After the judges pick their teams, two contestants from each team go head-to-head in the “battle round.” Each judge can pick only one of the two artists to remain on their team — effectively cutting the team in half — but the other judges can choose to steal the rejected artist. Eventually, each judge culls his or her team down, and the decision is put in America’s hands during the live shows. One contestant is eliminated each week, based on votes, until “The Voice” is crowned. But the experience isn’t just for the unknown. It’s also a stardom opportunity for artists who have experienced a taste of fame. Such is the case for Pope, the 23-year-old Wellington High School alum known for being the front woman of the band Hey Monday. Though she toured the world with her band, The Voice is a way to make a name for herself as a solo artist. “I never really saw myself doing something like this,” Pope said. “But I watched The Voice the last few seasons, and they have been very open about the fact that they give established artists another chance.” Pope said she was drawn to the show because of its willingness to let artists define themselves. “I love how raw it is,” she said. “It’s a very organic show. There are no gimmicks. They let the artists do their own thing and recreate songs in their own way.” For Paige, it was the nature of the show that inspired her to try out. “I’ve been singing for nine years,” she said. “I’d seen other reality shows, but the way The Voice was structured made me want to be a part of it.” Though Paige and Pope walked two very different paths to make it to The Voice, once they stepped onstage, each had an equal shot to impress the judges with her voice alone. “It was terrifying,” Pope said. “That day, I said to myself, ‘If they don’t turn around, I don’t know if I should still be doing this.’”
Michaela Paige performs P!nk’s hit “Sober” during the blind auditions, prompting judge Blake Shelton to turn his chair around, inviting the 16-year-old with a mohawk to join his team.
|wellington the magazine| November 2012
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