A FORMER Brighton music student who was kicked off a singing contest The Voice last night has vowed 'this is just the start'. 

Clara Hurtado failed to make it through to the quarter finals of the ITV shows despite winning praise from the celebrity coaches.

The Spanish-born 20-year-old, of Brighton, was previously dubbed the luckiest competitor of them all earlier this year, when famous performers will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, Gavin Rossdale and Sir Tom Jones all pushed their buttons in the last five seconds of her song at the blind auditions stage.

She picked rapper and producer will.i.am for her coach and has been thriving on his team ever since.

Until last night when she performed Alarm by Anne-Marie but failed to win over the public to take her through to the next stage of the contest. Jason Jones and Michelle John were picked by the public vote before will.i.am picked Tanya Lacey to go through to the next round.

Clara, Hayley Eccles and Lia White lost their places in the contest.

But this was not before she had been congratulated by the coaches.

Gavin said: "The whole thing about this competition is finding individual artists. You have got the whole package. You look incredible, you sang great."

Sir Tom said: "I loved it."

Jennifer said: "I feel like you're an artist. I feel like I've seen you before."

But their comments also attracted criticism from viewers who claimed to be "fed up" coaches talking about the clothing rather than singing.

Jennifer said: "I want that dress in my closet."

Gavin said: "The red dress is awesome. "

The former BIMM student thanked her "lovely" fans last night for "cheering her on no matter what and being so damn supportive."

Later she said: "This is just the start."

On the show she had told how she had been "so nervous" before the performance, adding: "'I'm glad I powered through it. I still couldn't believe I'm actually doing this."

In the search for talented vocal artists, the coaches listen to the acts with their backs to the stage. They only turn their chairs if they think the singer can go through to a live knock out round where both the public and the coaches decide who stays. The winner lands a record deal with Polydor at the end of the show.

The Voice returns tonight at 7.45pm with Gavin's team set to go head-to-head.