Unlike other singing competitions, NBC’s The Voice doesn’t show the initial rounds of auditions where singers compete to make it to the Blind Auditions. While this spares the audience from seeing people turned away, it does leave open the question of how someone who is interested in being on the show would go about doing that. Surprisingly, in chatting with some of the contestants who recently made it through the Blinds, OHSOGRAY learned that there are several paths to get in front of those four famous chairs. Here’s some insight into the process from the contestants:
Jake Barker (Team Usher) & Megan Ruger (Team Blake) – Persistence Pays Off
Jake: I actually went to the open call for Season 5 in New York. I went and originally I kind of did it to impress my girlfriend because she had kind of tried to talk me into it. I went out there to do it and I forgot the lyrics completely in the open call. I sang the first two lines and then I just messed up the whole entire — the rest of the song. They stopped me and said it was good but obviously I had to come prepared to those things.
They invited me back for this season and so I went to the invited call. You go through that whole process and that’s kind of terrifying as well. There’s a ton of people that are there and there’s a ton of talented people. And really it’s just kind of a long process but you go through. You just wait for them to call you back and hopefully you get the opportunity to perform on stage for the Blind [Audition]. I was lucky enough to get that.
Megan: I spent a long day in line in Atlanta, Georgia for open call. My friend actually convinced me to do it. He drove me down there. I stood in line all day long and sang “Never Been the Same” by Three Dog Night and then made it through the next round of executives and had to come back the next day.
I also tried out for season five and it’s just been crazy. I’m just finally glad that I made it to audition for season six and turned two chairs and – yes, being an open call person is a truly amazing thing because it takes a very strong person to stand in line for that many hours. It’s a very long day and it’s a very grueling process, and then on top of it, I’m the first person from Wisconsin to make it.
Lindsey Bruce (Team Shakira) & Brittnee Camelle (Team Usher) – Reach Out to People You Know
Lindsey: I went to an audition. I knew someone who knew how to get a private audition and so they encouraged me to try out and I went to a private audition in San Francisco.
Honestly, my biggest advice would be – I know there are a lot of other girls and guys who play guitar and write songs and make YouTube videos in their bedroom, and I think just to be confident because if I could be on The Voice and make a team, anybody can. I think anyone could do anything. I just feel like I know that I stood in my way for so long because you can compare yourself to so many people and you say, “Do I have a good voice? Am I good enough for this or that?” and I would just say you have to just believe in yourself. And I wish I had done that sooner and it’s still a challenge, but I would just say go for it.
Brittnee Camelle: Well, for years I’ve actually been out here in Atlanta just pursuing – doing talent shows and open mics and upcoming artist showcases and working in the studio with different songwriters and just trying to perfect my craft. It just gets a little tough sometimes because there’s so much talent out here and I know Atlanta is flooded. A lot of people are moving here to do the same thing, so actually I am a member of ASCAP and a good friend that invites me to do shows all the time was like, “Hey, I know somebody who’s looking for some talent for this season of The Voice and would you be interested?” And I was like, “Of course!” It’s just a great platform and I think that I can definitely learn a lot and grow as a person and as an artist. I was asked to come out for a private audition and then it kind of happened from there. So it’s really just been a blessing, to be honest.
The Voice Battle Rounds kick off tonight on NBC at 8/7c.