The Voice
Sofronio Vasquez is the winner of season 26 of The Voice. The Team Bublé singer gave coach Michael Bublé a win in his first season on the show on Tuesday night (Dec. 10) when the 31-year-old singer from the Philippines emerged as voters’ favorite following electric performances of Sia’s “Unstoppable” and The Greatest Showman showstopper “A Million Dreams.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In addition to scoring a $100,000 payday and a record deal, Vasquez said the amazing mentorship provided by the “Spicy Margarita” singer was its own prize. “Your mentorship is a blessing to me, my family and to all the dreamers out there,” Vasquez told Bublé before the final results were read. In a rare double-down, Bublé was also the only coach to have two contestants make it into the top five, as well as boasting the top two finishers thanks to his other contestant, Shye, coming in as runner-up.
Bublé joins Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan and John Legend as the fourth new coach to score a win in their first season on the show. In addition to beating out his teammate, Vasquez also bested Team Snoop’s Jeremy Beloate and Team Gwen’s Sydney Sterlace.
Trending on Billboard
“My Filipino brother, you are the hope of so many people… it has been such an unbelievable journey to be here with you,” Bublé told Vasquez — who moved to the U.S. in 2022 to chase his music dreams — before the singer was handed his hardware. According to an NBC bio, Sofronio grew up in the Philippines with no bed or indoor plumbing and “describes his upbringing as happy because music was always there to bring his family joy.” He loved singing for his late father, but thought a music career was out of reach, so he began to study dentistry, then decided to give music a chance while taking his dental boards.
After his father’s sudden death, Sofronio moved to the U.S. to pursue music full-time, landing gigs at the famed Apollo Theater and racking up nearly 10 million Facebook views for his cover of Dionne Warwick’s “That’s What Friends Are For.”
“I think if people understood the strength that you have and the fact that through all of this adversity, you walk out here on a night like tonight, when it probably matters more than anything has in your whole life career-wise,” Bublé added. “You walk out here in the moment and you take the brass ring and I’m just so happy for you.”
It was a joy ride for Vasquez, who got a four-chair turn at the beginning of the season from coaches Bublé, Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg for his take on Mary J. Blige’s version of Rose Royce’s 1976 disco ballad “I’m Goin’ Down.”
Along the way, Vasquez proved his versatility with covers of Elvis’ “If I Can Dream,” Jennifer Rush’s “The Power of Love,” Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,” as well as a killer take on Roy Orbison’s “Crying” during the playoff rounds. He also teamed up with his coach during Tuesday night’s finale for a cover of soulful cover of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “Who’s Loving You.”
After the confetti fell, Vasquez posted a picture on his Insta of himself with Bublé holding the trophy with the caption, “Dreams really do come true.”
The 27th season of The Voice will premiere on Feb. 3 with Bublé returning alongside Kelsea Ballerini, Legend and returning coach Adam Levine.
Check out video from Vasquez’s final night.
The Voice is wrapping up season 26 with a star-studded finale this month, and NBC revealed on Tuesday (Dec. 3) the performers for the episode. Myles Smith, Riley Green and Ella Langley, Tears for Fears, season 24 winner Huntley, season 25 winner Asher HaVon and former Voice coaches Dan + Shay and Kelly Clarkson will […]
Sixteen-year-old New York native Sydney Sterlace made a strong case for a slot in the upcoming finals when the Team Gwen singer wowed the studio audience and viewers on Monday night (Dec. 2) during the launch of the live rounds on The Voice. Dramatically backlit, Sterlace stood alone center stage in a black and tan […]
The Voice has revealed new playoffs advisors, and it’s getting an extra shot of country music in the process. The Voice coach Reba McEntire will welcome fellow country artist Lainey Wilson as the playoff advisor for her team. Meanwhile, Michael Bublé will welcome Carly Pearce as the playoffs advisor for his team. Snoop Dogg will […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Richard Heathcote / Getty
One of the world’s greatest athletes will be joining Snoop Dogg in his quest to find new talent. Simone Biles will be joining The Voice as a guest mentor.
As spotted on The Grio the American Olympian is taking her talents to the entertainment industry. This week the Spring, TX native announced that she will be appearing on the reality television series to assist the “Next Episode” rapper. In a recent interview with The Associated Press she revealed how the taping went. “We were able to riff off each other and give the artists the best insight going into the next round,” the gymnast explained.
