Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Blind audition: Christian Cuevas, 20, of Orlando, Fla., auditioned with Michael Bolton’s “How am I Supposed to Live Without You.” Three coaches turned — Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Alicia Keys. Blake said he was “hypnotized” by Christian’s personality. Alicia said she felt the emotion in Christian’s performance. Christian joined Team Alicia.

His background: As he was growing up, music was never really his thing, Christian admits. His focus was on football. But he shattered his ankle playing the game at age 15 and wound up in a cast for five months. That’s when he decided to pick up the guitar and focus on music. After all, there was a role model to follow in the family. His dad is Julio Cuevas, who was a “Hispanic rock star” in Puerto Rico. He wound up with liver cancer and died when Christian was 19. In addition to working at the Guitar Center, Christian is a worship leader at his church and a vocal performance major in college.

What the show didn’t show:
* According to OrlandoWeekly.com, Christian is a music student at Rollins College, but has put his studies on hold for The Voice.
* Christian has a central Pennsylvania connection. His brother, Handy Cuevas, is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Lancaster College.
* In an interview with MIX105.1 that you can listen to on his Facebook page, Christian said he’s only been performing music for a little more than six years.
* Christian says he previously auditioned for the show in what was Cee Lo Green’s last season as a coach. “I guess it wasn’t my time. I didn’t make it. And that was really crushing.”
* In his interview with OrlandoWeekly.com, Christian calls that “heartbreaking” and said he really didn’t think he’s try out again. In fact, he told 105.1, the rejection shut him down musically. He stopped posting to YouTube until a friend convinced him to start doing so again.
* He wound up on Season 11 after show producers contacted him in December through — guess what? His YouTube channel.
* Christian said he went into his blind audition knowing he would choose Adam as his coach if the opportunity presented itself. It did, but he still selected Alicia. “It was just the confidence she gave me,” he said as she praised the emotion in the blind audition song he had dedicated to his dad.

Keeping up with Christian:
Twitter: @ccuevasmusic
Facebook
YouTube