The Voice Season 21: Contestant Preview & Guide
Season 21 is one of the most anticipated seasons of The Voice yet, due to the addition of popstar Ariana Grande to the already star-studded panel that consists of Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Blake Shelton. It also marks the first time since Season 1 that The Voice will start airing only once in a year. Season 1 aired in spring of 2011 and Season 2 didn’t air until spring of 2012. Similarly, Season 21 will air this September, and Season 22 won’t air until fall of 2022.
The Voice 21 Spoilers: American Idol Alums Who Auditioned! Knockout Tix
The Voice 21 Spoiler: Knockout Round Mega-Mentor Is THIS Chart Topper
This season consists of a very intriguing cast. It is full of groups, powerhouses, and even has a fair share of pop singers for Ariana. Check out some of the cast below in this Season 21 preview and make sure to catch some of them on the premiere of Season 21 on NBC on September 20th.
The Voice 21 “Reveal Day” was August 20. On that day, artists were allowed to reveal “I auditioned” for the show. For a fuller list of contestants and spoilers, check out Idol Forums. (No spoilers in comments, though!)
AS SEEN ON TV
Let’s get started with some familiar faces. These prospective contestants have at some point been on a music show, and some of them have built-in fan bases; some who may still be active viewers of these shows which could help when voting starts if any of them are to make it that far.
Hailey Green
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The southern rock-tinged country singer from Mississippi makes a return to The Voice stage. Hailey auditioned a year ago as a 14-year-old. She was a bit green at the time (no pun intended), and the coaches told her to come back as they saw potential in her raspy voice. Her style is polarizing especially for her age, so it’ll be interesting to see how she does this time around.
Season 19 Audition:
God’s Country Cover:
Jeremy Rosado
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In my mind, Jeremy is the most intriguing out of this group as he made it deep into a mega-talented season of American Idol. He was a wildcard and placed 13th on Season 11 of American Idol. At the time, he struggled with some pitch issues, but he was only 19 years old then and was incredible at emoting for his age and had a huge moment with “I Know You Won’t” by Carrie Underwood. 10 years later, the versatile worship leader and singer from Florida has polished his vocal talent and continues to wear his heart on his sleeve.
“All I Ask” cover: WATCH
American Idol WC Performance:
Raquel Trinidad
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Raquel is another American Idol alum from Florida, but hopefully this time around, she will get more airtime as it felt like we never got to know her during her time on Idol. She was on Season 17 which occurred about 2.5 years ago and was cut during the Top 20 round. She often sang loungey type music on Idol that was a mix of jazz and r & b. That style will probably suit The Voice more ,as people won’t use the “her style is dated” critique as much. Her runs kind of intrigued me on Idol, but I’m sure a few years has benefited her vocal control, as sometimes they came across as too much.
Top 20 Solo Lovefool:
Crazy Cover:
Katherine Ann Mohler
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Katherine (nickname KK) Ann Mohler appeared on AGT as a member of the group One Voice, also known as, Briarcrest’s One Voice. She may have one of my favorite voices of the season as well as my favorite pre-season cover of “Islands” by Sara Bareilles. She is a perfect mix of pop, Christian contemporary music, and a little bit of soul. She also was the first contestant spotted in a promo of the season, sporting a bright pink top; the promo has since been removed. I can’t wait to see Katherine Anne on the big stage.
One Voice AGT Audition:
“Islands” Cover:
Carson Peters
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Carson is a 16-year-old, so he also could be in the “prodigy” category, as he is exactly that. He’s been performing for years. He was on Little Big Shots where he sang and played the fiddle. He’s made appearances on the CMAs and the Grand Ole Opry. He’s also got a decent sized fan base on Tik Tok with 14.5K followers. He’s got a great tone for modern country with enough soul and experience in bluegrass to also please the more traditional country fans. And he’s versatile enough to take on pop music as displayed on his Tik Tok. I love the little pop of rasp in his voice, and his versatility could take him far.
