In 2016, a war veteran from New South Wales entered a singing competition show as a way to help her leave the army – a profession she’d known for 13 years. That show was The Voice Australia, and the veteran is named Crissy Ashcroft.
While she didn’t want to leave the army, she explained to the show that she was forced to because of medical reasons. She deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and was never the same.
“I saw things that I can’t unsee. And…um…they will be with me forever,” Ashcroft said before breaking down in tears.
Upon her return, she was diagnosed with PTSD and things as small as a car backfire would send her into a haze, diving to the ground for cover, then not knowing where she was.
“I’ve had my challenges, it’s a struggle. For me, I want my war to be over. I don’t want to feel like this anymore. So the song for me, represents that,” Ashcroft said.
She decided to sing the song “When The War Is Over” by Australian band Cold Chisel for her audition for the fifth season of the hit show as a symbol of her war being over, and this new step into civilian life she was about to take.
As she stood on stage for her Blind Audition, she delivered heavenly soprano vocals to the judges, who seemed to have a hard time deciding whether or not to turn. In the end, coach Delta Goodrem was the only coach to turn her chair, but Ashcroft received rave reviews from the other coaches Ronan Keating, Good Charlotte frontmen Benji and Joel Madden, and Jessie J, who wiped away a few tears.
Ashcroft was in shock that Goodrem turned her chair for her, but after telling her story to everyone, the other coaches were probably kicking themselves.
Watch Ashcroft’s emotional interview and audition below.