Category Archives: Team Adam

Artist Update: Tim Mahoney

by

0

Tim-Mahoney

While The Voice is going full steam ahead, one of BFTV’s very first favorites from the series is moving forward in his career as well. Tim Mahoney – the season one member of Team Adam that Adam Levine infamously thought was a woman when listening to his blind audition – not only has a new album out, but is broadening his teaching career, too. BFTV recently caught up with Tim to get the dish on everything he has going on.

Tim dropped his newest album, Shine Through, earlier this spring following a handful of individual songs, including his playful TV experience-inspired track, “Hey Adam Levine,” which caused a sensation when it debuted. “Post-The Voice, I have come out with a few singles, [but] as far as a new release of original material, it’s the first time since 2007,” he said. “I did want to do it different this time. I wanted to make it feel like we’re all musicians playing together, so we recorded it mostly live in a few days. The only tracks that are not [live] are ‘Hey Adam Levine’ and a track called ‘Truth Can Hurt.’ Not a lot of overdubs; didn’t want to get crazy with that. I didn’t want to make it seem too shiny.”

That’s because Tim has always been a down-to-earth working musician, traveling throughout his native Minnesota playing his gigs and paying his dues. Aside from The Voice and a previous audition for Rock Star: INXS – the series which fellow Minnesotan and season two Voice artist Jordis Unga placed fifth on – he hasn’t attracted the kind of national attention that other artists from reality competition series have.  He’s just quietly continued making solid pop-rock music.

“There’s a track on there called ‘Shadow’ which, it’s a really mellow, dark song, but I do feel it’s one of the best I’ve ever written,” he said. “I was with a girl for a fair amount of time, and we split up, and that song is about her. There’s some really fun stuff. The song on there I kind of just think is fun is called ‘Put A Line There.’ The single’s actually a song called ‘Shine Through,’ which I wrote for a guy who wanted me to write him a song [as] a surprise for his wife, and I ended up liking the song.”

As it’s coming up on two years since the end of Tim’s season of The Voice, does he now officially consider the show part of his past? “I’ve already kind of moved on but people haven’t,” he said. “The show is so big now. I talk about The Voice every single day, and I don’t choose to. I just mean that [it happens], from tweets to somebody mentioning Adam Levine. But hey, if it gets a few more people to a show, who really cares?”

Next month, Tim is turning his reality-show experience into a course to help others who have the same ambition. Entitled “Nailed It: How to Audition for The Voice and Other Vocal Competitions,” the one-day class will be held at Minneapolis’s MacPhail School of Music from 2-4 PM on Sunday, May 5. The cost is $50 and it’s open to hopefuls ages 15 and up. MacPhail voice instructor Andrea Leap will be teaching alongside Tim.

“I had the idea when people were calling and sending me messages asking [about] trying out for The Voice,” he explained. “They would ask, ‘Should I do it?’ One example was Chris Mann from season two. We had a two-hour conversation, and I told him he should try out and stick to his Josh Groban vocal style. He did just that and came in fourth place.”

In his MacPhail class, Tim will cover not only the obvious aspects of reality competition, such as song choice and performance, but also other less-discussed parts, such as the business and legal issues that await should you happen to make it onto TV. Anyone who’s interested in the course can find more information at Tim’s website (timmahoney.com).

While he may not have won The Voice, the longtime working musician has carved out a steady workload for himself. So what will make him consider his career worth it? “I think as you get older, those [things] change a little bit. At least with me they did,” he said. “You start to look at the reality of it. I’ve been living for music for awhile and I’ve done well. I started to realize if you can just touch some people, that’s the success.

“I had a woman who came to me about three months ago and said, ‘I love your music, I wonder if I can get it before it comes out,’ and she said the reason why was ‘Because I probably won’t be alive when the CD comes out.’ She has this extremely rare disease and she was hoping to get my new songs before she died,” he continued. “I went and visited with her. I brought my guitar and an unreleased copy of this new record, played some songs for her. And she still is alive, she didn’t think she would be. But it was kind of surreal. She said that day kind of made part of her life complete. That’s making it.”

