Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The Voice is celebrating its 20th season this spring.

And I’ve decided to celebrate too, by shining a spotlight on my all-time favorite post-Voice music.

Please note that I’m not labeling these songs as “the best” post-Voice music. That’s simply too dependent on musical tastes.

These are my favorites, songs that make me smile or move me every time I listen.

I hope you’ll celebrate these artists with me. After all, they’re the ones who have made The Voice worth watching since the show premiered April 26, 2011.

Editor’s Note: There’s also a Spotify playlist I’ll be updating weekly. Just search for Celebrating 20 Seasons of The Voice.

Tony Lucca, “Beautiful Woman, Happy Man”

Since making the Season 2 finals on The Voice, Tony Lucca has released three albums, an EP and several singles. He’s also written several songs inspired by or commissioned by Kickstarter backers. This began as one of those songs, but became much more, Tony explained. The song was commissioned by a couple from Dallas to celebrate their 20th anniversary. While writing the song, he says he “was forced to take a closer look at my own marriage and brought some of those emotions and ideas to the table. It was a truly unique writing experience.” And produced a beautiful song which, fittingly, was released on Valentine’s Day last year. For his latest project, Tony, now 45, joined forces with other former members of the Mickey Mouse Club to record a holiday album that benefitted MusiCares and other charitable organizations. Tony co-produced “Why? Because It’s Christmas,” which came out in November. Oh, and speaking of those custom songs, Tony will be performing more of them in a virtual show Wednesday night.
Tony’s Instagram. Tony Lucca on Apple Music. Tony Lucca on Spotify.

Juliet Simms, “Say Hello”

Juliet Simms has killed off Juliet Simms to become Lilith Czar. In fact, she already has one single out as Lilith (“King”) and an album (“Created from Filth and Dust”) dropping April 23. But the Season 2 runner-up released lots of great music pre-Voice as Automatic Love Letter and lots since as Juliet Simms. This fun rocker is my personal favorite. And it comes complete with a “Risky Business” style music video, which you can check out below. Wrote Juliet on Facebook: “I had so much fun shooting something that was completely out of my comfort zone, and something I would only do when I was alone at home with no one watching … The most important lessons I’ve learned in life so far are to unapologetically be yourself, not to listen to the negative things others may say, to enjoy the freedom of self expression and when the going gets tough — turn up the music and dance around your house like a freak of nature.” Oh, and be sure to watch to the end of the video for a cameo by Juliet’s husband, Andy Biersack. The song comes from Juliet’s 2016 album, “From the Grave.”
Lilith’s Instagram. Juliet Simms on Apple Music. Lilith Czar on Apple Music. Juliet Simmms on Spotify. Lilith Czar on Spotify.

Chris Mann, “Old Fashioned”

Chris has released lots of music since making the finals on The Voice Season 2. This fun song celebrates old-fashioned relationships at a time when so many people swipe on their phones, looking for their next romance. Released last April, it was also featured on Chris’s “Noise” album. And it comes with a matching music video of Chris and wife Laura adorably frolicking in their bedroom. Chris called it a song “about the swagger of keeping a relationship old school, classic, fun and not too serious … Little did we know this would be our actual date night life in 2020 quarantine.” Since The Voice, Chris also starred in a national tour of “Phantom of the Opera,” but he’s most well known recently for taking hit songs and turning them into pandemic parodies. And for racking up millions of views in the process. One of his most recent, “Quarantine Baby” — to the tune of Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar” — is especially fitting. Chris and Laura welcomed their second son, Rocky Conor Mann on Jan. 11.
Chris’s Instagram. Chris Mann on Apple Music. Chris Mann on Spotify.

Duncan Kamakana, “Midnight Stones”

Duncan earned a spot on Season 4 of The Voice, then dropped this wonderful debut single late in 2016. It celebrates his Hawaiian heritage. And it celebrates the talents of his family. The song is about King Kamehameha’s war to unite the Hawaiian islands in the late 1700s. But, Duncan said, “every line in the song is a reference to more than one idea, and like a lot of my favorite Hawaiian songs, ‘Midnight Stones’ says a great number of things while using just a few words.” In this case, he also sees the song as a call to unite the Hawaiian people. As for turning the song into a family affair — Dunan’s father, Hawaiian folk singer Jon Osorio, and his sister, slam poet Jamaica Osorio, both contribute vocals and chants to “Midnight Stones.” Duncan followed up “Midnight Stones” with a live album in 2019 and released his most recent single, “Childhood Games” in December that year.
Duncan’s Instagram. Duncan Kamakana on Apple Music. Duncan Kamakana on Spotify.

