Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Olivia Minogue reacts to her battle round victory on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Her audition: Olivia Minogue, 19, of Lockwood, Illinois, performed “Lay Me Down” by Sam Smith. She turned in a passionate performance of the Sam Smith smash and got early chair turns from John Legend and Niall Horan. Reba eventually turned as well. Niall said he loved the bluesy, raspy side of her voice. Olivia auditioned on the 10-year anniversary of seeing Niall in concert for the first time and was wearing a Niall necklace. So it wasn’t a big surprise when Olivia opted to join Team Niall.

Here’s more about Olivia:

* After her audition aired, she quickly posted a photo of herself in the Nail Horan hoodie team members receive, writing: “My 10-year-old dream come true.”

* She’s also recorded a full version of her audition song and writes on social media that it will be available through streaming sites soon.

* According to her Voice bio, Olivia grew up around music. Her mother owned a local music theater company.

* Starting at age 3, she began performing in her mother’s productions, though typically in smaller roles to avoid any semblance of favoritism.

* That bio indicates that Olivia still assists her mom by teaching classes, setting up stages and even doing makeup.

* Olivia also works as a receptionist at a dental practice.

* She’s also been honing her performance skills through The 1815, a nonprofit based in downtown Juliet, Ill., that gives young musicians a venue called The Forge where they can perform each month.

* There are several videos on YouTube of Olivia performing at The Forge, covering artists ranging from Heart to Chris Stapleton to Gnarls Barkley.

Olivia Mnogue listens to feedback from the coaches following her blind audition on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Here’s what Olivia told Voice Views about her music and her journey to The Voice.

Voice Views:

Olivia: I have ALWAYS dreamed of being on a show like The Voice. After seeing an ad for an open-call audition online, I decided to just go for it and sign up! Little did I know, that would bring me all the way out to Los Angeles. My dreams of being on The Voice were fulfilled x10 after finding out one of the coaches this season would be my childhood celebrity crush- Niall Horan! I have always known I would chase after my aspirations to be a singer, so to be able to partake in one of the biggest singing competition shows is more than I could ever ask for.

Voice Views:

Olivia: My audition on The Voice was actually the first time I ever performed Lay Me Down! The original song is such a classic ballad, so I figured it would be great to audition with. Lay Me Down is emotional, dynamic, storytelling and sooo well-known; I’m glad I got to sing it for those 4 amazing coaches.

Voice Views:

Olivia: My audition experience was absolutely more than I could ask for. It was extremely validating to have 3 outstanding musical artists turn for me! I of course had to go with Niall, since I’ve looked up to him for the past 10+ years… however, I am beyond flattered that John Legend and Reba McEntire wanted me on their teams.

Voice Views:

Olivia: I am actually currently working on my own original music and look forward to releasing my first single soon! I’ve been in the studio recording originals and covers, so I’m hoping the show will help grow my audience as much as possible. I generally enjoy performing pop, ballads, rock/blues, and even some country lately. I was exposed to all types of genres growing up- so I love singing anything and everything.

Voice Views:

Olivia: I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities The 815 has given me. It’s a non-profit local organization (actually founded by my mom) that gives young performers from the ages of 5-21 the chance to work with other musicians, gain confidence on stage, and perform monthly for a supportive crowd! I’ve been participating in The 815 since 2013, gaining more and more experience over the years. I can definitely say this opportunity has helped me grow as a performer/vocalist enough to make it out to the big stage on national television.

Olivia on social media:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
YouTube