Shine Through is now available on iTunes and through other music retailers. For more information on Tim Mahoney, you can visit his official website or follow him on Twitter (@timmahoneymusic).

(c)2013 Brittany Frederick/Big Red Chairs. Excerpts appear at Starpulse and Examiner with permission. All rights reserved. No reproduction permitted. Visit my official website and follow me on Twitter at @bigredchairs.

Blake Shelton & 6 Other ‘The Voice’ Artists With New Releases

by

0

Blake Shelton

The Voice coach Blake Shelton releases his new album Based on a True Story today (and if you haven’t ordered your copy yet, you can do so here), but he’s not the only one from the show who’s put new music out recently. Here are a half-dozen other artists you know from the show who have turned out fresh albums or EP’s in the last few months.

Tje Austin, Dreamin’ Big (get it HERE): A member of Team Cee Lo in Season 1, this soulful singer returns with a CD he’s been working on for some time, and that extra time and effort shows in a pleasant R&B collection that ranges from the heartbreakingly touching (earlier single “Right For You”) to the more uptempo (“Not A Thug”) and the slow jams (“Back 2 Me”). He’s not necessarily upending the genre, but he doesn’t need to; he’s got a voice that practically melts in your ears. For those of you who need something smooth to relax with, this is the album you want to add to your collection.

Tim Mahoney Band, Shine Through (get it HERE): Tim Mahoney was responsible for one of The Voice‘s first-ever memorable moments, when coach Adam Levine mistook him for a woman during his blind audition in Season 1. His unique voice didn’t get the appreciation it deserved on the show, but Tim has continued to deliver solid, enjoyable rock ever since, and this new album is more of the same. Whether it’s the earnest title track or the simple and painful “It’s Over,” his album is perfect for those who love a good singer-songwriter without a lot of fanfare. This album also includes his Voice-inspired single, “Hey Adam Levine.”

Nakia, Drown in the Crimson Tide (get it HERE): The semifinalist for Team Cee Lo during Season 1 (who competed with Tje Austin during the battle rounds), Nakia is more than doing his part to keep the blues genre in the public music consciousness. Whether it’s the uplifting “Dream Big” or something like “Pieces and Castles,” this six-song EP from the Texan has plenty of soul and a certain funky element to top it all off. This is music from an artist who’s secure in his sound, and while it may not be for everyone, those who want something different than the usual pop and rock will enjoy this one.

Pip, No Formalities (get it HERE): A fan favorite during Season 2, Pip has definitely found his groove with this six-song EP, which comes off confident and catchy. Danceable beats mix with memorable choruses and Pip’s refreshingly clear vocals to create songs that will roll around in your head for hours afterward. This is a wonderful debut release that’s purely good, clean fun, and establishes exactly what sound fans can expect from Pip in the future. It includes his first post-Voice single, “Who Cares.” If there’s any issue with No Formalities, it’s that it leaves you wanting more. Of all the recent releases from Voice artists, this is the strongest.

Casey Weston, Find the Moon (get it HERE): Team Adam’s Season 1 semifinalist has put out her first new material since appearing on the show, and while you’d probably still call her a country artist, there’s a surprising amount of range on this new CD. This is the Casey Weston album we’ve all been waiting for. The distinct twang to Casey’s voice is put to good use across the board, but it’s the songs that change, with tracks like “Into Your Heart” having more of a pop-rock edge while others such as “Like You” stay closer to country. What’s most remarkable about Find the Moon is that you can hear the added maturity, both in Casey’s voice and in her lyrics, compared to her self-titled release from two years ago. You can also read the BFTV interview with Casey Weston here.

Kim Yarbrough, Brand New Day (get it HERE): The Team Adam singer with the powerful voice from Season 2 has mostly been busy on stage and screen (did you see her on TNT’s Southland earlier this month?), but has just released her new CD-single. If you didn’t figure it out from her performances on the show, Kim can blow the doors off with the strength of her voice, and “Brand New Day” is an anthem reminiscent of power-pop singers like Kristine W. The original version runs a bit long, and it’s a little bummer that the album is comprised of remixes of one tune, but that one tune proves that a full album from Kim will definitely be intriguing.

