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| The Voice Photo: NBC |
The Battle rounds continued on The Voice for Season 17. Here are the artists that made it past their Battle Round on Monday, October 21st.
Will Breman 25
Team Legend
Hometown: Woodland Hills, CA
Resident: Santa Barbara, CA
Will learned to sing when he was just 3 years old. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, and his parents believed music would be helpful in his development. No matter what he was going through, he could always turn to music for comfort. Will went on to attend college in Santa Barbara and stayed in town after graduation to pursue music. Will is currently a one-man-band soul musician and looper, who creates various beats and loops them together to sound like multiple musicians.
Song: “Treat You Better,” by Shawn Mendes
Performance: https://youtu.be/ZC397PUl8uA
Ricky Duran 29
Team Blake
Hometown: Worcester, MA
Residence: Austin, TX
Ricky inherited his love of music from his father, who was a musician with another full-time job to support the family. At 6 years old, Ricky’s father taught him guitar and they played in a band together throughout Ricky’s high school years. Ricky went on to attend Berklee College of Music and form his own band while his father acted as their manager. Shortly after graduation, Ricky’s father tragically took his own life, but encouraged him to keep doing what he loved. Earlier this year, Ricky lost his mother to breast cancer. Ricky has dedicated his life to music to carry on his father’s legacy and comes to “The Voice” to make his parents proud.
Song: “Valerie,” by The Zutons
Performance: https://youtu.be/5Qz3zaemj4M
Marina Chello, 37 (Saved by Team Blake)
Team Blake
Hometown: Forest Hills, NY
Resident: Plainview, NY
Marina and her family moved to New York from Uzbekistan in search of a better life when she was 11. Adjusting to the new culture was difficult, but listening to American music helped her learn the language and begin to make friends. Marina became very involved in school plays and concerts, and she decided to pursue music after graduation. In 2007, she landed a deal with P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Records and her single “Sideline” was a big hit. She later got married and took a break from music to focus on being a mom. Marina currently manages a catering hall and is here at “The Voice” to give music another shot.
Song: “Valerie,” by The Zutons
Performance: https://youtu.be/5Qz3zaemj4M
Jake Hoot, 30
Team Kelly
Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX / Dominican Republic
Jake was born in Texas, but his parents are missionaries and relocated the family to the Dominican Republic when he was 9. While living there he began singing and playing guitar while also becoming fluent in Spanish. At 20, he moved to Tennessee where he began gigging and attended Tennessee Tech University as a walk-on football player. Jake later got married and now has a 4-year-old daughter. After getting divorced, Jake is a newly single dad and hopes to start anew by making his daughter proud on “The Voice.”
Song: “Always On My Mind,” by Willie Nelson
Performance: https://youtu.be/H_94v_7U7tM
Gracee Shriver, 16
Team Kelly
Hometown: Owasso, OK
Resident: Owasso, OK
Gracee found her love for country music when she started writing her own songs as a first-grader. At 9 years old, she started taking singing and guitar lessons and soon had a standing gig on Friday nights at Trails End BBQ where she still performs today. On top of that, she also travels to Nashville for various gigs and open mics and performs with her worship team on Sundays. Outside of music, Gracee is a National Honor Society high school senior and a member of the varsity tennis team. For fun, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her friends and family.
Song: “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” by Keith Urban
Performance: https://youtu.be/u2orHF1WmNk
Damali, 16
Team Kelly
Hometown: Norwalk, CA
Resident: Norwalk, CA
Damali grew up singing around the house and began writing songs at 7 years old. In third grade she held her own concert in the schoolyard and charged 25 cents per ticket. She continued to pursue music, but it became increasingly harder when her parents enrolled her in a military and law enforcement high school. Although she loves the structure and discipline of school, Damali doesn’t plan to join the military. She is currently a high school senior and has a steady gig singing at a lounge in Los Angeles.
Song: “Set Fire to the Rain,” by Adele
Performance: https://youtu.be/u2orHF1WmNk
Royce Lovett, 30
Team Gwen
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Resident: Tallahassee, FL
Royce, named after the Rolls-Royce luxury car, was raised in a Christian household and began singing in church where his mother led worship. He taught himself guitar, started writing music and got his first gig at a local pizza shop in the 11th grade. After high school, Royce got married and had two kids, all while chasing his dream to play music. While he’s had some success, he’s also had some ups and downs supporting his family financially. Royce comes to “The Voice” to show his kids that success isn’t measured by money, but by living out your dream.
Song: “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Performance: https://youtu.be/wMhWneGuE5Q
Kiara Brown, 21 (Stolen by Team Kelly)
Team Gwen
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Resident: Las Vegas, NV
Kiara began singing before she could talk and started performing at 11 through the Collabo Youth Theater. From a young age, she was inspired to use music to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Two years ago, Kiara was asked by the White House to sing the National Anthem at an event to raise awareness about campus violence. That same year, after the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, she wrote a folk song called “58 Stars” for the 58 people who lost their lives that day. She was asked to perform the song at the memorial and later at a tribute benefit. Kiara comes to “The Voice” hoping to continue to touch people with her music.
Song: “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Performance: https://youtu.be/wMhWneGuE5Q
Joana Martinez, 15
Team Blake
Hometown: Miami, FL
Resident: Miami, FL
Joana gets her talent from her father, who plays the drums and trumpet but was unable to pursue a musical career. As a shy kid, she used to make her family and friends turn around when she would sing, but performing helped her blossom. In middle school, she was nominated as “Most Likely to Win ‘The Voice’” and at 13 sang the national anthem at a Miami Heat game and later performed at a Miami Marlins game. As a second generation Cuban-American, she enjoys singing in both Spanish and English. Joana is currently a sophomore in high school at the Miami Arts Studio magnet school where she also participates in musical theater.
Song: “High Hopes,” by Panic! At the Disco
Performance: https://youtu.be/3XZz7A_woGM
Kyndal Inskeep, 22
Team Gwen
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Resident: Nashville, TN
Growing up wasn’t easy for Kyndal. Her father was mostly absent and when her mom remarried, she was the only one in her family with a different last name. She felt she didn’t fit in and was often lonely, but music brought her joy. She got a guitar for Christmas and wrote her first song at 8 years old. By 13, she was gigging and posting videos of her singing. At 19, she moved to Nashville and finally felt at home. Kyndal is currently a nanny for four kids during the day and continues to perform her original music by night.
Song: “I Could Use a Love Song,” by Maren Morris
Performance: https://youtu.be/Ly5edoTyXqg
The Voice continues tomorrow on Tuesday, October 22 (8/7c) on NBC
The “Battle Rounds” continue as the coaches enlist music industry powerhouses Normani (Team Kelly), Darius Rucker (Team Blake), Usher (Team Legend) and will.i.am (Team Gwen) to prepare their artists to go head-to-head in the hopes of advancing to the “Knockout Rounds.” Each coach has one save and one steal available during the “Battles.”