“I Fall Apart” Cover: WATCH
Opry performance:
Jonathan Mouton
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Jonathan is an R&B/gospel singer who appeared on I Can See Your Voice. He has one of the best covers of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” and I’m usually harsh about covers of that song because it has been done so often. He isn’t the most original singer, but he does have a big voice with very good control over his runs. And his pitch is so good, it’s like having built-in autotune. I’m not sure if he’s unique enough to stand out, but his vocals may very well take him far on the show.
Note: there isn’t an individual video of Jonathan’s performance, but he was on Season 1, Episode 5
“Rise Up” Cover:
KCK3
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Sister Trio made up of Kaitlynn and Kyla Keller as well as Chelsea Cooper sings a mixture of R&B and pop music. They appeared on Nickelodeon’s America’s Most Musical Family. Their solos aren’t what makes them stand out to me. Their harmonies sound tight as a group and when the three of them sing together, it sounds like a bigger group. I’m not sure if they stand out next to the fellow groups (see groups section), but I think that Coach Ariana Grande would suit this group as they sound very pop-centric with a slight gospel influence
Appearance on TV:
POV cover:
THE VETERAN HITMAKER
Wendy Moten
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Wendy Moten had a hit with “Come In Out of the Rain” in 1992. It charted at 55 in the US and charted in several countries. At the time, she drew comparisons to Whitney Houston. And who knows, had this hit come sooner, maybe Wendy would’ve have become a bigger star. She may just be the “plantiest” act we have seen. Yes, we’ve had our share of plants like Cassadee Pope, Christina Grimmie (rest in peace), and E.G. Daily. Will The Voice’s audience vote for a 55-year-old? I didn’t think so until I saw Wendy. I think she could very well be our winner. She sings country music as well. She was a backing vocalist for Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, and a lead vocalist for Vince Gill.
“Come In Out of the Rain”:
Opry performance:
WHY SO MANY GROUPS?!
The Joy Reunion
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The Joy Reunion is a country trio from Southern California that is rooted in worship. According to their website, two of the members, Gentry Monreal and Robert Easley have played together in church for 20 years, and the third member, Neil Morrison started playing in 2008. This group wasn’t founded until 2017. What stands out about this trio? Female lead vocalist Gentry Monreal sounds like a professional country vocalist. She gives off shades of Hillary Scott. The other members can hold their own as well.
“You Should Probably Leave” cover:
Jim & Sasha Allen
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Father/son duo Jim and Sasha will most likely be an emotional audition. Sasha is transgender, and I’m sure this audition will be a tale of acceptance. It’s rather rare that a parent auditions with their child. I think the mother/daughters group Worth the Wait was the first example of this. Sasha has the biggest following out of anyone on Tik Tok this season with 567.6K followers. My guess is that this duo will sing folk music as they both have lovely folk tones. Their harmonies are what stands out just from this single clip I found of them. I’m excited to see more of Jim and Sasha singing together.
Instagram Sasha’s Instagram Jim’s Instagram Sasha’s Tik Tok
Jim and Sasha Livestream:
Girl Named Tom
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My favorite group of the season is sibling trio, Girl Named Tom. Like Joy Reunion, everyone can hold their own (Becca, Caleb, Joshua) vocally. The only difference is, lead vocalist, Becca Liechty is one to watch out for. She’s one of my favorite voices of this season, and I think even if she was solo, she would go far. This trio has tight harmonies, is versatile as they can sing folk, pop, and country. I have a good feeling about this trio. They are one of my favorites this season.
“Daddy Lessons”: WATCH
The Cunningham Sisters
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Another sibling-based group is this duo, The Cunningham Sisters, made up of Macie and Marie Cunningham. These siblings remind me of a more polished Hello Sunday. They have a somewhat gospel vibe mixed in with pop and R&B music. Similar to KCK3, I don’t think they stand out as lead vocalists, but Macie and Marie’s harmonies are gorgeous and are what could take these two far. The duo have been performing since a young age and are still quite young. Macie was 15 at the time of their first audition and Marie was 13. They will only grow from here.
