Jordan Smith – The Voice

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I definitely think it is a little unexpected. I think that I love to surprise people and I love to prove people that I can do different things. I think I would describe it as unexpected or diverse. I think I have lots of different tastes and styles of music that I enjoy and want to incorporate in my sound.

Q) What were some of your favorite performances throughout the season?

A) All the performances are special to me for different reasons. I think “Somebody To Love” was one of my favorites this season. I think I surprised myself. I didn’t expect myself to do exactly what I did with that performance. Even when we rehearsed it, I didn’t even expect that much to come out of me. That performance really proved to me that I could really be a performer and I could be an artist – more than just a singer. That’s the first time I saw that in myself this season or really in my life. It was that moment. So, it was really exciting for me to perform that and then I went back and saw it and was so surprised as to how it turned out. I was very happy with that. I also enjoyed singing “Mary Did You Know?” on the show. It’s one of my favorite Christmas songs and I love it so much. I was grateful for that chance to sing it. It so beautifully paints the story of Christmas and was one of my favorite songs as well.

Q) What advice did your coach Adam Levine give you that you have taken to heart?

A) Adam is such a good coach. He worked so close with us and he is so invested in this. He really loves the show. He’s not just there for the money. He has helped me a lot. Some of the most memorable and important things he taught me he didn’t even say! He just showed me with his actions. One of those things was that sometimes you have to go with your gut feelings. As an artist, we are led by what we feel, what we think and what we feel in our soul. So, for him, he is a very instinctive person and he taught me sometimes that is necessary. There were times that over the season we made a choice because we thought it was smart and we ended up realizing what seems practical and smart isn’t always the best idea. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box, take risks and really follow your gut. So, I learned that sometimes I have to take all of the practicality and throw it out the window. I have to really think about what the right choice is and go with what is in the inside.

Q) What was it like for you getting to perform “Without You” with Usher on the finale?

A) That was a very, very surreal experience. Singing with him was great and working with him was such a dream. He’s such a nice guy and he was just like a coach the entire time we were working. He gave me suggestions, he was so in the moment and wanted to make it the best performance as possible – on his end and my end. So, I really appreciated that and how invested he was just in that single performance. It’s just one song on one show and I know he has done so much more in his life, but for him to be so involved in that process was really a great thing for him to do. I think it speaks a lot about his attitude and to sing with him was just a dream. He is such a great singer and to get to harmonize with him and be on stage with him is an amazing thing I would be able to remember in the future.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) There are so many people! I would love to collaborate with Sia and Tori Kelly. I would love to get to work with them. Sia is an amazing artist and vocalist and Tori Kelly is just out of this world. I would love the chance to work with her.

Q) What was going through your mind standing on the stage during the finale?

A) So much was going through my head at that moment! I had no idea what to expect, honestly, when we were standing up there as the four of us. I knew the other artists had done so well that week and been charting so high on iTunes as well. In that moment I felt peace and I knew whatever happened would be what was supposed to happen and I would be proud of who ever it was. Also, I was thinking about all the moments that had gotten me to that point. Win or lose, in that moment, I was still standing on a stage that I had always dreamed about standing on. I had done it many times, but to be at the end of the show…To be on the show at all, but to be on the show at the end was such a special thing for me because it was such a dream come true. So, I was just spending those last few moments being thankful for the whole experience.

Q) One of your performances on “The Voice” even knocked Adele out of the top of the charts. How did that make you feel?

A) That is pretty crazy and surreal! Like I was saying, it’s just incredible to feel that people want to be involved with something you are doing and to see my name up there with people I have admired for so long like Adele and Justin Bieber (another artist I’ve always listened to) was surreal.

Q) What is next for you?

A) I’m headed home to Kentucky to spend some time with my family and spend Christmas with them. I’m going to get some much needed sleep and rest. I’ll spend a lot of time with my girlfriend as well. Then, I’m going to get started on writing some original music and working in the studio come the first of the year. I’m really excited about what is to come and putting out some new original music. I think everybody can expect to hear more from me soon.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to interact with your fans?

A) That’s a very crucial part of this. A lot of the show is built around that social media following and is built to increase that as much as possible. I think it is important to be connected with your fans any way that you can. I  think platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram make that instantly possible and I want them to feel connected and involved with what is happening. I want them to feel like they are a part of this journey with me because they are! They are a big reason why I’m here, why I’m doing this and was so successful on the show. So, I think it’s very important to be involved on all platforms like that to be engaged so you can keep everybody in the know and keep them feeling like they are a part.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your music?

A) The first thing I would say is thank you very much. Like I said, it was their support that has gotten me here. Not only is it their votes, but it is their constant encouragement and just their overwhelming support of me that has gotten me to this point and allowed me to build confidence in myself to keep going on this journey. So, I’d like to say thank you. I’d also like to encourage them that if there is something that they are looking to and working towards as a goal or a dream they are holding on to then go for it! This has been a very big dream of mine for a very long time and it never would have happened had I not taken a risk and made sacrifices. So, I think if there is something you want to do and feel like in your heart you are meant for something then that’s your purpose you should go for it and not hold anything back. That would be my encouragement to them.