‘Absolute dream.’ Kentucky ‘Voice’ singers got on Jonas, Legend teams. What’s next?
Kentuckians are making a strong showing on this season of NBC’s “The Voice.”
On Monday night, Fort Knox-based Army recruiting college instructor Samuel Wilco sent coaches Kelly Clarkson and Nick Jonas spinning their chairs with his smooth rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Lately.”
And last week, Zach Day, a native of Stearns, joined coach John Legend’s team after a performance of SWV’s 1992 hit “Weak” that got Clarkson to turn around.
After the blind auditions stage of the competition is finished and the teams are formed, performers will continue on to battle rounds and knockout rounds pitting members of the same team against each other. Finally, the remaining competitors will perform on live shows, and the television audience will vote for their favorites.
Wilco, 39, said in an interview Tuesday that “The Voice” is his wife’s favorite show, and he decided to audition because of her encouragement.
“I watch it with her, and she’s always saying, ‘I can see you on there,’” he said.
Wilco, who grew up singing in church and continues to sing as part of a worship band, describes his musical influences as “a mixture of rock and soul and, I would say, R&B.”
But regardless of what genre he’s singing, he said his focus is always on choosing songs with an inspirational theme.
Wilco, originally from South Carolina, has been based at Fort Knox for the past three years. He said he plans to retire from his career with the Army in a year, and he’d love to be able to have a second career singing songs that help draw people closer together and closer to God.
Wilco can’t divulge specifics about upcoming episodes of the show, but, he said, “So far, it has been an absolute dream, and I’ve had a great time.”
Wilco ultimately decided to join Jonas’ team, saying that while he loves Clarkson, “My kids love Nick.”
He said he has 18-year-old twins and a 12-year-old daughter.
Day, 26, said he’s spent years balancing work, school and singing anywhere he could.
So when the opportunity to audition in Louisville for “The Voice” arose, he said he decided to take it.
“I want to make music full time,” he said. “That’s all I want to do.”
Day said he grew up listening to his mother and aunt’s old cassette tapes of The Carpenters and the Mamas and the Papas. He once found a tape of karaoke tracks for songs by ABBA and wrote his own lyrics to them, only to hear the actual songs years later, he said.
“I really was drawn to female artists,” he said.
As he’s matured, Day said he’s been influenced by alternative, indie and folk sounds.
“I try to be as versatile as possible,” he said.
Day made it to Hollywood Week on “American Idol” in 2014.
“I learned a lot,” he said of the experience.
Day most recently lived in Richmond, but he said Tuesday that he had moved to Nashville two days ago, and was “just trying to kind of keep my eyes peeled for how I can help” in the aftermath of tornadoes that had ripped through the area.
Kentucky has a history of successful contestants on “The Voice,” most notably Jordan Smith, of Coldiron, who won the competition in 2015.
Day said he has performed in the past with MaKenzie Thomas, of Fleming County, who made it to “The Voice’s” Top 10 in 2018.
This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 7:42 AM.
