Idol Chatter & Voice Views

No, JR Aquino doesn’t live in an igloo.

Nor does he ice fish nor travel by dog sled.

He does hail from Anchorage, Alaska, though, and the music scene up there isn’t exactly bustling.

“When I was younger, there was no way to be heard,” he says.

That’s why the 24-year-old turned to YouTube as a means to get out his music.

It’s been a pretty successful means. His YouTube channel has more than 475,000 subscribers, and his videos have tallied more than 50,000 views.

For his audition on The Voice, the 24-year-old sang “Just the Way You Are.”

It’s obvious early on that the guy has a great voice, prompting Christina and Adam to turn their chairs. At the last moment, Cee Lo joins them.

What the show didn’t show: JR also auditioned for American Idol, making the top 44 in Season 4, according to his Facebook page. And those YouTube videos don’t only include covers; JR writes much of his own music. You can check out one song below and should also check out his stripped-down version of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” Want a free download of any of JR’s covers? He often offers them on his blog, “The Life and Times of J.R.A.”

Editor’s Note: Check back here for live blogs when the battle rounds begin on The Voice.

JR singing an original, “By Chance (You and I)”