The Voice – Blind Auditions Night 4

By starrymag | October 7, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) MaKenzie, I was wondering if you could tell me what you think was different for you auditioning for The Voice this time around?

 

MaKenzie Thomas:    Okay.  Well this time around, I can say that I was actually ready for my audition.  You know, I was ready to be in that spotlight. Last season – I was still kind of nervous about performing. And I mean, I still have pretty bad stage-fright but being on national television once already, it’s really helped me, kind of, conquer that fear a little bit.  It really lessened it and I feel like the practice and just being more prepared and knowing what I was going into really helped out and I feel like that’s part of what kept me going during that audition.

 

Q) And where are you hoping this leads you?  What are your musical goals?

 

MaKenzie Thomas:    Well, I’m a huge Tori Kelly fan and I’m a really big fan of gospel music as well.  And she recently put out an album that is a gospel album; she did it with Kirk Franklin. And my (unintelligible) so, you know, gospel music but just kind of a twist on it.  Something a little bit more acoustic and I guess up my alley.  But I mean mainly my goal is to be able to minister to people, so, yes.

 

Q) I guess my question is I think everybody pretty much just expected you to pick Jennifer.  Can you tell us what went through your head when you had the four-chair turn and how you went about selecting Kelly?

 

SandyRedd:  Yes.  Basically, I mean, of course I love and respect every last one of the coaches on the panel and I have so many things that I admire about each and every one of them.  But I’m a very spiritual person and I’m always just led by God I feel.  I feel like these certain things that lead me to certain moments.  And so I felt like everything that Kelly was saying to me.  Mentioned the rock and the soul that she felt coming from me and my genre is rock-soul. When she was saying that she felt the rock and she felt the soul and not wanting to put me in a box and everything.  And the fact that she said that she didn’t care who I picked because she just wanted to continue to see me move on in the actual show just showed me that she was coming from a very genuine, very selfless place and I just felt like everything she was saying to me led me to her.

 

Q) For SandyRedd, like you said, you mix elements of different genres like rock and soul together.  And I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about your musical influences?

 

SandyRedd:   My first and foremost musical influence is definitely my mom.  My foundation comes from our gospel background, you know, I grew up on the Clark Sisters and BeBe and CeCe Winans and, you know, just all of the gospel greats. And then, you know, as I grew up, listening to people like Michael Jackson and, Tina Turner and those musical forces I feel that changed the atmospheres of a place or a room or were able to exude emotion out of their music. Those was the kind of people that I’m influenced by the most, you know, your Whitney Houston and people like that.

 

Q)  Do you have any favorite rock performers?

 

SandyRedd:          I actually do not have any favorite rock and roll performers.  I just love the energy that rock music gives just across-the-board and that’s part of the reason why I choose to do rock-soul. And it’s not about it being actual rock music because what I do is soul music that’s delivered in, sort of, a rock-style energy.

 

Q) Reagan, you’re obviously one of the youngest contestants in the competition.  You got on stage and you didn’t seem frightened. Do you think your pageant past kind of played into that?  What do you think played into you going up and being able to seem really confident up there?

 

Reagan Strange:         So I would say that the biggest thing for me going on that stage is just the past performances that I’ve had in my lifetime.  It is going on stage and knowing that my voice can sometimes make people smile and that just encourages me to do my best and really nail it up there.

 

Q) Where do you see this ending for you?

 

Reagan Strange:   I would hope to let people hear my voice and to get my music out there.  And if that leads to fame that’s a really great thing for me but really I want people to hear my voice and my message and what I’m trying to say with my songs.

 

Q) And that message is?

 

Reagan Strange:   Just that I want to spread joy with my music.  I don’t want to spread any sort of hate.  I want it to be purely joy and I want to put a smile on people’s faces.

 

Q) SandyRedd, Which coach were you hoping to work with going into your blind audition?  And were you close to choosing a different coach until Kelly made that one comment that had a really big impact on you?

 

SandyRedd:          Definitely.  I mean my heart was definitely set on Jennifer because, you know, I definitely look up to her.  Of course we are both from Chicago and we do have a lot in common.  Our backgrounds are extremely similar and I have so much love and respect for her journey and her story. The fact that she’s traveled the road I’m going down so, you know, I did have Jennifer in mind.  It was between Jennifer and Kelly in my mind but I was definitely leaning towards Jennifer at first walking on the stage. Like I said, again, I deal in moments and why I’m led and at that moment, led me to Kelly.

 

Q)  So would you say it was purely an emotional decision to join Kelly’s Team?  Or was there any strategy involved?  Like, maybe you thought Jennifer’s Team might have more artists like you that you’d have to compete against?

 

SandyRedd:          Not at all.  I feel like – I’m a firm believer in the fact that where God has for me is for me.  And so I feel like all the teams have extremely dynamic performers that are all just as good as I am. And so there was no strategy involved in my decision.  I felt like everything that Kelly said out of her mouth and the genuine nature that it came from it just – it felt right.  That felt like where I was supposed to be at that time.

 

Q) What went into the selection of that particular song?  You have so many performances and sung so many different types of music.  With that one moment, what went into selecting that song?