The Voice continues tonight at 8 PM ET/PT on NBC.

For more on The Voice and its artists, you can visit BFTV’s dedicated The Voice blog, Big Red Chairs.

(c)2013 Brittany Frederick/Big Red Chairs. Excerpts appear at Starpulse and Examiner with permission. All rights reserved. No reproduction permitted. Visit my official website and follow me on Twitter at @bigredchairs.

Casey Weston Talks About Her New Album ‘Find the Moon’

by

0

Casey Weston

As we excitedly await Season 4 of NBC’s The Voice, the performers from Season 1 are still going strong. Team Adam’s Casey Weston, who advanced to the semifinals of the first cycle, is celebrating the release of her new album Find the Moon, which arrived on February 28. Big Red Chairs recently caught up with Casey to chat about the new album and how she feels about life two years removed from The Voice.

“I really feel like this is me, one hundred percent,” she said of Find the Moon, which is her first record since she appeared on the show. “This was the first album that I did completely. I was involved with everything.  I wrote or co-wrote every song. I produced it so I had the direction. I was really focused on every little detail with this one. I learned so much from this whole album, and I’ve put so much love and work into it. It’s just a huge accomplishment personally.”

Nashville-based Casey has “a few” favorite selections on the record, but asked to name one in particular that Voice fans should take a listen to, “There’s a song called ‘Like You’ and it’s a love song, and I really love it,” she continued. When it comes to evaluating the album as a whole, “Things aren’t perfect because nothing ever is,” she added, “[but] I really think overall it’s amazing.”

“I thought, ‘It’s about time.’ That was the main thought going through my head,” she said of deciding to put out a new release, which she also self-funded. “I’m kind of a perfectionist a little bit. I was waiting and waiting and waiting, and I was just like, you know what, it’s been so long since I’ve put out any music. My fans deserve it. I want it out there and I hope they want it out there too.”

With the debut of the album, Casey has played several shows in the Northeast and is looking into the possibility of a future full-band tour (nothing has been confirmed yet), and says she’d like to open up for other artists. “I really would love to go on tour, maybe opening up for a big country act like Kenny Chesney. I just want to get out there and tour more,” she said, adding with a laugh, “I’d open for Adam [Levine] if he’d have me!”

Levine, of course, was Casey’s coach on The Voice, where she surprised fans by earning his semifinal save over fellow country artist Jeff Jenkins, before losing to eventual winner Javier Colon. In June, it will be two years since the first season ended, and Casey still cherishes what was a groundbreaking experience for all involved. “When I auditioned for The Voice, I had no idea that it was going to be a hit show, no idea who the coaches were going to be, none of that,” she explained. “I thought, ‘I hope it’s going to be a good opportunity and a growing experience.’ And that was one hundred percent what I got. Looking back now, I grew so much in a short period of time. Without that experience, I would not be the person I am today, and I know who I am. I love who I am.”

Casey wasn’t expecting The Voice to make her a star, and she expressed that she’s fine with where her career is today. “I have a lot of faith in what’s meant to be will be. I don’t really worry about the future,” she reflected. “I just kind of look ahead and see what I’m meant to be doing. I want to win a Grammy. That’s it. But everything else is just a cool experience.”

Rather than commercial gain or even critical acclaim, she measures her success by being able to touch other people with her art. “I want to be an artist that people can listen to the music and lose themselves in the song. For some of my lyrics to be able to help someone,” she continued. “I use music for that purpose [and] I just want to be that for some people in their lives.”

Find the Moon is now available on iTunes and other music retailers. You can keep up with Casey at her official website and by following her on Twitter (@casey_weston).

(c)2013 Brittany Frederick/Big Red Chairs. Excerpts appear at Starpulse and Examiner with permission. All rights reserved. No reproduction permitted. Visit my official website and follow me on Twitter at @bigredchairs.

