Latest news with #BlindAuditions
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Don't put yourself in a box': Webster grad competes on national singing competition show
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — When Aaron Rizzo graduated from Webster Thomas High School in 2016, he knew he would establish himself in the music scene somewhere and someway. But his latest venture on one of America's biggest singing competitions, he calls 'completely unexpected.' 'When I was at Thomas, I was just kind of getting into singing at that point,' Rizzo said. 'It wasn't even something that I ever considered. I was honestly just like 'I'm just going to speak through my guitar, and that's it.'' Rizzo soon went to Ithaca College for recording, still concentrating on guitar, and telling those stories through music. 'That was really where I started to hone my original music, I would say, and kind of come into myself as a singer, working one night a week with whatever time I could get in the studio,' Rizzo said. Moving to Atlanta, opportunity slowly struck. 'I quickly got into the music scene here and ended up joining a corporate band. I was at an open mic one day,' Rizzo said. 'It was this Tuesday night open mic that we went to every week, and someone from the show happened to be there. They were just in town, visiting a friend, grabbing a drink at a bar, and I happened to be playing this open mic that they were at. And she came up to me after we played, and she was like, 'Hey, I work for 'The Voice' you should apply.' The idea, Rizzo said, was swept under the rug for about six months — until he brought it up to a friend he was playing with. 'He was like, 'I'll quit the band if you don't apply.' And so, I was like, 'Whatever, man.' And so, the next day, I emailed him 'Is that offer still valid?' She goes, 'Yeah, you have three days to get every all the submission materials in.'' Rizzo said. Then — the call came in that Rizzo was set to compete in the show's 'Blind Auditions.' 'I never even considered myself a singer, and here I am on 'The Voice,' and I feel like, if anything, that's a testament to, don't let this arbitrary idea of what you think success is, box in the person that you currently are,' Rizzo said. 'There was just a life of musical fulfillment and experiences of musical fulfillment for me were on the other side of one difficult decision. And so here we are. When I stop watching it at night, I go to my life and I'm like, 'Oh, wait, yeah, that's happening, right?'' That feeling — the strongest when it came time for the audition. 'There aren't a ton of words that are sufficient in describing that feeling. I've performed my whole life, so I definitely don't have stage fright at this point. But I remember being about to walk out on that stage, and my heart is pounding out of my eyes, and I remember just having this thought of 'this is really happening.' I'm really about to walk out and do this. John, Kelsea, Michael and Adam, they're all out there. That's not holograms. It's not AI, like they're real. I remember those doors opening. I walk out, I'm standing on my mark, and it was, it was quiet in the room, so that we can count in and start playing. But I remember feeling this like spiritual silence in that moment, and thinking in my head, 'I've prepared for this as much as I can, and now I'm just going to do what I do best and do the best I can. And whatever happens, happens.' And what happened — was a chair turn from Michael Bublé. As the competition continues, Rizzo said he only has gratitude for his hometown. 'It took a village to get me to where I am today. And so, all of that praise and all the love, it holds a different kind of gravity at this point, because I'm standing on their shoulders, right? All of my family and my friends from Rochester and my music teachers and all the schools I went to, like all of that had to come together for me to get here,' Rizzo said. Rizzo also gave credit to the crew of the show and expressed gratitude for the other singers in the competition. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Voice Recap: Did the Last of the Blind Auditions Just Introduce Season 27's Winner?
The Voice wrapped up its Season 27 Blind Auditions Monday with some pretty damn good singers from which coaches John Legend, Adam Levine, Kelsea Ballerini and Michael Bublé could choose. But one in particular — lookin' at you, Pablo Herrera — made such a big impression that I wound up thinking he could win the whole shebang. And yes, I know that makes me sound like I'm sitting in a red swivel chair! Read on, and we'll discuss Pablo and all of the other contestants who advanced to the Battles below. Jay Ammo (Team Legend), 'The A Team' — Grade: B+ | Jay's lovely, lilting voice gave his Ed Sheeran cover wings and earned the contestant a four-chair turn in the process. I was as enchanted by the performance as the coaches but did wonder about Jay's range and versatility. What I took as heartfelt emotion may have also been the pitch issues that Michael heard. More from TVLine The White Lotus Gets Snakebitten! Who Almost Didn't Survive Episode 3? Oscars 2025: Conan O'Brien Mocks Best Picture Nominees, Calls Out Karla Sofía Gascón During Monologue - Grade It! 1923's Carnage Is Coming From Inside the House! Read Episode 2 Recap Brook Wood (Team Kelsea), 'Save Me' — Grade: A | The minute Brook opened her mouth, Michael remarked that her vocal was 'nice and clean.' It was also sublimely beautiful. Brook sang her Jelly Roll/Lainey Wilson cover with an ear-opening clarity and a power that was undeniable. Surely, she'd have gotten more than two chair turns if the teams hadn't been so close to full. Adam David (Team Michael), 'Baby, I Love Your Way' — Grade: B+ | Part of me wanted to ding Adam for the affected way that he sang the classic, but another part of me was like, 'Shut the hell up, the dude is totally controlling what is obviously a massive and flexible voice.' The one-chair turn's coach called it when he singled out Adam's 'character voice.' Simone Marijic (Team Kelsea), 'favorite crime' — Grade: B+ | At once, Kelsea turned her chair for Simone, and I couldn't really hear why. It wasn't till later in her Olivia Rodrigo cover that we got to hear how gorgeous Simone's voice was when she really opened it up. The two-chair turn also handled the fast part of the song with the aplomb of an old pro. Promising. Pablo Herrera (Team Legend), 'Jealous' — Grade: A+ | Before Pablo took the stage, his sister told us that when he sang, we'd feel it — and right she was. The three-chair's Labrinth cover was steeped in emotion, he landed kickass runs, and wow! Even in that brief audition, you could well imagine the scope of his range. 'There are no boundaries for you,' Michael marveled. Tori Templet (Team Adam), 'Lover' — Grade: B- | I was afraid the Mazzy Star/Cowboy Junkies vibe that Tori was giving us on her Taylor Swift cover might not make the grade with the coaches. But she wound up getting a two-chair turn with her whispery voice. John even suggested that it sounded like she was almost whistling under the notes. Not sure how that'll play in the Battles… Alanna Lynise (Team Kelsea), 'Issues' — Grade: A | Tackling Julia Michaels, Alanna demonstrated enviable control of her voice — and what a voice it is, too! While perfectly enunciating every lyric, the three-chair turn imbued the hit with more feeling than I'd ever heard in it, turned up the power like she had her finger on the volume button and flittered around notes as easily as we might walk from here to there. Naomi Soleil (Team Adam), 'Stars' — Grade: B | Not until this 18-year-old had reached the end of her performance did she get chair turns from Adam and Michael (by then the only coaches with slots left to fill on their teams). Maybe they were just distracted by the interesting timbre of Naomi's voice. Adam was also taken with her distinct phrasing. Trevon Dawson (Team Adam), 'Religiously' — Grade: B | Though Trevon is a character with a capital C, he quickly proved that he isn't just personality. He started off his rendition of Bailey Zimmerman's hit with a storyteller vibe that belied his 17 years, then tore into the chorus like it was the last pork chop at Sunday dinner. A diamond in the rough with some real sparkle. The Voice Coaches, Ranked From the All-Time Best to… Well, the Rest View List So, which coach do you think has assembled the strongest team? And do you agree that Pablo is the frontrunner? Vote for your fave Monday below, then answer in the comments. Best of TVLine Mrs. Maisel Flash-Forward List: All of Season 5's Futuristic Easter Eggs Yellowjackets Recap: The Morning After Yellowjackets Recap: The First Supper
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Voice Recap: Which Singers' Blind Ambition Got Them Deemed Battle-Ready?
Pitches were made. Blocks were played. Canadian Mounties were brought on stage. But did any of the talent trotted out by Night 3 of The Voice's Season 27 Blind Auditions live up to the hype? Read on, and we'll discuss. Divighn (Team Michael), 'I Got You (I Feel Good)' — Grade: B+ | Maybe this grade should be an all-the-way A. Divighn showed us range and flair (those yips!), and his voice never faltered even while putting on a heckuva stage show. But the overall impression the two-chair turn left was 'fun' rather than 'fantastic.' Maybe, as John Legend was, I was listening for some more 'stank.' Yeah, that's the ticket. More from TVLine SNL50: Watch All the Highlights From the Star-Studded Anniversary Special A Prayer to Yellowjackets' Forest Spirit: Please Let This Be the Girls' Last Season in the Woods The White Lotus Premiere Recap: Season 3's Arrivals Include a Surprise Guest Jacquelyn George (Team Legend), 'I Have Nothing' — Grade: A- | The sister of an alum of Christian boy band Plus One wasn't really selling me on her Whitney cover until she hit the chorus. Then the two-chair turn unleashed a voice that was as magnificent as it was mammoth. Though Adam Levine tried to recruit Jacquelyn, he failed, perhaps because he suggested that she hadn't stuck all of her landings. Tinika Wyatt (Team Adam), 'Sorry Not Sorry' — Grade: B | A church marriage counselor, Tinika delivered a solid Demi Lovato cover that was full of well-deployed 'stank,' as John would say. But the fiftysomething still remained a no-chair turn until she sang a made-up number asking for a Blind Audition; then, Adam was moved to use his Coach's Replay and save her from a depressing ride home. Page Mackenzie (Team Kelsea), 'Hell on Wheels' — Grade: B | Kelsea Ballerini and Michael waited until the very last second to push