To hear her tell it the offer checked a lot of boxes for her. “It was pretty easy, simple,” she said. “We’re both very mellow. But if we need to bring that energy up, then we can. For us, it was about instilling confidence going into the next week.” While winners can recognize other winners she did admit that she is taking the opportunity serious and took the time out to get an understanding on her role and the expectations that come with it. “These are the learning steps: Learn, process, go back in and work,” she added. “They all have the vocal talent. It’s about harnessing that, knowing when to bring it out and which songs to sing and which genre you fit in. And what you want your legacy to be. This is truly a special show as well as the judging. They don’t get to see the physical appearance first. It’s all off of ears, listening and putting their craft together as well.”
Simone Biles and Snoop Dogg’s chemistry dates back to the Paris Olympics. The two had several fun moments during the games including some banter that went viral. Additionally, Snoop gifted her father Ronald Boles a Deathrow Records pendant. You can see her debut as the Team Snoop Playoffs Advisor on Monday, Nov. 25 on NBC.
It’s the team-up of platinum blonds! MGK will be heading to The Voice on Tuesday (Nov. 19) to join Gwen Stefani as the coach’s playoff advisor for her team, according to People. He previously took the stage on the singing competition show in 2017 alongside X Ambassadors and Bebe Rexha, and the group performed their […]
Sundance Head, the 2016 winner of NBC’s The Voice, is in stable condition after accidentally shooting himself in a hunting accident near his Texas ranch.
The 46-year-old country singer (born Jason Head) was hospitalized on Friday (Nov. 15) after the firearm he was handling discharged and struck him in the stomach. The news was first reported by TMZ.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The incident occurred when the singer’s firearm “slipped out of the holster, hit the side of the Jeep, and discharged into his stomach area,” a representative for Head told CBS News.
In a Facebook post through her husband’s account, Head’s wife, Misty, confirmed that the musician was in stable condition and clarified that the shooting was not the result of an intentional act or a hunting rifle.
“It was not his hunting rifle and no nobody shot him,” Misty Head wrote. “He was out of the vehicle reaching in to grab his 22 when he grabbed it the 22 came out of its holster and hit the exterior of the Jeep just right and went off. Sundance said it happened so fast and he could see the bullet dislodging.”
She explained that the bullet entered above Sundance’s navel and lodged into his abdominal wall, narrowly missing all vital organs.
“He will not require surgery as they are not removing the bullet,” Misty wrote. “Being on the bigger side was a good thing. The bullet is in his fatty tissue.”
At the time of the accident, Sundance did not have his cell phone with him, but a passing driver came to his aid and called 911, according to Misty. He was subsequently transported to the hospital for treatment.
Misty assured fans that her husband was in “good spirits” and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support. “Kids are in with him now. Prayers answered as no internal damage was done by the bullet. Thank you all for the prayers,” she wrote on Facebook.
Sundance Head, the son of country singer Roy Head, rose to fame as the season 11 winner of The Voice in 2016, where he was a member of Blake Shelton’s team. The Texas native also competed on the sixth season of American Idol. Since his victory on The Voice, Sundance has released two albums, including his most recent, Starting Again, in 2022.
When fans of The Voice tuned in to the show on Monday night (Nov. 11) to check out the start of the Knockout rounds, there was one singer who was conspicuously absent. According to EW, host Carson Daly noted at the top of the episode that country singer Tanner Frick had dropped out of the competition after notching a four-chair turn earlier in season 26.
At press time, Frick had not commented on his absence and the show did not provide any additional information about why he left the series. But on Tuesday (Nov. 12), the Manchester, TN native who used to work at the city’s water & sewer department posted another snippet of a new song on Instagram featuring seemingly prescient lyrics.
“These whiskey nights and neon lights they all fade away/ But this lonesome road keeps calling me to stay,” he sings in his gravely country drawl over acoustic guitar. “So I’m back here, I’m on my own/ I can’t seem to leave this life alone/ I guess I’m a lone wolf and a stray/ Ain’t nobody want me anyway.” Frick did not comment on the song or his departure in the post, with the caption to the clip re-iterating the song’s refrain.
Trending on Billboard
Commenters were confused and had a lot of questions, with one asking “What happened???,” while another added, “Ugh I hate that you left the Voice. I had you as my top #1 artist! So sad to see you go but I hope everything is okay! You have an amazing voice and you have such talent. Keep pushing forward and good luck with your future.” One of his fans lamented that Frick could have “won it all.”
On Nov. 3 Frick seemed to preview his leave-taking in a TikTok video featuring the same song — which he said was titled “Lonesome Road” — while reminding fans to tune in to the show to see him perform.
