The Voice is back for its 13th season. American Idol alum and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has joined the show as a new coach, alongside returning stars Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus.
BuddyTV took part in a conference call with the advancing artists from the premiere’s Blind Auditions. Lucas Holiday gave his thoughts on the coaches being shocked by his voice and singing with Jennifer. Janice Freeman explained why she chose Miley as her coach instead of the obvious pick, Jennifer. And Shi’Ann Jones reveals if she noticed Jennifer fighting for her during her performance. Also, which artist wants to be as revered as Prince? Read on to find out.
The Voice Recap: The Blind Auditions Begin with New Coach Jennifer Hudson >>>
Is Lucas Holiday Used to People Being Shocked By His Voice?
The viewers could see what Lucas Holiday looked like during his audition, but the coaches obviously were in the dark. They all were surprised to see that his voice didn’t seem to match his appearance, which is part of the charm of discovering talent on these singing competition shows.
Was Lucas expecting to get that reaction from the coaches? “I will say I was definitely excited watching everyone’s reactions and hearing, ‘This isn’t the guy. Who’s behind you? Who really was singing? Tell me because I don’t think this guy is the guy.’ I kind of feed off of that sense of surprise, being the guy you just don’t expect — ‘the whitest dude ever.’ I’m [not] here just to shock. I am an artist. I’m very passionate about the music that I do and the music that I’ve admired and listened to for a long time. It’s just a blessing to be able to be on that stage and to watch these people try to figure this out. … I’m cool with it. I live off of that, feed off that, because I don’t want to be conventional; I don’t want to be just a regular [singer].”
Lucas mentioned that he’s “kind of a quiet, sometimes shy dude. I’m kind of soft spoken. … But my voice is not quiet at all. I’ve always dealt with it.” He added that shocking people with his voice is “kind of my life story.”
It’s big enough that Lucas got a coach to turn a chair for him, but then he got the chance to sing with said coach. “I’ve watched [Jennifer] during Idol. I watched her play Effie [in Dreamgirls]. I’ve seen her do so many great things,” Lucas said. “I was just very happy and pleased to sing a little bit of a song that I loved and from an artist that I loved, and then she kind of played with me and went along with it. I couldn’t be more grateful for that moment, honestly. There’s nothing like it, I will say that.”
Lucas Wants to Be as Revered as Prince
The above headline seems like a bold statement, but that’s exactly what Lucas said. He grew up admiring R&B divas like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. “I grew up listening to a lot of that, trying to emulate that and do the unconventional.”
And when it comes to male artists, Prince comes to the top of his mind: “There’s a bit of me that wants, to an extent, to become somebody as revered as maybe like Prince or somebody. … Prince is somebody who loved Chaka Khan and ladies that are really powerhouses. And that’s my same kind of trajectory; that’s my same goal.”
Only time will tell if Lucas will have a giant career like that, let alone how far he will go on The Voice.
Quiz: Which Reality TV Show Should You Audition For? >>>
Why Did Janice Go with “Uncomfortable” Miley Over Jennifer?
After watching Janice Freeman’s audition, many people likely expected that she would choose Jennifer as her coach. Instead, she went with Miley. Why is that? “In this world we live in, it’s uncomfortable. We live uncomfortable enough. But it’s in the uncomfortableness that we grow. You learn about yourself. You learn what’s for you, what’s not for you. And I usually don’t like to be in the safe zone or try to live under stereotypes as well.”
She applied that same mentality to The Voice, saying, “Miley I hoped would be that uncomfortable area and stepping outside of a box or even living as if there is no box and would allow me to grow and feel things about myself and areas about myself that I probably wouldn’t have had if I’d gone with Jennifer.” Janice added that she’s not criticizing Jennifer when she says this. Instead, it’s her wanting to grow and learn beyond what she’s used to. “It was hard, but it was a strategic move and I’m glad I made that move.”
Did Shi’Ann Jones See Jennifer Hudson Fighting Off the Other Coaches?
During Shi’Ann Jones’ audition, Jennifer Hudson pretty much threatened the other coaches that they shouldn’t turn their chairs (only Blake didn’t listen). I asked Shi’Ann if she saw all that going down while she sang.
“[I did see] all that happening while I was singing. … It’s amazing how a celebrity and a coach is fighting over me. … I’m just so thankful.”
Obviously, Jennifer was fighting hard to get Shi’Ann on her team, but Blake also turned his chair. Why go with Jennifer? “She was the coach that I initially chose to work with because I’ve grown up with her movies, with Dreamgirls and such. I love watching her. She’s a phenomenal singer and I just feel like we connect more as an artist, and it’s just been amazing.”
Which artist is your favorite so far? Were you also surprised by Lucas’ voice? Do you think Janice made the right choice in going with Miley instead of Jennifer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
The Voice season 13 airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.
(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.