“Stand Up” cover:
YOUNG PRODIGIES
Keilah Grace
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Keilah is a gifted 15-year-old singer-songwriter who also acts and models. She is from New York City. She sounds very young, but her compositions are very poppy and based on her originals, she is technically sound singing intricate runs, and she also is a harmonizer. She sounds as if she’s influenced by Tori Kelly especially with her runs. I’m not sure how far Keilah will go, but she is one talented individual.
“Ride” (Original): WATCH
Sophia Bromberg
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16-year-old Sophia doesn’t have a lot of singing videos, but from what I’ve found, she is gifted too. Her tone is very angelic with just a slight raspiness to it. Her voice would lend itself well to jazz music. Her voice isn’t the most powerful, but I could see her head voice wow the judges in her audition.
“Ocean Eyes”: WATCH
Hailey Mia
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Ending it with the biggest prodigy of the season, Hailey Mia. She is only 13 years old, yet she is very polished. Her ability to emote and really belt it out should make her one to watch out for. She knows how to use the little imperfections and breaks in her voice to create beautiful moments in her songs. She’s one of the best teens to audition since Brynn Cartelli based on her stuff online.
“Falling” Cover:
CLASSIC SOUNDS
Paris Winningham
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Paris was featured in the recent promo as a Navy Vet. He is a religious singer from Jacksonville, Florida. On his Instagram, Paris lists that he is a professional singer-songwriter. He’s got a very classic sound that includes gospel and R&B. If he is on the right team and gets the right songs, he could deliver a few big vocal moments.
Paris Live Vocals: WATCH
KJ Jennings
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KJ is a Berklee College of Music student. Berklee continues to shine in these music shows with several students auditioning for The Voice and American Idol. KJ sings mostly standards and jazz songs and is very good at what she does. She occasionally mixes in some indie music into her covers. From a technique standpoint, KJ has it down. I’m not sure how she’ll do as jazz singers don’t tend to go far on this show.
“Misty” Cover: WATCH
Peedy Chavis
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Peedy is a traditional folk singer that also sings country. His tone could draw people in, especially some of the older audience who are generally active voters. In a season without a lot of traditional country singers, Peedy could do well. He is a bit raw with a lack of range, but his tone is very easy to listen to. He also has some theater experience at his high school, so he’s used to the stage.
“Dixieland Delight”:
Wyatt Michael
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Wyatt is a standards singer, often flipping pop songs and also singing the traditional standards. He is a Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra styled crooner with a very strong voice. As I said with KJ, I’m not sure how well this genre will do, and depending on battle partners, sometimes these singers have a tough time on this show.
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams”:
Clint Sherman
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Clint is a mix of blues, country, and rock singer-songwriter. His music sounds more traditional country/southern rock to me with influences from Elvis. He’s from Dallas, Texas. He’s got a nice rasp to his voice, but he’s also a bit raw vocally from what I’ve seen. Most of his clips are a bit out of date, so maybe he’s grown vocally.
Live Vocals:
BEAUTIFUL TONE
Aaron Hines
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I decided to categorize worship singer, Aaron from San Antonio in his own category as his tone is gorgeous. He sounds like many modern worship singers, and I think he might have a career down the line. Listening to him gave me chills, so I’m excited to see what he does when he hits The Voice stage.
“It Is So”:
MALE HEARTHROBS
David Vogel
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David is a pretty current sounding alternative/indie singer with pop and rock influences and is the frontman of a band named JADN. He could be a heartthrob this season, getting votes from an admiring female audience. Plus, his tone is beautiful.
“Adore You”: WATCH
Chavon Rodgers
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Chavon auditioned for American Idol in 2020 and wasn’t aired. His tone is angelic, and he is also an excellent guitar player. He is a pop singer with some indie and slight rock influences. His falsetto is a strong suit, and I’m very excited to see what music he tackles on the show.
“Somebody To Love”: WATCH
“Make You Feel My Love”:
Jack Rogan
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Jack Rogan (18-year-old) is another teen that has me intrigued. He was on the shortlist of contestants back in Season 13, but he has used the past few years to polish his talent. He’s got an alternative vibe that I totally dig, and his tone is one that gives chills. He can take on pop, rock, and folk, including both classics and current tunes. But his spin on songs is always fresh. One of his downfalls could be that he is very raw vocally. His enunciation is a little rough around the edges, but his tone is one of the best of the entire season. I think if he makes it far, he might get some votes from the teens who watch the show.