Countdown to ‘The Voice’ Season 4: What Have You Missed?

by

1

The Voice - Season 3We’re just shy of a month from a brand-new season of NBC’s The Voice, and only about two months removed from America crowning Team Blake’s Cassadee Pope the winner of the show’s third cycle. What’s been happening with the show and its artists since Cassadee won the title?

As has been heavily publicized, Season 4 will be the first with new coaches Shakira and Usher, who were introduced in the fall. You can read some of their early thoughts on joining The Voice here. This may also be the only season for the new arrivals, as previous coaches Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green – who are on a break this time around – have expressed interest in returning for Season 5 this fall. However, it’s worth noting that nothing has been finalized yet beyond Season 4.

The guest mentors this year will be Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum (Team Adam), Sheryl Crow (Team Blake), Joel Madden (Team Shakira) and Pharrell Williams (Team Usher).

Season 3 winner Cassadee Pope officially signed her recording deal with Universal and has been hard at work writing and recording ever since, according to her Facebook. Universal released a CD version of her Voice performances here. Cassadee posted a video update on her progress here.

Runner-up Terry McDermott hasn’t slowed down since leaving the show, either. In fact, he recently released a new single “Pictures” via SoundCloud, which he co-wrote with Dave Burman. His performance of “Baby, I Love Your Way” with Peter Frampton from the Voice finale was retroactively released on iTunes here.

Here’s a short list of major developments with other Voice artists, past and present.

Team Adam: Season 3′s Amanda Brown appears on the soundtrack to the recent Universal release Identity Thief, starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. Her teammate Bryan Keith brought some new music to his live show at the Gramercy Theater; you can watch the video here. Season 2′s Pip released his EP No Formalities; you can get it here. Tony Lucca is hard at work on his new album, and performing some new originals on the road, like “Reckless Love.” Kim Yarbrough is preparing for the release of her single “Brand New Day” (here’s a teaser video), guested on CBS’s Vegas, appears in the March 6 episode of TNT’s Southland, and her Nickelodeon project has been ordered to series. Katrina Parker is working on new music of her own after the successful funding of her Kickstarter project. Season 1′s Tim Mahoney released his next CD, Shine Through, which includes his Voice-related tune “Hey Adam Levine.” Casey Weston has a new album on the way; you can pre-order it here and stay tuned for an upcoming interview.

Team Blake: Season 3′s Suzanna Choffel released her new single “Guardians.” Season 2′s winner, Jermaine Paul, postponed the release of his post-show album Finally until sometime later this year; you can pre-order it at Amazon, although there’s no specific street date listed there. Season 2 alum Jordis Unga is in the home stretch of putting together her new album, and also won a Grammy this year for her work on Jimmy Cliff’s Rebirth, which took the trophy for Best Reggae Album. Erin Willett has recently posted a new cover.

Team Cee Lo: Season 3′s MacKenzie Bourg has dropped his debut single. Season 1′s Nakia is releasing his next EP, Drown In The Crimson Tide, and is playing a few tour dates in his home state of Texas. His battle round partner Tje Austin put out his new CD, Dreamin’ Big. Also, Paste Magazine wants to help you make your own Cee Lo Green.

Team Christina: Season 3′s Devyn DeLoera released a music video with Ready Revolution that you can find here, along with several covers on her Facebook page. She has new music coming your way on March 4. The busiest Voice alum by far is Season 2′s Chris Mann, who recently taped Chris Mann in Concert for PBS to be aired in March. Also next month, Chris will be announcing tour dates, one of which is New York’s Highline Ballroom. Lindsey Pavao put out her new single “No Revelation.” Moses Stone released new music; you can find “Beautiful Nightmare” here.

Season 4 of The Voice begins March 25. For the latest on all things related to NBC’s hit singing competition, you can visit Big Red Chairs.

(c)2013 Brittany Frederick. Appears at Starpulse and Examiner with permission. All rights reserved. No reproduction permitted.

