Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Talk about close.

Orlando Dixon was literally on the final line of his audition song, Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.”

Looking on, his mother and sister seemed resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t land a spot on The Voice.

Then, at the last second, Usher turned his chair, prompting them to jump up and down in joy and providing Orlando with a giant sense of relief.

Orlando called the audition “an overwhelming amount of nerves, anxiety and excitement. Trying to make sure everything is perfect. Making sure you engage the crowd. Don’t worry if those chairs turn around. If they do, they do. If they don’t, you still have to put your best foot forward.”

In the end, it all worked out for the 24-year-old from Washington, D.C., who helps his mom make ends meet by performing as a wedding singer.

His mother told The Voice that Orlando started showing an aptitude for music at age 6 and it’s been a case of “running around to auditions and competitions ever since.”

He’s now a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston and bills himself on Facebook as a singer/songwriter who’s a “breath of fresh air” in a business “motivated by gimmicks and commercialization.”

He says his goal “isn’t just making a hit record; it’s building a legacy.”

As for the wedding singer gig, in addition to helping his mom make ends meet, it’s helped him adapt as a performer and become proficient in lots of different types of music, Orlando told the media in a conference call after his blind audition aired.

The singer-songwriter released a single to iTunes in December 2011 called “Invisible.” You can check out two of his other originals on his Facebook page, and a whole host of them on his YouTube channel.

He classifies his music as pop, soul and R&B and is simply @orlandodixon on Twitter.

Now, for a couple of those originals.

Update: Orlando lost his battle round match with Ryan Innes. They performed “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Orlando was stolen by Adam Levine. In the knockout round, he sang “All My Life,” but had the misfortune of being matched up with Judith Hill, who prevailed singing “Always on My Mind.”

“Impossible”

“Blind”