The Voice
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Getting through the Blind Auditions on season 25 of The Voice is enough of a boost. But on Monday night (March 11), New Orleans native and mega-Swiftie Zoe Levert got double-gifted when she got a last-minute chair turn from coach John Legend. Levert, 20, scored a slot on Team Legend with her confident take on […]
Books, as we know, shouldn’t be judged by their cover. Ronnie Wilson reminds us not to judge someone by their day job.
On Monday night (March 11), Wilson stepped into the bright lights of NBC’s The Voice’s blind auditions and shone right back with his rendition of Zayn’s “Pillowtalk”.
Wilson’s soulful cover was a showcase of control, range, emotion. The full package.
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John Legend turned first, then Reba McEntire. Though Dan + Shay and Chance The Rapper were clearly enjoying the art, their chairs didn’t budge.
The 28-year-old singer is proud and out, originally hailing from South Carolina, and now calls Atlanta, GA home.
“That was unbelievable,” Shay Mooney remarked after the performance.
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There was more “unbelievable” to come. Wilson pointed to his influences from gospel and “a lot of country music.” And when he’s not he’s blowing minds, he’s counting beans.
Wilson is a full-time accountant, a vocation that no-one saw coming.
In a previous life, Legend too was “crunching numbers, making Powerpoint presentations” as a management consultant, a fun fact he hoped would find a connection with the hopeful. “I know what that’s like,” he articulated.
“You created moments by being creative with the melody, you made the song your own and made it a competition song by the way you did it,” Legend explained. “I just feel like you’ve got fresh taste, great ideas musically and stylistically,” he continued. “I feel like you’re going to do so well on the show.”
Not to be left out, McEntire leaned on her 50 years in the country game. “You have a quality in your voice that just makes a person feel good,” she remarked. “You’re absolutely wonderful.”
In the end, there could be only one coach. Wilson went with Team Legend.
Watch Wilson’s performance below.
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In art, imperfections can create character.
That’s certainly true for Anya True, the teenage singer who stopped by NBC’s The Voice on Tuesday night (March 5) to showcase her talents.
Hailing from Encinitas, CA, the recently-turned 17-year-old performed Stephen Sanchez‘s “Until I Found You” for the season 25 Blind Auditions. Wielding an electric guitar, True threw down country vibes with a vocal style that doesn’t match anything pumping out of commercial radio.
When she nailed an early, sweet run, Chance The Rapper hit the red button, followed immediately by Dan + Shay.
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Reba McEntire and John Legend kept their backs turned.
“That was a flawless performance. I love the vulnerability. You have this Olivia Rodrigo kind of thing going on,” remarked Shay Mooney. “Your voice is just phenomenal. I just love all the little imperfections that you had,” he continued. “They were…character. And they were very purposeful.”
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The country pair stood to show their respect, and maybe secure the singer’s services.
If that wasn’t enough, Shay made a pledge. “I was a good singer, and when I started working with (Dan), it made me a great singer.” Join the team, and “we will take you from being a great singer to an amazing singer. I think you’ve got a shot at winning this thing.”
Dan Smyers chimed in: “I loved your voice when it broke into the falsetto. It was vulnerable in a whisper tone. And then at the end of the performance, you hit those same notes, full voice and I was like, ‘she’s got it all.’”
Did Chance stand a chance after all that? “I think your voice is amazing. I really love all the falsetto and head-voice stuff that you were doing,” he remarked. If she joined his team, his style is to let the artist take the stage, do their thing and he leans in on their influences.
McEntire enjoyed the contestant’s voice and tone, but she’s “not what I’m looking for right now.” Legend heard nerves in her voice, but he’s excited for the youngster’s journey ahead.
True had a decision to make. After all the flattery and the recruitment, it wasn’t a tough call. True chose Dan + Shay.
Watch the performance below.
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Success is not final, failure is not fatal, Winston Churchill once remarked, but it “is the courage to continue that counts.”
Madison Curbelo might not be familiar with those words of inspiration the British wartime prime minister once shared with his compatriots, but she certainly gets the drift.
On Monday night (March 4), Curbelo stepped into the blind auditions for season 25 of The Voice with a guitar, a skinful of courage and a story of failure.
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Hailing from Puerto Rico, now residing in Westfield, Massachusetts, the 21-year-old stood out with her rendition of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By Me.” Curbelo incorporated Spanish lyrics into her delivery, for a version reminiscent of Prince Royce’s 2011 cover, but very much her own take.
John Legend turned first (and fast). Then Dan + Shay, followed by Chance the Rapper and finally, Reba McEntire. A four-chair turn, and a standing ovation from Legend, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney.
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A clearly ecstatic Curbelo has been here before, but not like this.
The youngster was a contestant on season 20. On that occasion, the 18-year-old sang “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” None of the coaches at the time — Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Blake Shelton, and Nick Jonas — would turn their big, red chair.
Failure is not fatal.
“Confidence is the biggest thing that has changed. And I’ve been writing so much music,” she explained after her latest performance made all four coaches turn. “So I kind of like discovered the sound that I love. And just finding Madison, I think was a big thing.”