Concerts: Karla Davis, Pip and Lindsey Pavao at The Mint; Rebecca Loebe at Hotel Cafe

by

0

As you might have seen in my most recent Backstage Blog, I had the chance to catch four different The Voice artists over two nights in Los Angeles this week. On Monday night, Season 2′s Karla Davis and Pip from Team Adam joined Team Christina’s Lindsey Pavao at The Mint. What followed was a fairly informal, hilarious and heartwarming show that included quality tunes, good-natured flubs and talk about condiments.

This was a chance for Voice fans to hear all three artists’ original music, and also to chat with them, as they paused the show midway through the evening to take questions. They couldn’t have been more affable or relaxed, freely willing to admit when they didn’t entirely know a song they were trying to play, or to laugh when they messed one up – Lindsey has now introduced the phrase “I’ll be your plastic” into the Voice fan lexicon. As much as I enjoyed the music, it was equally as entertaining just to watch these three play off each other.

Karla played several songs off her new album 360 and Pip performed his new single “Who Cares,” the first time he’d ever done so live. They also performed some covers: Karla did Adam Levine proud with her versions of “Moves Like Jagger” and “Payphone,” Pip sung John Mayer’s “Why Georgia,” and Lindsey put a whole new spin on David Guetta’s “Titanium.”

If that wasn’t enough for you, fellow alum Katrina Parker and current Team Cee Lo member Daniel Rosa were in attendance, and both were cajoled into coming on stage to perform. Katrina gave us a fantastic rendition of her live-show hit “Killing Me Softly,” while Daniel joined Lindsey on “Somebody That I Used to Know.” Between the Voice alumni onstage and the fans in the audience, this was one big family gathering that I’m glad to have been a part of.

For my photos from The Mint, click here to visit the concert album on the Big Red Chairs Facebook page.

On Tuesday, Season 1′s Rebecca Loebe celebrated the release of her new album Circus Heart. (You can download the album right here on iTunes.) While it was a treat to hear her perform the song that earned her a spot on Team Adam – Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” – the night was devoted to her original material, and between great music and her winning personality, Rebecca put on a more entertaining show by herself than some entire bands. If your only exposure to her is from The Voice, you haven’t seen an eighth of how talented she is.

You get a real sense of Rebecca when you’re at one of her shows. Not only did I enjoy hearing her play one of my favorite songs from the album, “The Chicago Kid”, but I loved hearing the story that led to her writing the song. I enjoyed her anecdotes about her career and how she came to be on The Voice (I laughed out loud when she talked about performing for “celebrity furniture”). And I got surprisingly choked up when she performed “Georgia”.

What I appreciate most about Rebecca is that she’s so genuine; the woman I had coffee with before the show was the same one on stage. A little over a year ago, it was spending time with Rebecca and the other artists from Season 1 that opened my eyes to what music can do. Watching her play on Tuesday night, I felt that same sense of wonder all over again.

Last month, Rebecca chatted with me about Circus Heart and her career after The Voice. “I’m really excited to release a new album,” she said. “I’m really grateful to the fans that supported me. I was just really floored by how many people all over the world participated in it. It’s really moving.” You can read the full interview with Rebecca by clicking here.

For my photos from Hotel Cafe, click here to visit the concert album on the Big Red Chairs Facebook page. And for other future tour dates from your favorite The Voice artists, pop on over to the Concert Calendar.

(c)2012 Brittany Frederick/Big Red Chairs. Exclusive to Big Red Chairs. No reproduction permitted. All rights reserved.

Backstage Blog: September 18, 2012 – Two for the Road

by

0

Backstage Blog: I’ve just come back from almost two whole days on the road in Los Angeles, covering two fantastic concerts put on by alumni from The Voice, and while I’m exhausted, it reminded me yet again that I have the best job that I could ask for. The only way I could have more fun in my life is, maybe, if Adam Levine called me up and asked me to join Maroon 5 on tour.

