Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Kelsea Johnson from The Voice Season 14 is now using the stage name Aria Bleu and has a debut single out.

But she turned three chairs with her blind audition cover of “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Meghan Trainor and landed a spot on Team Alicia Keys.

Then she advanced all the way to the Top 24 before being eliminated.

Today, she’s Aria Bleu, a neo-soul artist who released her debut single, “On & On,” last month.

Here’s what Kelsea told Voice Views about that single and her stage name change.

Voice Views: Why did you change stage names?

Aria: I decided to go by a different name because for me it symbolizes a shift, a change, a re-birth almost. Kelsea Johnson the singer and Aria Bleu the artist, are two different entities. I am not the same person that I was yesterday —So I’m definitely not the same Kelsea Johnson that people were introduced to on NBC’s The Voice.

Re-naming myself is my chance to start over and be in control of my narrative and the way in which you are introduced to the authentic me. I’m giving you the chance to learn who I am the same way that I had to learn myself. And the best way for me to do that, is through Aria Bleu.

Voice Views: Why the name Aria Bleu?

Aria: I wish I had a super cool story about how this name has so much meaning and is so impactful and I couldn’t imagine ever going by any other name. But that’s simply not true.

For me, the act of changing my name was much more important than the name itself. I think it’s a beautiful name and it definitely has a ring to it that coincides with the vibe of the music that I make, so after hearing it a couple of times it felt natural and I felt like I could honestly see myself using it as my alias. So I decided to stick with it.

Voice Views: Who wrote this song and why did you choose it as your debut single?

Aria: I wrote “On & On”  myself. In this song, I wanted to capture that moment where the power shift in a toxic relationship happens. It’s that moment where you finally see everything so clearly and you’re no longer being blinded by the smoke and mirrors of that person’s lies and manipulation tactics. You’re just over it.

Quite frankly, while that person is going on and on and on about how they’ll change and be better this time around, you’re just growing annoyed with the conversation altogether. You let them have whatever closure they need, but you’ve already made up your mind and there’s nothing they can say to change it.

I chose this song as my single because of how much of a relatable moment it is for a lot of people. It serves as an empowering moment for people who may still be in that situation and are gaining the courage to stand up for themselves and no longer allow their partner’s rambling to keep them in an unhealthy relationship.

Voice Views: Any timetable for the EP that will follow?

Aria: I do not have an exact time set for my EP’s release. I really just wanted to see where my single, On & On, takes me before I embark on that journey. The songs are done and ready to go. I’m just waiting for the timing to feel right and that’s when I’ll release it. You can only release your debut EP once, so I definitely don’t want to rush it.