 

SandyRedd:   I really wanted to focus on songs that I haven’t touched before, that I wasn’t familiar with.  I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and show that I could do something that people that are already familiar with me hadn’t seen me try.  So I wanted to give myself a challenge and I felt like River was definitely a song that was up my alley. But it took me out of my comfort zone.  It took a lot of practicing and a lot of going back and forth on different ideas of ways to execute it.  So that was really my biggest focus is just stepping outside of my own comfort.

 

Q) And taking a risk?

 

SandyRedd:          Yes.  Absolutely.

 

Q) And it paid off.  It paid off.

 

SandyRedd:   It definitely paid off yes ma’am.

 

Q)  MaKenzie, did you have an idea in your head of who you wanted to turn around or were you just hoping that this time that you would have a chair turn?

 

MaKenzie Thomas:    That’s actually a really good question because I’ve been asked that a lot and my answer, you know, it pretty well stays the same throughout. Going into it, obviously, I was hoping, you know, just for somebody to turn.  But a couple of days before my audition I was trying to get in the mindset that I needed to be when getting on that stage. So I kind of started this what I call speaking things into existence.  So, you know, my heart wanted Jennifer.  That’s who I really wanted to turn more than anybody else.  So all day, for like three days I just kind of spoke that into existence.  I was like, Jennifer’s going to turn. Jennifer’s going to turn.  It’s my time, you know?  Just kind of – yes.  I mean, I don’t really know how else to say that other than speaking it into existence, you know, kind of like a mantra. But, yes, Jennifer’s who my heart was set on and so when she turned I was ecstatic.

 

Q) I was wondering, you were on the show where some of the contestants had been performing since before you were born.  Why did you decide to try out for The Voice at such a young age?

 

Reagan Strange:   Well I literally have been watching the show since Season 1.  I was about 6 or 7 years old when I started watching the show.  And I was inside, was sitting on the couch as a little girl, I had always envisioned myself on that stage and it’s always been my dream. And as soon as they lowered the age to 13 I just thought, now is my time.  It is my time. So I just decided to fill an online submission out and once I saw that they wanted to see me for a private call that is when I knew that – I said this is my time to myself, and I’m going to do my best and see what happens.  So after that and once I ended up making it on that stage for the blind audition is when I knew that this is meant to be.  And I guess it kind of went along with my song choice anyway so, yes, as soon as all the process just came together is when I knew that although I am so young it was my time.

 

Q)  And why Adam?

 

Reagan Strange:   So I originally went in wanting either Blake or Kelly and my heart was really, really set on Blake.  But when I got on stage and I heard the words that Adam said and it just, I guess my gut feeling was just telling me, Adam.  While I did really want Blake it’s just the whole mix of things – I think my heart was just also set on Adam and then in the moment, he was the name I said.

 

Q) Fousheé, everybody seems surprised that you chose Adam as your coach.  Could you talk a little bit about why you did that?

 

Fousheé:  It was a really hard choice in the moment.  Like, when I first came to the show I remember watching the last season and I really thought if I were to go on the show I would pick Alicia Keys. So when they announced the new judges I knew that Adam would be the closest pick for me for the genre that I want to be in and with the type of music that I wanted to sing. But of course Jennifer – I grew up listening to her.  I was a big fan of hers so it was a hard choice.  But I really connect with Adam’s career the most and I felt like he would understand, you know, who I was as an artist creatively.  Because I kind of – I do identify as a singer but as an artist first and songwriting is a big part of it for me so I admire that about him and his music.

 

Q)  Well, just could you talk a little bit about that, about your musical influences?

 

Fousheé:  Yes. My musical influences.  It’s just a melting pot of so many different things.  But where I sing right now, where I have my residency, it’s a place called Café Wha? Every musician comes from a different background of music.  We have from Latin to Jazz to Blues to Rock and Soul, of course.  So I grew up listening to R&B and my mom, she was a big Bob Marley fan being from Jamaica and was a mix of so many different things. And then – as I started doing music, I felt like my music was a mix of everything.  It wasn’t just one thing so I kind of gravitate towards artists who incorporate a lot of different sounds in their music.

 

Q) Reagan, you’re the second person to be chosen from Memphis.  So what’s it like to be able to represent Memphis to, I mean, like, not only LA while you’re out there but also America as a whole and our music?

 

Reagan Strange:   So Memphis really, really has a music root to it.  And so when I went out to LA for this audition I knew in some way I had to represent my home. And so I just really, with my voice, I just want to show the world that Memphis is still striving with music and that I just really wanted to represent Memphis very well and just show them that even though I am so young – I can still go out there and represent Memphis the best I can.

 

Q) Reagan, the blind auditions are only the beginning of a very long and stressful journey with, you know, long hours and a lot of scrutiny from fans.  At this stage in the game, I mean, given your young age, were you intimidated by any of that?

 

Reagan Strange:   In my mindset I guess had prepared myself for what I knew was going to happen.  Walking into this, I was told by my mom and my family, they said, “it’s going to be a lot going into this and there will be times where it is stressful.”  But I knew I was ready for it and this was something that I’ve always wanted.  And so mentally, I was ready and I was really excited for it. So waking up knowing that I have fans and people that are there to support me even keeps me going even more than before so I really truly enjoy it.