“Godspeed” Cover: WATCH
FEMALE POWERHOUSES WHO CAN SING THEIR FACES OFF
Holly Forbes
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Holly might just be TPTB’s chosen one. She was featured in the first contestant-centric promo. She gives off singer-songwriter vibes that remind me of Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile. I can’t wait to hear her on the stage as vocally, she is nearly flawless. You don’t want to miss out on hearing Holly, she is that good. She might just be the definition of The Voice.
PROMO of Rocket Man HERE.
“The Story”:
Ryleigh Plank
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Ryleigh is another one to watch out for. She’s a belter that reminds me of Jessie J. She had a few covers go viral on Tik Tok. Her range is IMPRESSIVE. She also thrives on up tempo numbers and can also take on big 80s dance numbers. She is one entertaining singer that will probably bring stage presence to The Voice stage.
“Queen Of The Night” viral cover: WATCH
Shadale Johnson
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Shadale doesn’t have a ton of content on socials or YouTube, but she’s another gifted R&B singer on this season. Her tone is one of my favorites. Her runs are silky smooth. The clip I did choose for her is 6 years old, but it showcases her beautiful voice. She sings with a tone that reminds me of Rihanna.
“Snow in California”:
Jershika Maple
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Jershika is a worship singer that can deliver chill-worthy vocals. She doesn’t have a lot of material on socials, but her original “I Give” is gorgeous and is one of my favorites pre-season. Her tone is everything. She reminds me a little bit of Kymberli Joye. She is good friends with The Voice finalist Rose Short.
“I Give”:
Brittany Bree
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Brittany “Bree” Black is another gospel/soul tinged R&B singer. She is also a very good vocalist. I’m not sure if I should classify her as a powerhouse, but her runs are silky smooth, and she is bound to deliver a few great vocal moments on the show.
The Clark Sisters Cover Clip: WATCH
Gymani
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Gymani reminds me a bit of Ali Caldwell (The Voice 11, The Four 2). She’s a pop-tinged soul singer who puts a lot of feeling into her performance. I got chills from her live singing that wasn’t even the best quality. She’s one to watch out for as she is a beast of a vocalist.
Halo Live:
COUNTRY CROONERS
Lana Scott
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Lana has one of the more unique tones this season. She also is a Berklee alum. She’s an indie country singer similar to the style of a Kacey Musgraves as she has some pop influences in her singing. Her tone is definitely an acquired taste, but it could stand out against her fellow competitors, both in the pop field and country field. Additionally, she’s versatile.
“Better Than We Found It”: WATCH
Parker McKay
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Parker McKay is a Nashville based country-pop singer and sometimes she is a bit soulful as well as displayed in some of her covers. She has seen some minor success. Her cover of “Anyone” by Justin Bieber was added to the Country: Fresh Finds playlist on Spotify.
“Anyone”:
Kinsey Rose
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Kinsey is the most traditional country singer out of these three. She had a song featuring Vince Gill and is well-known in the Nashville community. She’s a solid vocalist. If she goes far, she could get a large chunk of the country vote. In 2020, she nearly decided to quit music, and she credits her Voice audition as giving her hope.
Kinsey with Vince Gill:
Berritt Haynes
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Berritt is a 19-year-old singer from Alabama. He’s traditional country and is a bit raw. I’d say he’s more like Ethan Lively than a Kenzie Wheeler or Avery Roberson type when it comes to vocals as he’s a bit underbaked. He and Kinsey are the only two traditional country singers this season, so if one makes it far, they could go deep.
“You Look So Good in Love”: WATCH
EDGY ARTISTS
Sabrina Dias
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Sabrina is an energetic pop singer who isn’t the best vocalist, but she will be interesting to see on The Voice stage. Her energy comes across even on her online covers. Her tone is a little raspy, and she sports a purple hairdo. I’m excited to see her song choices and vocals on The Voice stage.
