Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Moriah Formica is a contestant on Season 13 of The Voice.

Could Moriah Formica become the first?

Just a teenager, Moriah released a debut EP at age 16 and has followed it up with a trio of singles.

She’s performed with the rock band Stryper and sings a duet with Stryper frontman Michael Sweet on his latest solo album, “One-Sided War” (2016).

Oh, and did I mention she’s been playing guitar since age 5?

According to her Facebook bio, Moriah started to take traditional guitar lessons but found playing by ear more appealing and taught herself by listening to her favorite bands, including Aerosmith. She’s since taught herself to play drums, keyboard and bass as well.

“I was a guitar player before I was a singer,” Moriah says in an interview you can listen to at DrMusic.org. She adds that she’s been taking voice lessons since she was 10 or 11.

It was also around that time that she decided music just might be a big part of her future. She joined a program called Modern Day Music.

“They put these little kid bands together,” the teen from Albany, N.Y. recalls. “”It was just a really fun experience. That’s when I decided, this is what I’m supposed to be doing — singing and playing guitar.”

Moriah was also 11 when she wrote her first song, “Lovestrong,” which wound up finding its way onto her debut EP.

In fact, along with “Broken Soul,” it’s one of the strongest tunes on 2016’s six-track “Bring It On.”

She’s since released three singles — “Time,” “No Regrets” and “Here’s My Heart” — that display her continuing growth as a songwriter and performer.

On Facebook, she lists her biggest inspirations as Halestorm, Evanescence and In This Moment.

Notice a trend? They’re all rock bands fronted by females.

Below, you can check out Moriah’s official video for “Slave” and one of her performances with Stryper.

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Twitter: @MoriahFormica
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The Voice has done it again, rounding up an impressive array of talent for Season 13. Keep checking back for more profiles of the contestants we’ll meet when the blind auditions begin Sept. 25 on NBC. And for complete coverage of The Voice once Season 13 begins.