It’s a new season of The Voice! And you know what that means. PLANTS! Well, not plants exactly. And I ain’t even mad. Because this is how The Voice rolls. They cast the show with the best singers they can find. Some of them happen to have extensive experience!
The producers will mention that a singer’s background, but usually craft a back story that doesn’t go into extensive detail. That’s where we come in! We’ve got info on two professional singers who performed on tonight’s blind auditions.
Melissa Jimenez, 29, and Sisaundra Lewis, 45 both have had some success in the industry, but find themselves without record deals.
We learn that Melissa flat out lost a record deal. She was signed by Steve Rifkind to SRC Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group and released a single, “Untouchable”, which she co-wrote with Claude Kelly, in 2007. An album, titled Signed, Sealed and Delivered was scheduled for 2008, but was never released.
She worked with a ton of artists, including Swizz Beats, Rapper Beanie Sigel, and others, who featured her on their records. Wyclef Jean featured her on the songs “Selena” and “Touch Your Button” from his 2007 album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant. Melissa toured with him that year.
She also toured Europe performing on stage with Nile Rodgers and Chic beginning in 2009.
Melissa wrote and performed the song “Dance With Me”, included in the major motion picture soundtrack First Daughter, directed by Forest Whitaker.
That’s a pretty impressive for an artist who hasn’t even hit 30!
Sisaundra Lewis was presented to us as if she, literally, just fell off of a fruit truck. We learn that she’s the daughter of itinerant fruit pickers who gave the singer their blessings to go forth and follow her dream! Not mentioned: Her long career doing voiceover/jingle work in TV commercials. Correction: Actually, Celine Dion sent a video good luck message after it was mentioned Sisaundra worked as her vocal coach. She also scored a Billboard #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart with a tune called “Shout.”
She’s also worked with artists such as Peabo Bryson and Celiné Dion. She is currently singing with Cirque du Soleil’s show La Nouba after a two-year break to pursue her solo career and is also featured on the La Nouba DVD, filmed live in 2003.
