Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Micah Iverson listens to the coaches’ feedback following his blind audition on The Voice Season 18. (NBC Photo)

You never would have know it from his confident delivery of Kodaline’s “All I Want” during the blind auditions on The Voice.

Micah’s performance prompted a quick chair turn from Kelly Clarkson and, eventually, from Nick Jonas and Blake Shelton as well.

Even John Legend, who didn’t turn, complimented Micah’s vocals and said he regretted not doing so.

Here’s what Micah, 25, told Voice Views about his blind audition experiene.

Voice Views: How did you wind up auditioning for The Voice Season 18 and what prompted you to do it? Had you ever tried a show like this in the past?

Micah: One of my best friends actually prompted me to sign up for the Atlanta auditions. For weeks leading up to the initial audition, he would send me the link and tell me to “just do it.” A few days before the audition, I finally agreed.

I’ve never done anything like this before, and it was incredibly intimidating. A lot of people who try out for this sort of thing have some kind of established brand, and I felt very artistically average. Plenty of people looked like they were already famous. But the cool thing about the creators of the Voice is that they don’t want you to walk in polished and perfect –– they want someone with passion and talent who can learn to hone their craft. They take an investment in each of us, and I think that makes the show stand out.

Voice Views: Why did you choose “All I Want” for your audition song? What’s your performance history with that song (for instance, is it one you’ve played often)?

Micah: Sad music is my favorite. It helps me connect with those parts of myself that might be difficult to visit on my own. All I Want is no exception. It’s a song about unrequited love, something I have experienced more than once. It is a difficult romantic event that everyone goes through at some point, and my ability to connect with the music and lyrics made it an obvious first choice. I have only played it once at a house show.

Voice Views: Did you have a coaching preference heading into the blind audition? And why did you go with Kelly?

Micah: Kelly has always been my top pick. I’ve been saying it since the first audition. The quality I value most in a leader or role model is humility, and I think Kelly exemplifies that virtue well. Don’t get me wrong, she has confidence to spare, but she is clearly someone who selflessly invests in the artists she works with. Additionally, I can’t get over her sound. I think she may be the most musically/vocally versatile of all four coaches, and as someone who is also genre-non-conforming (yes I just came up with that phrase), I thought she would be a fantastic guide for me on the Voice.

My second pick was Nick, and I found myself very close to choosing him. He was so much more earnest and real than I anticipated. However, I am 100% satisfied with my choice to join #TeamEstrogen.

Voice Views: And what was that blind audition experience like? You weren’t even a minute into the performance and Kelly turned around, and you got rave reviews from all the coaches?

Micah: I was surprisingly not very nervous for the blind audition. I said a prayer, thanked the team backstage for all they’d done, and walked out. The room was utterly silent, and all I could see were the silhouettes of a thousand strangers and the backs of four very intimidating chairs. Once I started singing, the song found me and I was content to just enjoy the moment.

It took me a second to realize that Kelly had turned. At one point I opened my eyes and she was sitting there, smiling at me. I smiled back and got back into it. I totally missed Nick and Blake turning, and didn’t realize they had until the song was over!

Hearing the coaches speak to me about my own voice was surreal. Kelly said it was “haunting” at one point, which was so cool to hear. John said I had an “ethereal” quality to my voice and admitted to regretting that he didn’t turn around, which I thought was kind. All in all, it was a very affirming experience as someone who had doubted their artistic credentials up to that point. I walked up to each coach afterwards and thanked them for the opportunity and for their feedback. I hugged Nick because I was really so close to forgoing my plan and choosing him over Kelly.

Voice Views: Now, of course, you were part of the Virginia Gentlemen at UVA, but can you tell me a bit about what you’d done as a solo performer prior to The Voice?

Micah: As a solo performer, my experience is woefully limited. I am still getting the hang of everything from writing songs to bantering with an audience. Live performing is an art in and of itself, and while I think I have some musical talent, I think I am still scratching the surface of live musical performing. The Voice has already pushed me so far outside of my comfort zone, and for that I am so grateful.

Voice Views: Do you have original music and, if so, how would you describe it? Do you have plans to release music anytime soon?

Micah: I have a lot of original music, but I am very private with it. My style is very mixed, but I would describe it as somewhere between Indie/pop and alternative. But if I could write an entire album of ballads, I would. Most of my music is drawn from personal experiences. I love natural imagery in my lyrics, and as an English major, I love to play with all sorts of poetic devices like double entendre and alliteration.

I sound nothing like him, but my largest musical inspiration is Hozier. As an English major himself, he has earned a strong command of language and it shows in his lyrical abilities. You can take the music away and still have an incredible piece of poetic literature. My goal is to write lyrics that thoughtfully creative.

For more on Micah, his a cappella group at the University of Virginia and his social media links, head here.