Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Orlando Napier started playing piano in his dad’s band at age 18.

By 20, he was singing. And, today, it’s his band.

And his dad doesn’t mind one bit, still performing alonside his son, playing tenor sax.

In fact, if Orlando makes it far enough on The Voice, he vows to try to get his dad, Hugo, on stage to perform with him.

Judging from the originals Orlando has on MySpace, there’s a chance that might happen.

You need to check out his music. Great tunes, splendid voice.

Napier is 25 and from Los Angeles, where he says he’s been performing music pretty much non-stop for the last five years.

He grew up in a musical household. He said his mom would play the same classical piano pieces over and over. His dad played multiple instruments.

Oh, and he listened to lots of Ray Charles, whom he calls “the best” on his Facebook page. He classifies his own music as R&B/soul.

In addition to MySpace, you can find some of that music on iTunes. He released EPs in 2008 and 2010 (the excellent “Vampire Nights”) and singles in June 2011 (“Shades of Gray”) and February (“Pointless”).

A couple other random facts about the guy who earned a spot on Team Adam with his rendition of “Waiting on the World To Change” … his friends simply call him “Lando” and he’s hoping he doesn’t open mouth, insert foot on The Voice.

“I’m painfully blunt,” he admits in his blog at The Voice. “Sometimes it can be offensive. Trying to get better before I blow it on TV.”

On Twitter, Orlando is @ONapiermusic.

Now, here are a couple of Orlando performances.

“Release It When I Sing,” original

“Way Too Short”

The Voice audition — “Waiting for the World to Change”