will.i.am was left embarrassed after he failed to pick a ‘Voice’ contestant who wrote one of his songs.
Tanya Lacey, 31, co-wrote T.H.E (The Hardest Ever), will.i.am’s 2011 single with Jennifer Lopez and Mick Jagger but he failed to recognise her when she appeared on the reality TV show and did not turn his chair for her.
Speaking before her audition, Tanya said: "It’s going to be so weird singing for will.i.am.
"This is the first time potentially that we might meet each other and we’ve already got history. Imagine if he doesn’t turn for me!"
And when will.i.am realised who she was he called himself a "dumbass" for not turning around.
He added: "I should’ve turned around."
However, there was good news for Tanya as both Sir Tom Jones and Gavin Rossdale picked her, with Tayna eventually choosing the Bush frontman.
Meanwhile, ‘The Voice’ mentor recently admitted that she thinks ‘American Idol’ – on which she found fame in 2004 – gave the contestants better preparation for life in the music industry than her current show does.
She said: "This process [on ‘The Voice’] is so much quicker – it leaps from phase to phase so quickly. I used to call it the ‘American Idol’ rollercoaster that I could never get off because it was just going around and around.
"I agree [‘The Voice’ is more positive] but I feel like what Simon Cowell brings to the table is he’s preparing you for the industry.
"I feel like that could be necessary to have a taste of hat contestants are really trying to get into and that’s when you learn if you have a tough enough skin for it.
"I thought, ‘It’s either gonna make me or break me.’ "
will.i.am embarrassed over Voice snub