I want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to Season 2′s Lindsey Pavao, Pip and Karla Davis, who played The Mint on Monday (where the above picture comes from), and Season 1′s Rebecca Loebe, who was at Hotel Cafe tonight, for putting on wonderful shows and spending time with me besides. It’s nights like these that are the best part of what I do. When an artist from The Voice invites me out to their concert, or offers to do a follow-up interview, it’s a huge compliment. It means I’ve made friendships that are still here well after the show’s moved on. And I would say of the true, close friends that I count in my life, most of them are from The Voice.

I’ve never been that popular, so it’s a pretty awesome feeling when I walk into a room having anything to do with the show and get greeted by name. Or, as in the case of Monday, show up for a concert and realize there are a half-dozen people there that know me from Twitter. Tonight, Rebecca made a reference to me onstage, which made me geek out a bit. That’s never happened before. I know that when I’m with my Voice friends, I’m wanted there.

One of my favorite stories from The Voice comes from Season 2, and the very first interview I did with Karla. I had the habit of introducing myself to all the artists by mentioning my Twitter handle (@bigredchairs), so that they’d know we’d talked before and I wasn’t a complete stranger. Karla got super-excited and mentioned to me that the artists all talked about me. My jaw dropped and I got choked up for a second, because it threw me that these talented, amazing folks would be speaking about me. That was the moment the lightbulb came on over my head and I realized that I was doing something that was actually important to people. The artists I’ve met through the show have been just as supportive of me as I’ve tried to be of them.

That extends to the Voice fans as well; all the folks I’ve interacted with are the sweetest and most supportive fans, not just of the artists but of each other, too. Half the fun of Monday night was showing up alone and fitting right in like I’d come with a half-dozen buddies. (I’ve got to tip my hat again to Haley and Cara, who shared their table with me.) It’s been really neat to realize that I have fans, and fans who don’t just read me, but ask about me, too.

Big Red Chairs is a labor of love; while I write about The Voice for a number of media outlets, I don’t get paid for probably two-thirds of what you see on this site. Anything that happens outside of the show – concerts, album reviews, follow-up interviews – is on my own time and any expenses are out of my own pocket. That’s made quite a few people look at me like I’m crazy. Yet honestly, when it means I get to spend time with my friends, write about their accomplishments, and know that I’ve got plenty of fans behind me? It’d be crazy not to be a part of all this.

This blog reminds me of a fabulous Justin Hopkins video, so I’ll just sum it up by letting you watch the vid.

Until next time, never be afraid to find your voice,
Brittany

(c)2012 Brittany Frederick/Big Red Chairs. Exclusive to Big Red Chairs. No reproduction permitted. All rights reserved.

Season 1′s Tim Mahoney Has a Kickstarter

by

0

Minnesota’s Tim Mahoney was one of the underappreciated artists on Season 1 of The Voice; you probably remember him as the guy whose blind audition made his future coach Adam Levine think that Tim was a woman. Tim later went on to write the single “Hey Adam Levine” about that. He also made it to the battle rounds on the show; here he is on the far right, pictured with Adam, advisor Adam Blackstone, and Casey Weston. Now, he’s hoping to crowd-fund a new album through Kickstarter. To check out Tim’s campaign and donate, go here. To listen to more of his wonderful music, visit his website. Good luck, Tim!

Big Red Chairs: The Rebecca Loebe Interview

by

0

Just because their time on The Voice ends doesn’t mean I stop checking in with every member of our Voice family. This week, I snagged some time with Rebecca Loebe, who was a member of Team Adam in season one and has recently finished her new album, Circus Heart, which you’ll be able to hear on September 18. Here’s the dish:

“I started the record feeling like I wanted to pick up where I left off with [the last album] Mystery Prize,” she said. “I realized I didn’t want to make another Mystery Prize. I’m still very proud of it but I wanted to experiment with some new sounds and cover some new ground.”

With that goal in mind, Rebecca put together a team to help her achieve it. “I had a producer whom I loved named Matt the Electrician from Austin, Texas. I asked him if he’d produce the album because I love his albums so much, but he’d never worked with anybody else as a producer. It was his first album producing and it was my first album outside my Atlanta comfort zone. We really kind of invented the approach for each song as we went.”

