Australian folk singer Vendulka Wichta captured hearts when she performed a sultry, soulful version of Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon” on The Voice Australia. What made her audition even more special? Boy George, the original singer of the 1983 hit, was sitting right there as one of the judges. And he was the very first to spin his chair around for Vendulka’s captivating performance.
With just her acoustic guitar and smoky, enchanting voice, Vendulka completely transformed the upbeat pop hit into a hauntingly beautiful, atmospheric ballad. As the song progressed, Aussie judges Delta Goodrem and Guy Sebastian couldn’t resist turning their chairs too. Guy, in particular, was blown away by her falsetto notes in the song’s second half. “That falsetto was insane,” he said, visibly impressed.
Vendulka’s unique spin on the song didn’t just impress the judges—it left a lasting impression on Boy George. After her performance, he told her, “What you just did—I didn’t think was possible. We’ve tried messing with this song over the years, but you gave it a lovely blues flavour and made it soulful.”
But that wasn’t all. Always one to light up the stage, Boy George grabbed a microphone and joined Vendulka for an impromptu jam session, blending his iconic style with her bluesy twist.
Vendulka continued to shine throughout the competition, wowing viewers with a performance of Lady Gaga’s country ballad “Always Remember Us This Way.” Although her journey on The Voice ended in the 12th episode, Vendulka’s connection with Boy George didn’t.
After the show, Vendulka—who is originally from Canberra and has Czech heritage—followed up with Boy George on Instagram. To her surprise, he replied! The pop legend told her he wanted to work with her, and a few months later, she got an unexpected invitation to record with him in Sydney. With just 24 hours’ notice, Vendulka cleared her schedule and headed to the studio.
The result? They recorded two tracks together, including the synthpop song “The Trouble With Love.” George released the track, featuring Vendulka (now performing under her stage name Aya Yves). He was full of praise for her, calling her performance on the track “flawless” in a tweet.
Vendulka, or Aya Yves as she’s now known, spoke fondly of the experience. In an interview with Her Canberra, she shared how much she enjoyed working with George. “He was super lovely and generous,” she said. She also revealed that the two bonded over their shared love of Joni Mitchell and their astrological signs. “He’s very into astrology, and as a Libra, I connected well with him—he’s a Gemini. We had fun!”
Vendulka’s journey on The Voice was just the beginning of her exciting career. Want to see more from her? You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or follow her on Facebook to keep up with her latest projects.
What did you think of Vendulka’s incredible transformation of “Karma Chameleon”? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
