Kate Miller-Heidke opens up about what it means to be a coach on The Voice Australia

She’s enjoyed a stellar music career, carving a spot for herself as one of the country’s most accomplished singers, performers, playwrights and composers — she’s even been our entrant for Eurovision.

And now indie darling Kate Miller-Heidke is looking forward to adding another string to her bow when she steps forward to star on Seven’s reality singing show, The Voice, as one of the expert coaches.

It’s a somewhat unlikely step for the left-of-centre performer, but as the 42-year-old Eurovision star admits, she enjoys confounding people’s expectations.

“I’m always interested in trying to challenge myself,” she says of her latest career move.

“And if the idea of something scares me, I’m more likely to take a step towards that.

“This show being a case in point: I just love trying new things, because I get bored easily and I guess I’m just on the eternal quest for the perfect pop song, or the perfect piece of theatre, or the most electrifying concert — I’m a perfectionist.”

And she’s more than ready to take on her next challenge: uncovering Australia’s next unsigned singing superstar.

“When (Seven) first approached me about (being a coach), I was quite surprised — but in a good way,” Miller-Heidke explains.

“It didn’t take me long at all to decide it was the right thing — I just felt excited.

“I have a lifelong obsession with singing and what it takes to be a good singer.

“And for me, there are some major psychological elements to it — it’s not just about having a beautiful voice, it’s about being able to tell a story.”

Miller-Heidke will sit beside returning coach Guy Sebastian, along with international country sensation LeAnn Rimes and US singer and reality star Adam Lambert, both of whom are also making their Australian TV debuts.

“We have all been finding our way,” she explains.

“(Guy) has been really amazing, and really generous with his knowledge — this is his sixth season, so he knows the drill inside out.

“He’s kind of been ‘the coach’s coach’, helping all of us out…and we’ve been having a ball.”

And yes, there have been backstage singalongs aplenty.

“They put music on while we’re waiting for the artists to come on stage, and me, Adam and LeAnn, we sit next to each other and often whack out some three-part harmonies — it’s good fun,” she admits.

A classically-trained opera singer, Miller-Heidke says she’s looking for someone who can emotionally “connect” with a song in the competition; “someone who can really interpret a song in a new way,” she explains, “and make you feel things that you may not have felt about a song before.”

Early promos for the series hint they are well on their way to doing just that, with Perth-born mines worker and father-of-two, Reuben De Melo, one of many stand-outs from sneak peeks released.

“I’m looking for someone who is different and is not afraid to be different,” Miller-Heidke adds, adding she’s not just looking for a performer “who does a great impression of Mariah Carey.”

Having enjoyed a career spanning two decades in the Australian music scene, the singer says she is looking forward to helping mentor a new generation, a privilege she doesn’t take lightly.

“That’s the most rewarding thing, to take an artist and nurture them; to get them to be their best,” she explains.

“I feel very protective of my artists — I didn’t expect to feel such a mother, but I do; I feel a deep connection to them.

“And I love how eclectic the mix is. “

The Voice starts on August 19 at 7.30pm on Seven.