The biggest part of her team, however, were the fans who contributed so that she could make the album. Rebecca was one of the first Voice artists to crowd-fund a post-show release. “We depend on our fans to help us create the music that they depend on for entertainment or emotional release,” she explained. I’ve sent out 250 copies to the people who pre-ordered the album. These 250 people helped me fund the entire album. Every single person who contributed was an integral part of funding the project and giving me the resources I needed to make this creative process work. I’ve been getting feedback from them in the last week, and it’s just been amazing. It’s all been overwhelmingly positive.”

With the release of Circus Heart, she’s giving her West Coast fans the best gift we could ask for: a West Coast tour. “I’m really excited to come out to California. I’ve got some great shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego,” she said, adding that “I’m always happy to play in my hometown Atlanta, and for the folks in my new hometown, Austin, Texas.”

Rebecca has always been well-connected to her fans. On her website, RebeccaLoebe.net, she has monthly full-length albums that can be downloaded for only $5, allowing fans to hear new music from her without having to wait for a new album or an upcoming tour stop in their area. Through Twitter and her blog at RebeccaLoebe.com, she’s readily reachable for questions, comments or just saying hello.

And although it’s been more than a year since she performed on The Voice, Rebecca says she’s not concerned about needing to distance herself from that experience. The fans she found through the show will be able to hear some of those same songs on her tour. “I usually play at least one of the songs that I did on the show, just out of respect for people that have come out [based on] what they heard on the show,” she told me. “Plus, it’s just different. I really enjoy singing ‘Come As You Are’ and I enjoy singing ‘Creep’.” Fun fact: Rebecca was the only non-semifinalist to appear on The Voice‘s season one highlights CD.

She still appreciates the journey of having been one of the first people to participate in what is now a worldwide phenomenon. “There was something really special in my experience of doing season one because no one knew what to expect at any step in the process,” she added.

As for season two, she told me that she was happy with the results, having gotten an early listen to the man who’d win it all. “I was rooting for Jermaine [Paul] the entire time. I happened to see his audition in New York. Jermaine was the first person who walked in the door at the open call auditions. When he left, I was just gaping. I really believe in his talent.”

The future looks similarly bright for Rebecca. “I’m really excited to release a new album,” she said. “I’m really grateful to the fans that supported me. I was just really floored by how many people all over the world participated in it. It’s really moving.”

Check out Rebecca’s iTunes catalog and make sure you’re following her on Twitter at @rebeccaloebe. Circus Heart arrives September 18!

Exclusive: Javier Colon Leaves Record Label

by

0

Season one Voice champ Javier Colon is leaving Universal Republic Records, and I have the exclusive first statement from him as to why. Click over here to read Javier’s thoughts and stay tuned as I’ll be speaking with him about his future plans very soon. As always, Javier has the love and support of everyone on Team Voice.

In other news, it’s blog day, so click here for a celebrating of Maroon 5‘s Songs About Jane, Erin Willett and Jamar Rogers news, and tour dates for Vicci Martinez (with Jamar!) and Tony Lucca.

More Interviews!

by

0

Yes, I’m a little sad that there’s no show tonight, too. But! I am attempting to fill the void by bringing you lots of interviews and new buzz to talk about!

Today, check out my interview with Season 1 champ Javier Colon, where we talk passing the torch on to Season 2 winner Jermaine Paul and how Javier’s life has changed less than a year (yes, we’ve done two seasons of this show in like a year and a half?!?) since his win.

Tomorrow and Wednesday I catch up with two of my favorite contestants from season two, the two Tonys: Team Cee Lo’s Tony Vincent and Team Adam’s finalist Tony Lucca. These two gentlemen had a lot to say about their time on the show and their future plans!

Then stay tuned Thursday for my first interview (hard to believe, huh?) with Team Adam’s Chris Cauley, and by week’s end I might even have a little something from Jermaine himself…

Is there a particular member of Seasons 1 or 2 you want me to sit down with? Leave a comment and let me know!