Frick made a name for himself during the blind auditions round in early October with a cover of Morgan Wallen’s “Thought You Should Know,” which earned him chair turns from all four coaches, with both Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire bonding instantly with the singer over their shared family roots in Mississippi. “While ya’ll still had your backs turned I was into this!” Snoop reminded fellow judges Michael Bublé and Gwen Stefani about his early adopter status on the country crooner.
Stefani said all the judges were won over when Frick sang with his “full voice,” which allowed his uniqueness to shine through, correctly predicting that the singer would go with country icon McEntire as his coach. Last week, Frick impressed again in a Battle Round duel with Tate Renner on Jelly Roll’s “I Need a Favor.” After he failed to advance in that round, Bublé snagged him for his team, calling the pick-up a “huge win for me” and dubbing the country singer a “piece of the puzzle” that he didn’t have.
EW reported that on Monday’s show Daly told fans at home that Frick, 26, had “left the competition after rehearsals,” with no additional information available at press time on the reason for his departure.
The Voice airs on NBC on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET before streaming on Peacock the next day.
Season 26 of The Voice is heating up, and on Tuesday night’s (Nov. 12) episode, Gwen Stefani‘s team members Felsmere, Gabrielle Zabosky and Kay Sibal put on three powerful performances during the Knockouts that make the choice of a winner nearly impossible for their coach. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, […]
It’s early in season 26 of The Voice, but Monday night’s (Oct. 21) kick-off of the Battle rounds had the coaches wondering if they’ve already spotted one of this season’s frontrunners. With the blind auditions in the rear view, coaches Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé and Reba McEntire counseled their teams on strategy, then had the unenviable task of pitting two of their chosen vocalists against each other.
Stefani picked two promising teens on her team, 15-year-old Buffalo, N.Y. native Sydney Sterlace and 19-year-old Pittsburgh singer Sloane Simon, tasking them with taking on Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather.”
Trending on Billboard
Sterlace was up first, appearing a bit nervous as she crooned, “I want you to stay/ ‘Til I’m in the grave/ ‘Til I rot away, dead and buried/ ‘Til I’m in the casket you carry.” Simon proved she was equally up to the task, jumping in on the second verse with airy, confident vocals as she stared down her opponent.
The women then sang directly at each other as they dueted on the song’s wistful chorus, “Birds of a feather, we should stick together/ I know I said I’d never think I wasn’t better alone,” changing places and expertly working the stage as they blended their voices and did their best to stand out during the individual bits with impressive runs and soaring ad libs.
Proud coach Stefani leapt to her feet (along with McEntire) as Bublé told the pair that their singing was “really beautiful” and Gwen admitted that she was totally “momming out right now.” Bublé said he could sense a bit of nervousness in Sterlace’s vocals, noting that she was not as settled as her battle mate, “nor should you be. You’re 15. Besides that your voice was great, I loved that you moved towards Sloan,” he said.
Snoop added that he was “thrilled” with the performance, dubbing both singers “true professionals… do not let the age dictate what you could possibly be because we were all young once upon a time.” Snoop dubbed them equally good, suggesting Stefani shold pick the singer she can “grow with,” even as the No Doubt and solo star lamented, “how can a mommy choose between their daughters?”
McEntire also said she was impressed with both, but suggested that her vote would be for Simon, agreeing that Sterlace has some more years to develop her craft. “You’re gonna blossom like the most beautiful rose ever,” she said. “‘Cause you’re a beautiful bud right now.”
Stefani said her heart was in her throat about the tough decision, recalling that she was blown away by Sterlace’s blind audition and wanted to hear more, while also being stunned by Simon’s “sparkly personality,” confidence and tone. It may have helped that Simon was, literally, wearing a silver sparkle dress with matching stacked heels.
In the end, Stefani focused in on Sterlace’s still-germinating stage presence rather than already established vocal talents. “You have come so far since our rehearsals. I’m shocked,” Stefani said, doubling down on McEntire’s rose bud metaphor. “I keep hearing that word ‘bud,’” veteran toker Snoop joked. Stefani said that the reality was that Simon is “a little bit more ready… you have that star-quality personality.”
Faced with a tough choice, Stefani followed the “weird voice” insider her head and chose Sterlace. And even after McEntire praised Simon’s “voice of an angel,” in her pitch to steal, Sloane ended up choosing Bublé — who also called her voice “angelic” — as her new team leader.
New episodes of The Voice air Monday and Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, and then stream on-demand via Peacock the next day.
Watch Sterlace and Simon face off below.