First 10 'The Voice' Winners: Where Are They Now?
Singing competition shows are fun to watch. Music lovers tune to them for the love of music, for the adrenaline rush brought about by warring vocals, and more times than not, the rib-cracking auditions. Traditionally, when a contestant presents themselves before a judge, many things come to play. It’s their posture, their presence, how they dress, and other things that lead to prejudice. The Voice of Holland turned the system around. It allowed singers to be judged by the only thing that matters: Their Voice. The show altered the singing competition realm by ensuring the judges face away from an auditioning contestant and only turn around when they love the said contestant's voice.
Since its inception, The Voice has grown into a profitable franchise and airs in different parts of the world. The American version of the show premiered on NBC in 2011. Over the years, the show has had numerous celebrity judges including Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus, to name a few. The Voice has also given birth to stars, the first ten of whom are our focus today.
10 Season 10: Alisan Porter
Prior to competing on The Voice, Alisa Porter had explored entertainment as an actor. Her acting career began early in her childhood. With movies such as Parenthood and Stella under her belt, she was no stranger to the big stage. Her 2016 audition landed her the mentorship of Christina Aguilera and eventually led to her winning that season. In late 2020, she released a single, ‘Lungs’, and continues to perform. The singer is also expecting a bundle of joy and is due in November.
9 Season 9: Jordan Smith
The 27-year-old from Kentucky began his career at the altar. His love for music was birthed in church, and he carried it on to Lee University. When the opportunity to extend his wings arose, he auditioned for The Voice but got rejected. The second time around, he got a four-chair turn by performing Sia’s ‘Chandelier’. In April, Jordan announced that he’s created a devotional based on the song Great You Are for YouVersion.
8 Season 8: Sawyer Fredericks
The 1999-born winner broke history in 2015 when he became the youngest competitor to ever win the show. Under the leadership of Pharrell Williams, his performance of ‘Imagine’ placed him amongst the top ten on iTunes. According to Republic, his sales records on The Voice were unprecedented. In 2021, he’s had a series of performances following the release of his 2020 album, Flowers for You.
7 Season 7: Craig Wayne Boyd
The country singer wowed judges Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams with his performance of ‘The Whiskey Ain’t Working’. True to his country instincts, he went with the expert, Blake. Through the battles, knockouts, and playoffs, he performed songs by Pat Green, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Soul Brothers Six, eventually winning the contest. In April, the new dad and his band Texas Hill released a single, ‘Neon Heart’.
6 Season 6: Josh Kaufman
Josh’s music career began early on in his life. Before The Voice, he wasn’t new to talent shows as he had appeared on Star Search and auditioned on X-Factor. His recording of ‘Stay with Me’ earned him the first iTunes bonus multiplier of the season, subsequently leading him to win altogether. In 2019, he released a digital album dubbed ‘Ndoxo Vol. 1” In 2020, he released a single titled Amazing Grace. As of 2021, he offers vocal and songwriting classes and has a podcast on the way.
5 Season 5: Tessanne Chin
Tessanne Chin is a sibling of singer Tami Chynn. She’s been active in the music industry since 2006 and has worked with music legends, Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight. Her 2013 audition featured singer P!nk’s smash hit ‘Try’. Although she attracted all coaches at the audition, she ended up on Team Adam and eventually won. She’s currently a staunch advocate of the war against Gender-Based Violence and still performs. Her most recent performance was at the Global Reggae Night that also featured veteran Tarrus Riley.
4 Season 4: Danielle Bradbery
The Texas-born county music singer auditioned with Taylor Swift’s ‘Mean’, a song that steered her into working with Blake Shelton, the show’s country music wizard. Throughout the contest, she performed songs from various country artists, including Carrie Underwood and Sara Evans. Her final performance, ‘Born to Fly’, saw her win the show. The singer is set to perform at the Mid America Music Festival in July.
3 Season 3: Cassadee Pope
Cassadee Pope established her foot in the music game as the leader of the rock band Hey Monday. In 2012, she auditioned with the song ‘Torn’ and ended up on Team Blake. Under Blake’s guidance, she advanced to the Top four round and ended up becoming the show’s first female winner. Cassadee is set to release her latest single, ‘What The Stars See’, in May.
2 Season 2: Jermaine Paul
Prior to The Voice, Jermaine had already earned himself a Grammy nomination, owing to his collaboration with songstress Alicia Keys. He got in by performing Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ and ended up on Team Blake. On the show, he performed songs by R. Kelly, Phil Collins, and Bon Jovi, to name a few, leading him to the winners' circle. The singer released a 2019 album, For The Record, that has a total of nine songs.
1 Season 1: Javier Colon
Javier Colon defines his style of music as ‘acoustic soul’. His ‘Time after Time’ audition earned him a four-chair turn. He chose to work with Adam Levine. Under Adam’s leadership, he performed songs by Ben King and Michael Jackson to name a few. He eventually became the show’s first winner and landed $100,000 and a contract with Universal. He’s since released ‘Gravity’, a 2016 album.
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