Legend admitted he wasn’t a believer back then, but things have changed. “I feel like you’re just ready now. And I love that you say that you found your sound. And you found the way you want to express yourself,” he remarked. He could feel her smile with his back turned, and “every run you did was so tasteful.”
Legend pitched Finding Madison as an album title, getting his sales pitch in discretely.
Dan + Shay set out to recruit the singer. “You radiate light and joy,” explained Mooney. “It’s true, you know when you get told no sometimes in your life I think that pivots you and puts you on a different trajectory. And allows you the opportunity to grow in your moments. Your voice was just flawless.”
Chance weighed in, “you’re an awesome talent. So exciting and fun. You have a really cool energy. It makes me smile just hearing you sing.” He added, “whoever you go with, just think about ways that we can help you in terms of arrangements.”
Curbelo had a decision to make, a choice of four teams. She chose Dan + Shay who, for a moment, gave off the kind of energy that typically beams from a winner.
Watch the audition on NBC‘s The Voice below.
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John Legend is a fierce competitor. The “All of Me” singer proved it on Tuesday’s (Feb. 27) second night of the blind audition round on The Voice when he dangled one of his wife Chrissy Teigen’s signature dishes as enticement to win over an impressive singer.
The delicious moment came when season 25 contestant Nathan Chester busted out an impressive, high-energy cover of Al Green’s soul-pop classic “Take Me to the River,” which elicited chair turns from Legend and new coaching due Dan + Shay. “I’m always waiting for someone to inspire me, excite me, and Nathan, when I heard you singing, I turned very quickly, because I was like, this man’s got it!” Legend gushed about the performance that added a rocking edge to the 1974 classic.
Chicago native Chester got Legend out of his seat, clapping along and shaking his hands in the air, even as Chance the Rapper admitted he didn’t turn around after he assumed that Chester’s vocals would be a perfect fit for Team Legend. Chester also noted that he sings on cruise ships and, not for nothing, he loves cheesecake.
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While the latter tidbit seemed kind of random — though coach Reba McEntire said that made him a “man after my own heart” — Legend put on the full-court press after emerging so far with only one artist on his team. “I’ve been very selective. I’m always just waiting for somebody to inspire me, excite me and Nathan, when I heard you singing, I turned very quickly because I was like, ‘This man’s got it!,’” Legend said.
After Dan + Shay playfully noted that “there’s a reason John’s only got one guy on his team,” they also laid it on thick in praising Chester’s vocals, with Shay Mooney adding, “Also, I love cruise ships and I love cheesecake a lot!”
Legend had the closer, though. “My wife makes a mean cheesecake,” he said of spouse Chrissy Teigen, author of the 2018 cookbook Cravings: Hungry For More and its 2021 sequel, Cravings: All Together. “And you can just come to the house and have cheesecake. Homemade cheesecake,” Legend piled on, eliciting groans of “unbelievable” from his fellow panelist.
In the end, the singer’s cheesy pitch did the trick and Chester picked Team Legend.
Watch Chester’s performance below.
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No one can sing a Journey number quite like the mighty Steve Perry. Or perhaps Gene Taylor.
Hailing from Vernon, New Jersey, now based in Brooklyn, NY, the 33-year-old Taylor has done the rounds of theater and performed for much of his life. Under the bright lights of NBC’s The Voice on Tuesday night (Feb. 27), he showcased his talents for power and glory.
For Taylor’s blind audition, a cover of Journey’s 1978 song “Lights”. Power, glory.
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John Legend turned first, then Dan +Shay, followed by Reb McEntire and, finally, Chance the Rapper, for a four-chair turn and a standing ovation.
“I always love a tenor who can sing those beautiful big notes,” says Legend, “but also you had finesse. It was just so expertly done as a vocalist.” And with that, Legend launched into his sales pitch. Legend would also identify some classic vocal skills in the mix, a fusion of Nat King Cole with rock.
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“Your voice is unbelievable,” says Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay. “I was just sitting back and enjoying the music for just a second.” Dan Smyers chimed in, “so much power, so much control. You’re a star. We could tell you’re a seasoned pro.”
“I thought it was awesome,” reckons Chance. The reason he was last to turn? “It was because I was really arrested by the performance. Your tone is so different, and I was just really into it. And then I turn and see you and you, like, kind of got this southern vibe to you.” The Chicago rapper is convinced Taylor will “go really far” in the 2024 competition, thanks to his “distinct tone.”
If the The Voice fans and coaches didn’t already love the contestant, he made certain of it when he brought his mom on stage.
A minor hit following its release, “Lights” has enjoyed a second life as inspiration blast for Bay Area sporting franchises. Now, perhaps an unexpected lift after its exposure on The Voice.
“The way you were working the crowd,” notes McEntire following the audition, “that was perfect to go with your beautiful voice.”
So, with any doubts over his talents utterly erased, and all coaches rolling out the welcome mat, it was time for Taylor to make a decision. He chose Legend.
