Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Rio Souma, 28, of Detroit, Michigan, auditioned with “Cruisin’” by Smokey Robinson. He got an almost immediate chair turn from Gwen, followed quickly by John and Kelly. Kelly called him “wonderful” and complimented him on making unique choices. John called him a phenomenal vocalist and said he deserved to be a four-chair turn. Rio opted to join Team John.

Here’s more about Rio:

* He started singing at age 5 and his family enrolled him in music programs and the local choir, according to his Voice bio.

* Rio told Voice Views his biggest performance prior to The Voice came when he won a local contest at age 15 and got to sing the national anthem for the Detroit Tigers.

* Rio told The Voice that he came out as gay at age 17. He turned to singing, performing and songwriting as a way to express himself.

* Rio said he was 23 when he started writing songs and performing at venues around Detroit.

* Asked to describe his music, Rio called it “a mixture of neo soul, R&Bb and hip hop. I really love to write and I love harmony. I want my music to feel like poetry.”

* He’s worked on the assembly line at Chrysler for three years and helps attach fuel tanks to
about 680 cars per day.

* “I like working at the plant,” he told The Voice. “It’s great money. It’s a job a lot of
people in this city covet, but it’s just not where my heart is. I’ve been wanting to do music for so long I’m willing to leave my job for it if I have to.”

* Rio told Voice Views he’s auditioned for shows like The voice “a few times,” starting ever since he was old enough to do so.

” “Some of the ‘no’s’ I received would make me feel bad. As I grew older, I began shrugging them off and developing a thicker skin,” he said. “Having those experiences build character and they build a shield. Rome was not built in one day and success as a singer of ANY genre does not happen overnight.”

* Rio described his blind audition experience as “surreal — everything I thought it would be PLUS MORE. The experience you have on that stage is simply magical. My mother’s reaction, my sister’s and brother’s and father’s reaction. There’s nothing like it. I can’t wait to show my grandchildren.”

Rio on social media:
Instagram
Twitter