Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Blind audition: Elia Esparza, 23, El Paso, Texas, opted to audition in Spanish, singing “Como La Flor” by Selena. Her first run through of the chorus prompted a chair turn from Adam Levine. By the time the song ended, Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus had turned as well. Adam complimented her on being different and “refreshing.” Elia joined Team Adam.

Her background: Both of her parents are from Mexico and she describes her family as “very Mexican.” Growing up, Elia says she “always performed.” And once she reached high school, she describes herself as “full theater, full choir. I knew that’s where my lane is.” After school, she moved to New York, where she entertains at kid’s birthday parties as Bubbles with her buddy Bobo. She also performs as a singer about twice a month. She said her decision to sing in Spanish was a risk, but a chance to catch “the judges’ ear.”

What the show didn’t show:
* The move to New York was inspired by a scholarship to the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, a school that accepts only 150 students per year, according to The Voice website.
* At the time, Elia says she wanted to do it all — acting, music, theater. In a “How to be an Artist” video you can watch here, she says she knew at a very young age that she wanted to perform in some fashion. It was after her conservatory experience that she decided to focus 100 percent on music because it would allow her “to be myself.”
* For a young lady who performs as a clown at birthday parties, she has an impressive musical resume that includes a seven-track self-titled pop EP from 2015, a music video and a single called “Phoenix” released earlier this year.
* During a conference call with the media, Elia said the EP “was sort of a first step into the waters of what I want to do” and that she thinks she’s refined who she is as an artist and singer even more since then.
* “I’m definitely pop music,” she explains. “But I think now over the years that I’ve developed as an artist I’m more pop with mixed a little bit of soul, a little bit of Latin, elements of rock and roll and throw back.”
* Elia says she writes all her own music and if fans could listen to just one of her original tracks, she’d want it to be “Avenue” from that EP. “It’s a really upbeat fun song. It’s got the soul it’s got the rock and roll and it really gets people going.”
* In addition to her original music, Elia would seem well prepared for The Voice. She’s posted lots of covers on her YouTube page, singing songs by Rihanna, Adele, Sia and even Taylor Swift. A couple of her originals are posted below. Unfortunately, “Avenue” isn’t on YouTube or Soundcloud, but you can listen to a snippet on iTunes, of course.
* Her advice to other artists in that “How To” video: “Things take time. Do not overthink. And meet people. Expand your network.”

Keeping up with Elia:
Twitter: @mseliamaria
Facebook
YouTube