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The Voice’s Henry: My death threat nightmare

The contestant reveals an incredible battle that led him back to the stage
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The judges were blown away by Henry Olonga’s rendition of Anthony Warlow’s This is the Moment, with all four coaches turning for the dad-of-two during The Voice’s blind auditions.

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But while the 42-year-old tells New Idea he has been singing since he was a child, it was actually his bold – and brave – move on the pitch that saw the former cricketer first hit the news headlines.

Growing up in Zimbabwe, Henry attended a boarding school and it was in high school that he managed to land his first singing gig – playing a female part.

“I auditioned and I was surprised to find I was picked for a play called Oklahoma – it’s a famous unisex play, so they had to find the girls from somewhere,” Henry says. “So that was me – my first role in a play singing in the girls’ chorus.”

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While it spurred Henry on to pursue his passion, he had to juggle it with his other love – cricket. “I started playing when I was 8,” he says. “I took an interest in it and discovered I could bowl pretty quick.”

He played all the way through school before being chosen to join the Zimbabwe cricket team, kicking off his international sporting career in 1995.

But Henry reveals it was a very challenging time in his life. “I was the first black player for the Zimbabwe team,” he says. “Thankfully most of my teammates at the time were very supportive and made me feel welcome. It wasn’t until later in my career that tensions started to reflect the politics of the day.”

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At the time, Robert Mugabe was the country’s president and many disagreed with his decisions while in power.

“A lot of terrible things had happened in Zimbabwe, human right abuses, when a man called Robert Mugabe came to the helm,” Henry says.

Cricket took him around the world – including to Adelaide where he met his now wife, Tara – working with many great sportsmen – including former Australian bowler Dennis Lillee – to perfect his talent. But one decision ended it all.  

During the 2003 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Henry, and former captain Andy Flower, decided to ignore the warnings and protest against

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the government.

“We wore black armbands as symbols of mourning the death of democracy,” Henry explains.

“They all told us we were being foolish and that there

were going to be quite severe consequences but we felt the cause was worth it and we went through with it.”

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It cost Henry his cricketing career, as he was no longer able to play for his country.

“That was our final game of the World Cup and I had just announced my retirement. I’d been told by the team manager that I couldn’t get on the bus with everyone to the airport,” Henry recalls. “It was a very sad time for me.”

Many said what he did was “uncalled for” and when Henry started to fear for his life, he had no choice but to flee the country.

“The death threats forced me into exile.”

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Leaving his life behind, Henry fled to the UK where he played cricket in the summer to make ends meet. But while it was a trying time, Henry’s protest not only led him to love but also helped him towards his path to music.

When he arrived in the UK, Henry received many emails from people asking if he was safe, including one from his long-time friend Tara.

“She wanted to check if

I was OK,” Henry says. “I emailed back and it just kicked off from there.” With Tara living in Adelaide – where she was working as a volleyball teacher – the pair started a long-distance relationship.

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When the cricket season was over, Henry did public speaking, sharing his story at dinners and events, when advice from a comedian led him back to singing. “He said, if you start losing the audience just throw in a song … so that’s what I did!” Henry reveals.

Henry offered something unique – sharing his inspiring story along with his beautiful classical voice – and the audience was captivated. “I’m not actually that great a singer – I’ve heard some amazing voices in my life and even to this day I aspire to sound like one of those singers,” Henry says, modestly.

“I guess the fact that it’s unexpected makes it a bit more extraordinary.”

In 2004, Henry travelled to Adelaide to marry Tara at her family church, and later the couple welcomed two daughters – Talkia, now 8, and Liana, 6.

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Twelve years later, Henry moved to Adelaide permanently with his family where he eventually continued to sing and speak around the country.

Now, on the Channel Nine show, Henry faces his ultimate test when the ex-cricketer experiences an emotional moment on stage.

Henry reveals to New Idea that while filming the show, he sadly lost his father-in-law. “I’m here singing on national TV to further my career … and I’m having to leave my family and my wife,” he says. “I felt terrible, like I got my priorities wrong.”   

But Tara is, and always has been, supportive of him – on and off the cricket pitch – and his daughters are so proud of his success on the show so far. They’ve even been encouraged to follow in his footsteps.

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He says: “The girls are very much into what singing means to the family and it has very much inspired them because of my appearance on The Voice. They also feel they want to part of that world.”

For more, see this week’s New Idea – out now! 

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(Credit: NEW IDEA)

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