 

Q) And, Chris, did Jennifer really stand a chance of becoming your coach or did you have your heart set on Blake?  And how did it feel to hear Blake say that you could make it to the finale this season?

 

Chris Kroeze: I don’t know.  I don’t want to say she didn’t have a chance but it wasn’t a very big chance.  Nothing against her music or anything like that I just have a lot more in common with Blake.  And yes, that felt cool.  It is something everybody wants to hear and it’s just cool to hear it said for you.  And, I don’t know, a definite confidence booster.

 

Q) Pretty good.  Hey, I was wondering, you’ve been performing for a while what led you to The Voice at this point?

 

SandyRedd:     You’re totally right.  I have been performing for quite some time.  But when I first started I was very green, I was very nervous, I had no showmanship and I was all over the place – I had no look.  I was just not ready.  I was extremely afraid.  But my desire to sing was bigger than my fears so I started doing open mics and any karaoke or anything I could get my hands on music-wise and just started, you know, preparing from there.   And I felt like from then until now, I feel like I’m ready now.  So when the opportunity to do The Voice came about, it just felt like the right time.

 

Q) If the Fousheé of this moment – and you know your own personal journey and what you’ve learned on this journey thus far, the lessons that you’ve learned – trials and tribulations that you’ve learned on this journey just thus far.  If the Fousheé of this moment could go back and sit in front of this Fousheé, and perhaps her darkest moments for lack of a better word, what would she speak to her?  What would she say to encourage her?

 

Fousheé:   Girl that’s a good question.  My, my, my.  I think I would just tell her to keep her head up and, like, keep working regardless because, like, you have to have faith when there’s nothing there to make faith of. You have to make faith out of empty space.  So I’ll just tell her regardless of what you see and what you think is possible, keep working and putting in the effort and the hard work and just, like – man – and there’s going be light at the end of the tunnel.  Don’t stop.  I would tell her that you’re perfect with all your imperfections.  I would tell her that being different is beautiful and to embrace it.

 

Q) Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  How did that moment feel for you on The Voice when you were finally there on stage?

 

Fousheé:  Oh my gosh. I don’t know how to explain it because I just felt like there was no one just like me who had made it to a platform like that.   I’m from a little town in New Jersey and, you know, there were so many obstacles that would’ve made anyone stop.  And there was so many times that I wanted to quit and stop because I’m an introvert.  Because, you know, lack of money; because of my age…because of, oh, many different things.   But so to finally make it on that stage, I felt like I already won regardless of what the outcome was.  It was so powerful.  It was so beautiful.  And to know that people at home would be watching that and then I was so proud.  I felt like I was representing New York, New Jersey, Jamaica.  I was representing, you know, (unintelligible) and people over 25 still and going hard at their dream, not giving up.  Everything and I just felt proud.

 

Q) Reagan, you did an amazing job on the show.  Share with us a bit as a young person, how do you juggle your time management in regard to your academics and your rehearsing and performance?  How does a young lady like yourself, a powerhouse like yourself, manage your time?

 

Reagan Strange:   Well, especially with how much that has been going on over this past year with this amazing opportunity, I’ve started home schooling this year and that has helped so much to keep me on schedule with my school work. And in the past, I even made sure I always got my school work done before I would go to any of my practices and all of my lessons and things but this year, really it’s all about scheduling and organizing for me.   I’ve had to lay everything out and almost do a to do list for every single day just to make sure I was getting my priorities straight.  And so after I had completed all of that, I just make sure everything that is important to me I get done first and then all my necessities and then stuff that’s important and then stuff that’s just extra, like, curricular activities is always the last thing I do.  Education and family are very important to me and so is singing.  But I just make sure I get everything out and I lay it out to make sure I get it all done.

 

Q) Wow.  Wow.  Is there anything that you feel that, man, I’m missing out on this as a teenager but it’s worth it?  Is there anything that, you know, proms or football games, you know?  Anything of that nature that you can say, man, you know, I’m kind of missing out on this but it’s worth it?

 

Reagan Strange:   I mean, honestly, I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for this opportunity.  As far as football games and getting to go to a movie every once in a while but, I mean, of course I miss things like that but this incredible opportunity is arose for me and it’s something that I’ve wanted for so long and the fact that I have it, I never want to complain about anything ever again.

 

Q) Reagan, I was wondering when Kelly mentioned that Adam didn’t have anyone Country on his team, does that kind of sway you a little bit to want to be on his team?  And also, I was curious if you were going to perform more of any other genres like pop or soul on the show?

 

Reagan Strange:   So when I was in my blind audition, I was asked the question by Adam after Kelly said that, if I was strictly Country.  And as for my genre, I have more reach to the pop-soul vibe of music. And so just the fact that I got to do pop-country in my audition and then reaching on later in the show, I can spread out to my true genre.  While I don’t stick mainly to one genre, I really like to spread it out all across music and so I think the fact that I get to do that on the show is a really great thing for me.

 

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*