In 1996, Michael Jackson released “They Don’t Care About Us,” a song about prejudice, hate, and injustice. The music video has 94 million views and over 487 million streams. While it’s not as notable as the singer’s more famous tracks like “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” and “Wanna Be Starting Something,” it’s still a powerful song from the King of Pop and a reminder that he, too, came from a background that suffered injustice.
Still, the song is popular, having charted in multiple countries and been covered and remixed by a handful of artists over the years. But out of all the iterations this song has received, nothing can compete with the cover that was performed during the Grand Finale of The Voice Australia 2018 by Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland and the soon-to-be winner, Sam Perry.
“They Don’t Care About Us” Was Performed Twice on The Voice Australia 2018
Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” was performed twice during Season 7 of The Voice Australia, by both contestants on Team Kelly. The first was Jake Nicholls, who was unfortunately eliminated after performing it during The Knockouts. But the song found a second chance to wow Australia when Rowland and Perry performed it during the Grand Finals.
Unlike Nicholls’, Perry and Rowland’s performance was more in line with what Jackson had in mind when the song was first released. It featured similar dance moves to those seen in the rehearsal footage in the This Is It documentary. The footage on the screens contained visuals of police brutality and injustice. They also sang the original controversial lyrics. It felt like they were channeling what Jackson wanted, but added more to it. Not only did it carry the same message Jackson originally intended, but it also said something new: a story of an underdog that sparked a debate during that season of The Voice.
What Happened During The Voice Australia 2018?
The Voice Australia Season 7 featured talented performers across the country with the hopes of becoming the next big thing, as well as including former reality TV show contestants like Bella Paige, who was a runner-up in The Voice Kids Australia in 2014, Trent Bell, who was in an Australian boy band called The Collective and has previously pefornmed in The X Factor, and Aydan Calafiore who returned after his failed blind audition in the previous year. It was also the same season that Sheldon Riley competed, who would eventually represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022.
But out of all the entries that auditioned that year, Perry stood out. His blind audition was unique as he used a looper. Using his voice, he sings and creates the instrumental backing track while performing live. He got four judges spinning their chairs during his performance of “When Doves Cry” by Prince, who claimed he “completely changed the game.”
But at the same time, his time on The Voice sparked controversy and debate, with people wondering whether using a looper was allowed. During The Knockouts, Boy George changed his tune about Perry’s looper performance, calling him “was not really a singer” and what he was doing “djing.” This formed a narrative that Perry was the dark horse of 2018’s show.
Perry and Rowland’s Performance of “They Don’t Care About Us” Adds A New Message To Michael Jackson’s Hit Track
When Jackson released “They Don’t Care About Us,” he wanted to showcase the injustice in the world, and it recently resurfaced during the Black Lives Matter protests. While Jackson’s original rendition will remain iconic and loved by many, Perry and Rowland’s performance adds a new message: perseverance through hate and criticism.
Early in the show, Perry began to second-guess himself, but many people, including his mentor, supported him because his performances were very unconventional. This Dark Horse performer broke expectations and faced every challenge The Voice Australia has thrown at him, and was heavily supported by Rowland, who didn’t take his looper away. Their act not only represented Jackson’s passion, but also their journey together as mentor and contestant during that most notable season of The Voice Australia.
Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” will always be iconic and beloved by many, even if it’s forgotten by some or not featured in the Michael biopic trailer. But Perry and Rowland’s version adds a whole new meaning to the song, as it can tell the story of an underdog who defied the odds, faced the critics, and changed the game.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 pm on NBC. All episodes are available to stream on Peacock. Meanwhile, The Voice Australia is only available to stream on 7Plus and is unavailable outside of Australia.
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