Idol Chatter & Voice Views

 

Since The Voice knockout round matches were filmed in mid-August, Dennis Drummond has gone back to playing guitar for Season 10 runner-up Adam Wakefield.

He’s also started playing guitar alongside Season 9 finalist Barrett Baber.

But Dennis fans, have no fear, original music is coming.

Dennis, 27 when he auditioned for The Voice, impressed the show’s coaches with his guitar and his vocal skills.

He turned two chairs with his blind audition performance of “She Talks to Angels,” landing a spot on Team Blake Shelton.

His battle round performance of “Mr. Jones” with Mitchell Lee was so impressive, it cracked the Top 200 on iTunes and allowed both singers to advance; Dennis was stolen by Adam Levine.

Dennis was eliminated in the knockout round, following a performance of “All Along the Watchtower,” but calls The Voice experience “a great confidence boost.”

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

Voice Views: I know the knockout round was filmed a while ago. What have you been doing musically since then? I see you’ve resumed the gigs at the Hotel Indigo. Are you also back to playing alongside Adam Wakefield? Anyone else?

Dennis: After returning back to Nashville, I wanted to just get back to what I was doing before the show. Playing music for people who want to listen to it. That’s how I’ve made a living my whole life, so that’s all I really know. I’ve, recently, hopped back into playing guitar alongside Adam Wakefield and singing harmony for him.. I enjoy Adam as a person and a friend, so I’ll make music with him anytime he asks! Besides Adam, I started hitting the road playing guitar for Barrett Baber (Season 9). It’s been a lot of fun! He has such energy and talent and his fans are amazing. It’s always fun throwing down with him on stage!

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

Dennis: The Voice experience wasn’t/isn’t like anything I’ve ever experienced. It is its own uniquely-amazing, awesomely-terrifying experience. One of the most amazing parts has been the reach to people in places I normally wouldn’t/ couldn’t have the ability to get. The people in small towns across the world who write you sincere messages and comments on all your social media pages, just telling you that they like what you do! It’s too cool.. surreal. That being said — I would love for this experience to lead to me having a reason to load up the van with some of my favorite people/musicians and go to ‘middle-of-nowhere, USA’ and make an evening of music for folks. My goal is to make as much music, for as long as I can, as loud as I can.

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

Dennis: I absolutely anticipate releasing music of my own! Up until this point, I’ve always wrote music with other folks in mind or for other albums. This is the first time that I get to write about things I want to talk about, the way I want to talk about them, over music that sounds the way I want. So the next few months will be spent figuring out what exactly THAT might be. As far as a genre, I’ve always had a hard time with that. I think that it’s kind of similar to giving yourself a nickname. Usually the best ones that stick, arise when other folks come up with them. I’ll just do what I do and focus on getting it out there!

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?

Dennis: Everyone on the show genuinely cares about you and your well being — physical, emotional, mental — all of it. The whole crew really makes you comfortable in a naturally uncomfortable environment. They make it really easy for you to be you. Musically it was great, but I would say I grew more as a person, overall. It was a great boost of confidence in an area of my life that was lacking it. I set my mind to something outside of my comfort zone and accomplished it. Now it’s time for the next chapter! Time to get uncomfortable again!

Here are social media links for Dennis:

Instagram
Twitter: @dennisdrummond
YouTube
Facebook