He reduced Kelly Rowland to tears, Boy George likened him to Stevie Wonder, Seal praised his soulful voice and Delta Goodrem practically begged to be his coach.

Hoseah Partsch, a 17-year-old with a tough upbringing, was the saviour of Monday night’s episode of The Voice, rescuing the season six opener at the last moment.

Watch the clip below for a taste of his performance:

There’s no doubt The Voice is beautifully made, quality television – but at its heart, it’s still the same show we’ve seen for years.

Judges behaved like overexcited kids trying desperately to be picked as coaches by the singers.

There’s Seal, who is back after a year away and determined to find the next global superstar – which, until now, The Voice Australia has never delivered.

New judges for the sixth season are Rowland – one of the founding members of Destiny’s Child – and Boy George, “Queen of the United Kingdom”, who labelled fourth judge Delta Goodrem “Princess of Australia”.

Their pitches to secure talent bordered on the bizarre.

Take their response to Robin Johnson, who had the audience on their feet and all four coaches turned around.

Seal said “I don’t turn around unless I’m turned on” and talked about how Johnson inspired him. To do what?

Boy George pitched by calling Johnson “my biblical first child”.

“Come to me,” he pleaded.

Goodrem was shouting “I won’t let you down” and Rowland prayed while Johnson made his decision.

He went with Boy George.

Monday’s first episode featured sentimental stories galore. Single mothers, desperation for success, some dreadful voices, stuff-ups and bold choices from competitors.

Gemma Lyon chose Destiny Child’s Say My Name and Rowland was so excited she used her foot to push the red button and turn around. Not to be outdone, Goodrem stood on the chair and did the same.

Rowland won because she joined Lyon on stage and sang with her – then wouldn’t let her go until she agreed to be on her team. Forget the judging process.

It all felt a bit like a contrived circus until the teenaged Partsch arrived. His life had been tough. His extended family lived in a one-bedroom flat in New Zealand until they moved to Melbourne.

“Even when we don’t have money or food on the table, we still have smiles,” he said.

He was on the show for his family – especially for his grandparents – and he wants to buy them all a big house.

He played keyboard and sang Ariana Grande’s Almost is Never Enough.

Boy George turned around first, calling the performance “something very personal, like being in a church”.

Rowland cried, saying she had seen somebody “with a great gift”, and that she “had goosebumps all over me”.

Partsch revealed he had taught himself to play the keyboard only recently. Definitely no online lessons: “I don’t believe in YouTube.”

“God bless each and every one of your souls,” he said as he chose Boy George.

“I would do backflips, if I could do backflips,” he added, sobbing into the arms of his family.

But there will need to be a lot of Hoseahs for the show to better its worst ever ratings of the last series.