Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Lucas Holliday during his blind audition on The Voice.

In the span of a year, Lucas Holliday has gone from singing cashier to a Top 24 contestant on The Voice.

It all started when a customer filmed him singing while checking out customers at The Dollar General Store.

The video went viral. The next thing Lucas knew, he was appearing on Good Morning America and singing on stage with Maxwell at a show in Detroit.

Next came The Voice, where he landed a spot on Team Jennifer Hudson and won a battle round following an impressive performance of “My Perogative” with Meagan McNeal. He was eliminated in the knockout round, but Jennifer was so impressed with Lucas that she made him her team’s comeback performer.

In truth, Lucas has been singing for quite a while. He’s part of a funk-soul-rock band called Tell Yo Mama back in Michigan. The band released an album last year and Lucas released a solo EP.

Here’s what Lucas told Voice Views about his time on the show and his music moving forward.

Lucas Holliday during his playoff performance on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Lucas: Virtually every day I’ve been back home has been spent on music-related groundwork and preparing for the next step. I literally just recorded some scratch recordings and leads for several new originals in the making, and soon I’ll be laying down the final vocals for all of them. I’m always writing so that’s nothing too new, but I will say I’ve been extremely inspired lately. It’s not hard to come up with strong material these days.

Voice Views: Where do you see The Voice experience leading you musically?

Lucas: I believe my time on The Voice has truly opened many doors for me in the industry. This show basically lays a vast network of artists and talent buyers at your feet, and so every step counts. In my case, due to my viral notice a year ago, I’ve already been down the road of hearing many different voices in my ear with every kind of offer imaginable, so at this point, I feel more precise and ready to make the leaps necessary to fulfill my passions. You will hear from me again in due time, this is something I firmly believe.

Voice Views: Do you anticipate releasing more music of your own? Or with Tell Yo Mama? If so, any timetable? Any hint as to what fans can expect in terms of genre/sound?

Lucas: I am absolutely pushing forward with my own work and my own vision at this point. And of course, there continues to be more and more work with the band, and so far my solo efforts haven’t conflicted with Tell Yo Mama’s schedule.

As time goes on, this will likely change, but I am writing and recording material to be released on many fronts. If I were to place a timetable on it, I’d say be ready for some records before the holidays, but nothing is set in stone yet.

The style is definitely rooted in the R&B traditions I grew up around, but I’m really trying to branch off with more funky, more upbeat, smash hit styled music, and always with my own tinge of soul in the recipe.

Voice Views: Other than the other artists you met and the hometown support, what will you remember most about The Voice experience? Do you think you grew as a musician? And, if so, how?

Lucas: I feel like this chapter of my life has shown me that the pursuits of my passion have not been in vain. During the course of my tenure on this show, I’ve been awakened to my own potential and my own choices. Whether perceived as successes or failures, I made them and saw them through. I didn’t stand by idly and watch my life pass me by, I took the reins and I tried. And in that, I see no failure.

I’ve met many beautiful spirits who also gave their all, and I think in due time, you will see an influx of artistry and creative power coming from all of us. I know that no contestant is going back to their lives and settling for just all right any longer. We hunger for greatness, and maybe we’ll starve to get it, but success is inevitable.

Here are Lucas’s social media links:
Instagram
Twitter: @TheLukeHolliday
YouTube
Facebook

Meagan McNeal and Lucas Holliday during battle round rehearsals on The Voice. (NBC Photo)