By SAM BRIMACOMBE
Doctors held little hope for family man Michael Stangel after invasive surgery for brain and heart tumours in 2013.
But after competing in television‘s The Voice the same year, the Geelong cancer survivor has released debut single Come on Over.
The song debuted at number one on the Australian iTunes blues charts last month, knocking aside US star Jason Derulo.
His fans’ support for the song “overwhelmed” Stengel.
“It was incredible,” he said.
“I just thought it tested the fan base and they responded really well. It was a great feeling.”
Judges on The Voice, Deltra Goodrem and Joel Madden, praised Stangel for his raw, gutsy voice.
Madden described him as “a fighter, a brawler and a representation of Australia”.
Stangel said The Voice helped shape how he made music, particularly when it came to finding an audience.
“I found it changed the way I approached the music business.
“There were little facets from everybody on the show that changed the way I promote my music.
“It’s opened up a whole new audience. The experience was fantastic.”
Stangel has been in the music industry in many shapes and forms over the past 33 years. He has produced and written music, owned a recording label, toured Melbourne and performed in countless bands.
But he found his niche in singing.
“I’ll keep on doing it all till I find something I’m good at,” he laughed.
“I started out as a drummer and just progressed to different instruments. The last thing I did was sing but singing has been the thing that has given people the opportunity to know who I am.”
Stangel said he would continue releasing singles until his album was out.
The album, An Aussie Spirit, was due for release later this year after Come on Over’s local debut at Beav’s Bar in Geelong from 6pm Sunday, he said.
“We do this thing where we’re playing lots of instruments at the same time – singing, guitar, drums, all of it,” Stangel laughed.
He forecast variety at the launch.
“We do some really left of centre covers of songs and some original stuff that’s about to come out and some stuff that I did on the show.”
Stangel said his guests would include fellow The Voice competitors Danny Ross and Kiyomi Vella.
