Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Jonathan Wyndham, 22, of Lexington, S.C., auditioned with A Great Big World’s “Say Something.” Not only did he display a fine voice, but he turned in a performance full of conviction. And that prompted every coach to turn around. Adam Levine complimented the “delicate vulnerability” in his voice, but said Jonathan also needs to work on controlling his nerves. Jonathan opted to join Team Adam.

His background: Jonathan confesses to being “a goofy kid” and we’re shown photograph evidence to back up his claim. He also had a speech impediment until fifth grade, and had trouble pronouncing the letter ‘r.’ “It’s hard to break the ice when you can’t say break,” he quips. But his mother figured out that he didn’t have the problem when he sang. And so music “became where I found my confidence,” Jonathan says. He’s now a traveling musician with a goal of hitting every Cracker Barrel restaurant in the U.S. “and I’m about halfway there.”

What the show didn’t show: In his Voice video, Jonathan says he grews up around music in church. At age 13, he broke his hand playing sports. It was suggested he learn an instrument to help with rehabilitating it. So he picked up a guitar. “My mom’s a classically trained pianist. So I’m like, ‘piano’s out, I’m never going to be better than her.’ She knew about four chords on guitar, so I’m like, ‘Let’s do guitar.'” He graduated from Lexington High School and is living in Nashville while finishing a commercial songwriting degree from Middle Tennessee State University, according to his hometown newspaper. Jonathan said “Say Something” wound up being the perfect audition song for him because it’s so emotional. “That song really hits home (for me) on a lot of different levels, from girlfriends to … that song was really hitting the radio hard when my grandfather passed away … it just really hit home.” As for picking Adam, Jonathan says he’s been listening to Maroon 5 music since he was 12. “I remember sitting on the back seat of the bus on the way to middle school with my yellow Sony walkman and the foam-covered headphones, jamming to their first album, ‘Songs About Jane.’ I’m super pumped to work with Adam.”

Update: Jonathan was eliminated from the show after losing a battle round match to Chris Jamison. They performed “Young Girls” by Bruno Mars.

On iTunes: Just his audition song, though I’ve embedded a couple of fine originals below.

Keeping up with Jonathan:
On Twitter: @jonathanwyndham
Facebook
YouTube

“Why Cut Out the Lights”

Ain’t No Sunshine” (cover)

“Take My Name” (original)