Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Nell Simmons, 40, New Orleans, La., performed “Love Hangover” by Dianna Ross. Only Joh Legend turned. He said he thinks the other coaches were intimidated because he turned so quickly. He complimented Nell on her pure and soulful sound. The Voice montaged her performance, meaning viewers saw just a few seconds of it.

Here’s more about Nell:

* She’s Nell Simmons-Bradley, a New Orleans based artist who calls her music a combination of R&B, pop and soul.

* A veteran performer, she plans to release her debut single and a debut EP in the first quarter of 2025, according to her website. You can check out a live version of that single below. It’s called “Higher.”

* Her website bio indicates she began singing in church as a child and began entering talent competitions in grade school.

* Nell auditioned for Season 4 of American Idol at the New Orleans Superdome. That was back in the days when hundreds would show up at an audition site and wait for hours for a chance to impress the show’s producers.

* She attended Delgado Community College and the Southern University at New Orleans, thinking she might become a veterinarian if music didn’t work out.

* But in an Elation podcast, Nell says she was already taking music seriously by age 18 or 19, performing on the French Quarter in New Orleans with artists like Erica Falls and traveling to New York to work with artists and learn more about the music industry there.

* More recently, she’s toured the nation as a background vocalist with well-known New Orleans artist Trombone Shorty, a role that included appearances on Jimmy Kimmel and on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show.

* And in 2024, Nell enjoyed residencies as a performer at the Nopsi Hotel and the Windsor Court in New Orleans.

* She also summed up her love for singing and performing during the interview with Elation, saying: “When you realize what music does for people, it kind of makes you feel that your purpose is absolutely fulfilled.”

Update: Nell released her single “Therapy” on April 4 and promises as album to follow. If you’re searching for it on streaming sites, she released it using just her first name.

Nell on social media:
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