The Voice’s Tai Bantick reveals online abuse since entering competition

The Voice contestant Tai Bantick has revealed she has received a wave of online abuse since entering the ITV singing competition.

The singer fears she will be “fed to the lions” during this weekend’s semi-final which hands the voting power over to the public for the first time this series.

Bantick, 18, is in Will.i.am’s team and the Black Eyed Peas star has compared her to pop superstar Rihanna.

But her performances have split viewers with a recent cover of Dolly Parton’s Jolene labelled “dreadful” by some fans.

Of the online criticism, Bantick said: “I didn’t realise how badly people would take to me.

“There’s no in-between I’m either loved or really hated and I’ve struggled emotionally with it. On Facebook all the videos and stuff, I’m the only person who’s got angry reactions and that hurts cos I’m not a bad person.”

Asked why she thought she was being targeted, Bantick said: “I sing with attitude, I’m quite different and I’m very confident.”

“I know who I am and people are kind of scared of that.”

“I don’t feel like I’ve said anything wrong… I have the mindset of its sink or swim and I come across as so brash.

“I’m just being myself. I’m just going to keep doing that and for the people who do understand it I’m really, really, appreciate them,” she added.

She said she had not told Will.i.am about the online criticism but labelled him “supportive”.

“He loves that side of me, he loves everything about it. His opinion counts the most,” she said.

– The Voice continues on Saturday night at 8.30pm on ITV.