their buttons for Page. Why so slow? Beats me. The Nashvillian tore into the song like I do dinner after fasting for five whole minutes in a row. Perhaps the coaches were looking to hear a little more raspiness in her fierce vocal. Conor James (Team Adam), 'I Say a Little Prayer' — Grade: B | After starting off with a heavenly light touch, Conor earned a four-chair turn with a rendition of Dionne Warwick's classic that was competent but ultimately uninspiring. Not bad at all, just maybe not four-chair-turn good. Still, the coaches were gaga for the 28-year-old. Kelsea went so far as to declare herself obsessed. Well, OK, then! Jessica Manalo (Team Kelsea), 'Unholy' — Grade: B+ | Jessica's vocal kinda snuck up on us, didn't it? She was good throughout her Kim Petras/Sam Smith cover, but it didn't hit me how good she was until she was done and I realized the breadth of skills she'd shown us in one short audition. Plus, the two-chair turn's rearrangement of the song suggested that she'll be as interesting an artist is she will a singer. Barry Jean Fontenot (Team Michael), 'I Wish It Would Rain' — Grade: A | From the start, I was taken with this law school dropout's rich, lived-in voice. 'We should all turn around,' Adam said. Agreed. But only Michael was moved to swivel his chair and scoop up this contestant upon hearing his poised and appealing take on The Temptations. Maybe, like Adam, the others had zeroed in on a pitchy moment (that at least I missed). Tyler Kae (Team Adam), 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' — Grade: A | Overcoming crippling anxiety to take the stage, Tyler delivered such a beautiful, slowed-down rendition of Cyndi Lauper's classic that Adam was moved to use his Block on Kelsea (the contestant's only other chair turn). I can only imagine how many Adele covers Tyler's coach is going to throw her way. (Dare we hope for some Alison Moyet?) The Voice: Every Winner — and What They've Done Since the Show View List (Team Legend), 'Adorn' — Grade: B | After his hoop dreams ended with an injury, Brian Darden II refocused his attentions on music — good move, considering that he managed to get a four-chair turn from mostly sleepwalking though Miguel's hit. Whether BD's presence was lacking, his vocal was strong — and he seemed able to modulate it with the same ease that we change the volume on the stereo. So, for what was technically a good night — not even a B- grade — it still felt kinda so-so, didn't it? Who, if anyone, really got you fired up? Vote for your favorite in the polls below. Best of TVLine Mrs. Maisel Flash-Forward List: All of Season 5's Futuristic Easter Eggs Yellowjackets Recap: The Morning After Yellowjackets Recap: The First Supper
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See every contestant who advanced on 'The Voice' season 27 — and which celeb coach's team they're on
The competition is on to find The Voice of season 27. Coaches Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, John Legend, and Adam Levine are seated in the red chairs this season, which had its premiere Monday night and has already offered some shining moments. Viewers have watched as Levine returned to the NBC reality competition for the first time since 2019, when he took a break to spend time with his family. While his friendly rival Blake Shelton isn't on the panel anymore, the other coaches are keeping him on his toes. Country star Ballerini, meanwhile, had served as a mentor before and filled in for coach Kelly Clarkson, but this is her inaugural season as a coach — with a spinning chair, that is. Ballerini was the "fifth coach" in season 15 for the competition's "Comeback Stage" digital series, in which she met with six Blind Auditions artists who didn't get chair turns and competed for a spot in the top 13 Live Shows. Former coach Reba McEntire is cheering on Ballerini, who found a note from McEntire in the Feb. 3 premiere. "Dear Kelsea, I heard you would be the new coach this season, and I'm just so excited for you," the "Fancy" artist wrote. "It's up to you to keep country alive on the show, and I know you'll do a terrific job." She advised Ballerini to "go out there and show those boys who's the boss." All four coaches are on their way to assembling their teams of 12, which they'll take with them through Battle Rounds, Knockouts, Playoffs, and Live Performance Shows. And the contestants have really brought it, as always. Here's a list of who's moving forward and whose team they're on. Iris Herrera / 19 / Newaygo, Audition: "You Are My Sunshine" by The Pine Ridge Boys Angie Rey / 25 / Seminole, Audition: "Penthouse" by Kelsea Ballerini Dan Kiernan / 33 / Amityville, Audition: "High Hopes" by Panic! At the Disco Jadyn Cree / 23 / Lincoln, Audition: "Still Into You" by Paramore Carlos Santiago / 35 / Caguas, Puerto RicoBlind Audition: "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx Renzo / 33 / Philadelphia, Audition: "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd Grace Miller Moody / 20 / Florence, Audition: "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5 Darius J / 35 / Pahokee, Audition: "Caught Up" by Frank Sinatra Ethan Eckenroad / 26 / Roaring Spring, Audition: "Northern Attitude" by Noah Kahan Blind auditions on The Voice continue Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
