The Blind Auditions have come to an end for season 7 of The Voice. The 48 singers who have made it past this first round will move on to the Battle Rounds, which we’ll get to watch starting next week.
But before that, let’s take a look back at the singers who advanced from the final night of auditions. Some of those contestants talked with reporters, including BuddyTV, during a conference call and discussed why they chose the songs they ended up performing, what it was like meeting the coaches and which Voice alumni they are fans of.
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Choosing a Song for the Blind Auditions
Song choice is really important on these singing competition shows. And especially when it comes to the auditions, selecting a song that’ll make you stand out to at least one of the coaches is critical.
Matt McAndrew performed Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years,” which is a beautiful song. He decided to sing it for his Blind Audition because it “resonated with me on an emotional level,” and he hoped it would move both the coaches and the audience. Considering he got three of the four coaches to turn their chairs, I’d say he succeeded.
For Brittany Butler, she has loved “Girl from Ipanema” for quite a while now, including the Amy Winehouse version. “Stylistically, it showcased [who I am],” and “it’s a good prelude to me as an artist.”
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Griffin took on Michael Buble’s “It’s a Beautiful Day,” which fit his voice extremely well. He wanted to choose a song that “would set me apart as an artist,” something that would show his tone and vocal range. He listens to singers like Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, so going with a Buble number fit well with that genre.
There are certain singers that are hard to live up to if you take on their songs. Beth Spangler took on Beyonce — “Best Thing I Never Had,” to be exact. She knew it was a “risk to do Beyonce,” but she wanted it to “challenge me [and] be unexpected.” Beth feels a strong connection to this song, and she was glad to have the ability to showcase herself through “Best Thing I Never Had.”
Justin Johnes feels the same way as many of his fellow contestants, that he wanted to “show what I can give as an artist.” He had the final performance of the Blind Auditions, with only one spot left in the competition. As his performance was reaching its end, it looked like Blake might not turn his chair. In his head, he realized all the big moments of the song were behind him, so he was worried that his chance was over. Despite that, he was “never prouder of myself in that moment,” but then Blake finally turned around, which changed everything, of course.
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What Are the Coaches Really Like?
The Voice coaches have big personalities that we’ve come to know and love over the years, but are they as likable in person as they seem on TV? According to the contestants, the answer is yes. Incidentally, Griffin met Blake Shelton a couple years ago when a friend of his opened for Blake during a concert. He found the three-time Voice winner to be “humble and down to earth.”
Matt, who chose to be on Adam Levine’s team, describes his coach as “super laid-back, super funny,” and is someone who’s “great at breaking the ice [when meeting everyone] … [he’s] really chill.”
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Matt also noted that Adam has “that Type A personality of ‘Come on! Come on!,'” so he was really feeling the energy coming from Adam when listening to the coaches, saying, “He wanted me the most.” During that moment, he found Blake to be laid-back, which probably contributed to his decision as well.
When it comes to Pharrell Williams, Brittany said that her coach lived up to what she expected him to be like: kind, humble and intelligent. “It still hasn’t sunk in,” she said of being able to work with someone who has the credentials and star power of Pharrell. And that goes for all the coaches, really, because they’re “so much more relatable and humble than you would think.” She describes the experience so far as mesmerizing and surreal.
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Are the Contestants Fans of The Voice Alumni?
The Voice is in its seventh season, which means there have been plenty of singers who have competed on the show before this current group. Looking back, Brittany has had people tell her there really hasn’t been anybody with her voice on the show before. “If that’s the case, I’m glad to pave the way for this genre,” she said. But an alum who probably is most close to her style is Melanie Martinez, whom Brittany loves.
Like with Brittany, Matt has only watched some of the more recent seasons of The Voice. Of the singers he’s familiar with, he believes Christina Grimmie, who came in third place in season 6, is a very unique artist. Speaking on the quality of her performances, he said, “I’ve never seen anyone give that caliber before.”
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm on NBC.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.
