that was the most incredible thing I had ever heard.

My advice for others with Tourette's, is to first tell your school about it. I don't mean just the students, I mean the teachers as well. The more you educate people about your disability, the easier life becomes. Secondly, it's really not the worst thing in the world. Having Tourette's is kind of cool. It's kind of like you're beat-boxing and dancing without wanting to.

Who wouldn't think you're cool?

I think the best part about having Tourette's is that you have an opportunity to be the voice (excuse the pun) for the voiceless. Some people have disabilities and don't have the ability to spread awareness. Instead of spreading awareness for just Tourette's, do it for disabilities as a whole!

You came to St Joseph's College from another school. What is the St Joseph's difference? 

St Joseph's is by far the greatest school I've ever attended. Being inside an all boys environment is such a great thing for a boy who's transitioning into a man. The teachers are extremely understanding regarding my Tourette's and it has been such a pleasure to be able to represent them on national television. I think the thing that makes St Joseph's different from any other school I've been to is the fact that every staff member cares immensely for the students. We all get along with the teachers and make a joke here and there and, to me, that is the perfect environment that a school can have. I am, and always will be, a Joey's boy.

What does the future hold for Adam Ladell? 

I have a lot of upcoming gigs! They're happening all over the country, including some sporting events. I'm working on some new music but am also waiting for a couple of major recording labels to contact me to discuss management. Fingers crossed that they decide to sign me up!

Watch Adam sing Trouble on The Voice.