We interviewed The Voice contestant Deano Boroczky about his time on the show and his experiences with bullying
DtL: Can you tell us a bit about your journey so far?
Deano: Since my time on The Voice I have been in the process of writing my EP of original songs. I’m really looking forward to being able to share it with everyone. There’s no release date yet but it will be sometime in 2017. I will leave me social media links below if you would like to keep up-to-date with any upcoming news:
www.twitter.com/deanomusicuk
www.facebook.com/deanomusicuk
DtL: If you could go back in time, what one thing would you tell your younger self?
Deano: To grab every opportunity because nothing ventured is nothing gained. There’s lots of things I wished I had pursued at a young age but during difficult times growing up I never had the courage and belief. It’s never too late though!
“I was often picked on for not being masculine enough and my weight”
DtL: What are your most prominent challenges, and how do you overcome them?
Deano: Growing up I always felt different. I often felt as though I didn’t fit into society and that I never really had much purpose. This spiralled lots of anger and frustration which I would often take out on loved ones, pushing the closest people around me away. At a young age I found myself sleeping rough. I lived in many hostels and spent my time living out of a suitcase. At that time I guess I started to accept that this was my life and this is how it was destined to be but all that was about to change. My turning point was becoming a dad. From that moment I knew that I wanted to be someone that my daughter could be proud of. Someone that one day she could aspire to be like. The next chapter wasn’t an easy ride but I now feel as though I have a purpose. I now believe in myself and everything that I can achieve.
DtL: We are interested in challenging perceptions of masculinity and machoism, to encourage young boys to seek help and support when they need it. Can you tell us one thing that isn’t traditionally masculine about you?
Deano: I think many people in society see someone who’s masculine as being a strong man. A man who plays and watches sports and drinks beer. A man who doesn’t show much emotion. The list could go on.. I most definitely don’t fit into that category. I don’t play football, I don’t drink beer and I am very much in touch with my emotional feelings. I don’t subscribe to the idea that gender dictates who we are as people.
“I don’t play football, I don’t drink beer and I am very much in touch with my emotional feelings”
DtL: Did you ever experience bullying? If so can you tell us what happened and how you overcame the experience.
Deano: Yes. During school I was often picked on for not being masculine enough and my weight. At that time of my life the things people said did affect me. Whilst trying to discover my own identity, the stuff people would say would make me feel like being me was a bad thing and being me wasn’t good enough. I found myself truanting from school and missing out on education so I could avoid the people who would bully and intimidate me. If had known what I know now I would have dealt with things much better. I am now using my experiences and emotions to write music.
DtL: What advice would you give to any of our readers who experience bullying or feel like they don’t fit in?
Deano: I always say to people now, that those that bully are insecure and have low self esteem. All those people who try and put you down are the same people you should use as fuel and power to win in life. You are you and that needs to be embraced and celebrated. Stay focused and keep striving to be the best person that you can be.
“Those that bully are insecure and have low self esteem”
DtL: What has been your proudest moment so far?
Deano: My proudest moment is becoming a father. Being a father has made me the person I am today and given me a positive direction in life.
DtL: What was it like to audition for The Voice? What were the highs and lows?
Deano: Before The Voice I had no self confidence as a performer. I would often perform with my head facing the ground. The show has definitely given me the confidence in my own ability to perform and express myself fully. For me the lows were the long days filming and waiting around. For my blind audition I was at the studio for 7am and I didn’t step on stage to perform until after 11pm so it was a very tiring day, but the adrenaline got me through the audition. The high for me was obviously working with Paloma Faith. She was incredibly supportive and always giving out good advice for the show and future.
DtL: Is there anything you would like to add?
Deano: Be unique!
