Normally I don't become sucked into watching a talent search show or a live voting show. But back in April, while flipping through the channels one evening, I came across a television show that seemed backwards, literally. The television angle showed the judges facing away from the contestants and towards the audience. Weird, I thought. So, I stayed on the channel for a couple more moments and I was impressed by what I saw.
What appeared to be just another show in the long list of talent shows searching for the next singing sensation, this one had a bit of a twist to it. What I was seeing was what I would come to know as the blind audition process on a television show called The Voice. The judges, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, sat with their big red chairs facing the audience with a 'selection button' in front of them. The judges were picking four 'voices' based on solely that, their voice.
With the goal of picking the voice that would win the competition, the judges were forced to select four contestants, without basing their choice on his or her look or stage presence. Upon turning around, the judges were more often than not, surprised at the face that belonged to the voice.
And surprised they should be if they were expecting a typical talent search face. The singers, as eclectic as their voices, show the diversity of who a great voice can come out of. The contestants are completely different in persona and come in all sizes and shapes, all colours and backgrounds, and with varying levels of professional training and experience.
The contestants varied from a shy 16-year-old girl from California to a 41-year-old rocker-chick from Florida. They include the acoustic-rock talents of an inspiring 26-year-old Vicci Martinez to the soulful stylings of 36-year-old Nakia. There is the 31-year-old Frenchie Davis, who was previously disqualified from American Idol and the heart-warming sounds from 33-year-old Javier Colon.
While the list goes on and on, there is one thing that this diverse group has in common. They are just a bunch of average Joes with amazing voices that have rocked the live stage at NBC studio over the past two months.
It is well-known in the singing profession that success can largely be attributed to looks. Artists of all kinds spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year looking perfect, or looking "perfect" in regards to industry standards.
Expenses such as Botox or liposuction, enhancement and reduction procedures and fake additions such as extensions or dye-jobs are common practice for industry stars, who often keep their manicurist, hair stylists or wardrobe consultants on speed dial.
But when did it begin to matter more about what was on the outside, then what was on the inside? What does how well you sing have to do with what you look like? Previous American Idol judge Simon Cowell has done a remarkable job of showing this judgement. He has criticized singers again and again for their looks. His statements have been quoted as we are "going to have a bigger stage this year" in references to competitor Mandisa's weight. And it was made very clear that Cowell didn't appear to care much for Jennifer Hudson's weight.
While the competition has turned toward the 'popular vote' by viewers in its final stages, I can say that I am happy to have seen this type of program hit the television line-up. It is a good reminder not to judge a book from its cover because by doing so, you will never discover the true talents and treasures that lie within.