Jordy Searcy, “Explaining Jesus”

This song comes from Jordy’s excellent 2018 EP “Dark in the City,” which you should listen to in its entirety if you never have. But he knew this song was special. “When I first wrote explaining Jesus, I remember being pretty conflicted,” he says on Facebook. “I always swore I would never do Christian music, and I wasn’t sure if it fit in with the rest of my songs. I was a little scared of it, to be honest. However, I also knew it was the best song I might ever write, and that it was really important for me to follow through. Looking back just a little while later, it’s my favorite song I’ve ever been a part of, and think it might be the most important piece of music that I make … It’s been an honor to sing the good news of Jesus’ love for us to myself and to you night after night for a few years now. And it’s the biggest adventure of my life to see my perception of Jesus grow even as I sing about him with my friends. May Christ continue to show up in the most unlikely places.” He wrote that in late 2019, when the song just passed the 1 million stream mark. It’s now been streamed more than 3.4 million times on Spotify alone. Jordy appeared on Season 7.
Jordy’s Instagram. Jordy Searcy on Apple Music. Jordy Searcy on Spotify.

Adanna Duru, “Doll”

Adanna auditioned for The Voice Season 3 at 15, made the show, but was eliminated in the battle round. She tried American Idol at age 18 and made it all the way to the Top 11 on Season 14. This song was the lead single on her 2018 EP “Manic Pixie Dreamgirl” and remains one of my favorite female self-empowerment songs when it comes to relationship with guys. “I’ve only ever experienced being treated as a drug, a high,” Adanna said at the time. “This song was my moment of refusing to settle for being with a guy based solely off of his emotions. This song is demanding action and commitment.” There was an excellent music video to accompany the song, featuring a somber Adanna pushing pins into a doll. I write there was because Adanna has removed much of her older music and those videos from streaming sites. Her newer music, including the 2020 single “Please Don’t Waste My Time,” is still available. And Adanna is offering vocal lessons through her site Awakened Vocals.
Adanna Duru Instagram. Adanna on Apple Music. Adanna on Spotify.

Stephan Marcellus, “Renegade”

Stephan earned a spot on Season 13, then released this powerful song in November 2017, just a month after his elimination. He told Voice Views he wrote “Renegade” after a relationship went south “as a way to reclaim my power — to remind myself to be unapologetic, that I am powerful and valuable.” And he hoped others would find the song empowering. “Renegade is dedicated to your dreamers, risk takers, and anyone who may struggle with feeling like they aren’t ‘good enough.’ You are light, you are necessary, you are worthy, and you will be remembered.” Stephan has continued to release powerful music as SAJ, including his latest single, “HolyWater,” in November. “If 2020 has taught me anything it’s that the time is short. So I’m no longer waiting, I’m releasing my music….FOR ME,” he said on social media.
Stephan’s Instagram. Saj on Apple Music. Saj on Spotify.

See also …
Week 1: Christina Grimmie, Sawyer Fredericks, Mia Z, Kensington Moore, Taylor John Williams, Koryn Hawthorne, Zaxai, Brynn Cartelli

Week 2: Kat Robichaud, Chevonne and The Fuzz, Melanie Martinez, Archis (Dia Frampton), Rebecca Loebe, Jamar Rogers, Brian Nhira

Week 3: Brennley Brown, Craig Wayne Boyd, Adam Wakefield, Kyndal Inskeep, Austin Jenckes, Jared Blake, Cassadee Pope

Week 4: Secret Someones (Leila Broussard), D.R. King and Jackie Foster, Wolfchild (Gabriel Wolfchild), Ricky Manning, Moses Stone, Wé McDonald

Week 6: Chloe Kohanski, Meghan Linsey, Christiana Danielle, Charlotte Sometimes (now LACES), Chance Pena, Matt McAndrew, Angie K (Angie Keilhauer)

Week 7: Ricky Duran, Luke Wade (as LAWS), Billy Gilman, Emily Keener, Kylie Rothfield, Johnny Gates, Amanda Brown

Week 8: Dustin Christensen, Jonny Gray, Kat Robichaud, Dia Frampton, Lelia Broussard

Week 9: RaeLynn, Natalie Stovall, Gracee Shriver, The Swon Brothers, Ashland Craft, Kristi Hoopes, Texas Hill (Adam Wakefield and Craig Wayne Boyd)

Week 10: Angela Wolff, Brooke Stephenson, Fousheé, Paxton Ingram, Ashley DuBose, Javier Colon, Gigi Rich