Ricky Wilson has had to prove himself as a singer on his band’s new album.
The Kaiser Chiefs frontman, whose band are set to release their new record ‘Education, Education And War’ next month, admits he felt under pressure to brush up on his vocal skills after becoming a coach on BBC talent show ‘The Voice’.
He told the Daily Star newspaper: "I’ve really had to step it up vocally on the new album. Obviously, if I am judging other people’s singing on the show, then I have to prove I can do it too."
The ‘Ruby’ hitmakers – including Andrew White, Nick Baines, Simon Rix and Vijay Mistry – hit a low point when drummer and main songwriter Nick Hodgson, 36, quit in 2012.
But the band are now ready for a comeback and feel Ricky’s exposure on ‘The Voice’ has helped.
The 36-year-old star explained: "When Nick left, people assumed we were finished and we realised: ‘Sh*t, we’re in trouble.
"We had to prove to ourselves, to Nick, the critics and all our fans that we were still fighting."
Ricky began filming ‘The Voice’ with fellow coaches Kylie Minogue, will.i.am, and Sir Tom Jones, during a break from recording the new album in Los Angeles.
He said: "Leaving my friends in LA felt horrible but feeling so low proved that I love being in a band."
Ricky admits he has struggled with the hectic schedule when appearing on the show and begged producers to let him have a day off during filming in Manchester.
He said: "We arrived before daylight and finished at 1am.
"After seven days in a row I said to the other three: ‘Shall we take a day off?’ Tom said, ‘No. You just get on with it, don’t you?’
"I would go back to the hotel, but Will would go mix Britney Spears’ album and turn up totally committed the next morning."
The Kaiser Chiefs new album is released on March 31 and the band will showcase material at Scala in London tonight (13.02.14) from 9pm.
Ricky Wilson had to prove his singing ability