The 25th and latest season of The Voice began Monday. Watch Taylor’s performance below.
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The Voice kicked off its 25th season this week, and in a new blind audition from Tuesday night’s episode (Feb. 27), a pair of 17-year-old twins get a three-chair turn. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news California natives Justin and Jeremy Garcia traded verses on One Direction’s […]
One Direction is gone, split up into five healthy parts. But certainly not forgotten.
The Garcia twins played their part in keeping the flame burning for 1D with a performance Monday night (Feb. 26) as The Voice returned to our screens.
For their blind audition, the teenage lads performed “Story of My Life,” lifted from 1D’s 2013 album Midnight Memories, one of their four No. 1s on the Billboard 200 chart.
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There were wet eyes in the room as the 17-year-old brothers sprung the nostalgic number, on pitch, and with a solid hug at the end.
Hailing from Millbrae, CA, the bros, Justin and Jeremy, managed a three-chair turn. Only John Legend kept his back to the boys.
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“You’ve got the duo thing down,” remarked coach Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay, stating the obvious. “Man, that was a fantastic performance. From the first time I heard you harmonizing and I found out it was two people, I was like, we’ve got to turn around. That sounds amazing.”
That was the cue for a sales pitch. Brothers, come team up with the “brothers”.
There’s still room for improvement. “When you guys first started, it was super, super tight,” Chance the Rapper noted. “There were some parts where one of you guys got pitchy. And you guys gained control by the end.” He added, “as long as you guys are focused on how you interact with each other, you guys will have great performances and keep having success like this.”
The harmonies “could have been a little tighter,” remarked Legend, explaining his reasons for not turning. But hey, what an experience.
Reba McEntire felt a connection. The country star recounted her youth growing up in a “singing family.” Hearing the twins belt it out, “it takes me back to my childhood. I absolutely love your enthusiasm.” And, as she started her own sales pitch, confessed she was “really moved by it.”
In the end, it boiled down to a decision. The Garcias chose coaches Dan + Shay, who served as mentors in season 20 and made their coaching debut tonight, becoming the first artists to join the country duo’s team.
For the record, 1D was created through the vehicle of another reality TV format, the 2010 season of The X Factor, setting charts and hearts ablaze until 2016, when the group went on indefinite hiatus.
NBC’s The Voice is now in its 25th season.
Watch the audition below.
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The Voice coaches are bringing a little church to the singing competition’s set ahead of Monday’s season 25 premiere. For the show’s traditional season-opener group performance, John Legend, Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay got together to sing a soulful rendition of Jackie DeShannon’s “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.” With […]
It looks like the third voice is the charm! On Monday’s (Feb. 26) season 25 premiere of The Voice, Oklahoma vocal trio OK3 got all five (yes, five) coaches to turn their chairs with a sassy cover of Meghan Trainor‘s “Made You Look” — and Billboard has an exclusive sneak peek.
OK3 is made up of Kenna, 22, Sierra, 24, and Courtney, 26, three aspiring singers who live in Oklahoma City and met through their vocal coach. The trio brought their crisp three-part harmonies to Trainor’s 2023 No. 11 Billboard Hot 100 hit and made an instant impact with the coaches, getting veteran coach John Legend (in his ninth season on the singing competition), Reba McEntire (in her second season) and brand-new coaching duo Dan + Shay (in a special dual chair) to turn around within their first few notes.
Chance the Rapper — returning for his second season as a Voice coach — was a little bit harder of a nut to crack, waiting until the end of “Made You Look” to make his move.
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“I grew up arranging songs for groups,” Legend said to woo the trio after they wrapped their performance, noting that he won awards for his a cappella arrangements in college. “If there’s nothing else that I do, I do this. I feel like there’s a lot of space for a big pop girl group right now, and I would love to be your coach.”
Dan + Shay didn’t let the veteran coach intimidate them, with Dan Smyers shooting back: “He’s saying he’s an award-winning arranger for groups. We’re an award-winning group!” His bandmate Shay Mooney, meanwhile, didn’t play it cool, telling the women: “My heart is racing right now, because I want you guys [on our team] so bad. That was my favorite performance so far.”
The coaches weren’t above deploying some gimmicks to get OK3’s attention either. Legend pressed a button and inflated a car-dealership windsock man behind his chair that read “Pick Team Legend.” “John doing that inflatable tube man thing has taken all my spirit away,” Chance laughed. “It was so loud and distracting.” McEntire called the girls her “fellow Okies” and pulled out a Grammy that just happened to be behind her back (one of the three she’s won out of 17 nominations over the years). Chance pointed out that his signature “3” hat is a perfect fit for the group’s moniker, while Dan + Shay got the crowd to hold up alternating “Dan” and “Shay” signs from their seats.
McEntire also pulled out a scepter to announce: “I am the Queen of Country Music. I would love to have you in my kingdom.”
So who do OK3 choose as their coach (or coaches) in the end? We’ll have to wait until The Voice returns for season 25 on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC or streaming on Peacock to find out. But for now, you watch our exclusive preview clip below.
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