“Delicate”: WATCH
Samuel Harness
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Samuel is a versatile singer that could sing all stages. His raspy tone gives me shades of Post Malone. which is why he is on my watchlist. He’s raw in a good way and very current sounding. He might be a polarizing for The Voice stage as singers like him usually don’t last very long. But nevertheless, I think Samuel is a very good singer.
“How To Save A Life”: WATCH
LiBianca
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LiBianca is from my hometown, Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am excited, as Minnesotans aren’t often on these shows. She is a very current sounding R&B singer with some hip-hop influences in her songs. She has a lot of original material. We haven’t had a ton of R&B singers who sound as current as LiBianca. She sounds as if she’s ready to hit the radio. I’m excited to see what style of music she takes on, on the show.
Freestyle: WATCH
MY SISTER SLAYED THE VOICE STAGE
Samara Brown
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Samara is Amanda Brown’s sister who placed fifth in Season 3. She also has a lot of power in her voice. Her range is impressive with a very strong head voice. She sings a lot of 80s music and has a lot of fun on stage.
“Kiss”: WATCH
PERFECT POP TONES
Bella DeNapoli
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Bella is pop perfection. She has covers that range from Rihanna to Olivia Rodrigo. Her voice is a little soulful. A few years ago she sounded a bit raw, but her current covers display great control over her voice. Her website says she has trained with some legendary people like Dave Stroud who has worked with Bieber and Michael Jackson. She also trained a little with American Idol judge Kara Dioguardi.
“Happier”: WATCH
Manny Keith
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Manny Keith is another talented soulful pop vocalist based in Miami, Florida. He is good friends with America’s Got Talent and The Voice contestant Brooke Simpson. He sings a variety of music, both ballads and up tempo numbers. He also has pretty good control over his voice.
“Don’t Make It Harder On Me” Cover with Brooke Simpson:
Joshua Vacanti
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Joshua is a worship leader from New York with an angelic tone that lends itself well to pop music. He often sings with his wife. There isn’t a lot of material of him online, but what is out there, sounds good as his tone is very pleasant and clear.
Sign of the times: WATCH
Carolina Alonso
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Carolina is a raw pop singer, but she does have a lot of power in her voice and a pretty tone. Her clips that I found are about a year old, so maybe she has improved her control since then. She often sings in Spanish, so I bet Kelly will turn for her as she’s usually a sucker for Spanish singers.
“I Have Nothing”: WATCH
Vaughn Mugol
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Vaughn was featured in the new promo as well. He is an RN who sings to his patients. Vaughn has a great voice for ballads and sings a lot of Sam Smith type ballads. I’m not sure if he’s as experienced as a lot of the bunch as his clips are mainly just him singing at home. But we will see when he auditions.
“I’m Not the Only One”:
Xavier Trinity Cornell
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Xavier has a very smooth tone. He has been involved in theater and acapella productions, so he should be used to the spotlight. I’m not sure if his voice has enough power to stand out, but his tone is perfect for acoustic music.
“Swollen” (Francisco Martin cover): WATCH
Kaitlyn Velez
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Kaitlyn and KJ are good friends, and she’s also a Berklee student from New York. She plays ukulele and does tutorials. She’s a solid songwriter with good control over her runs and she sounds like she would be the perfect fit on Team Ari.
Hotline Bling:WATCH
ROCK VIBES
Tommy Edwards
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Tommy is probably the closest to rock out of the males this season. I’d classify him more as blues with a little soul. We’ve had singers like him before. He’s pretty polished, but nothing sticks out about him that screams that he’ll go far. I do like his Hozier cover that I left below.
“Work Song”:
Katie Mortimer
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Katie is the closest to rock for the females on this season. She doesn’t have a lot of material, but she has this one solid cover of Foy Vance’s Make It Rain. The judges will probably be shocked by her audition, as her voice is ultra-soulful. I love her vibrato. She would sound good singing pop/rock and blues. I’m excited to see what she does if she makes it onto the show.
“Make it Rain”: WATCH
