Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Gigi Hess and Micah Iverson rehearse for their battle round performance on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Micah Iverson was one of eight singers on The Voice who advanced to the knockout round during Monday’s episode of The Voice.

Kelly Clarkson named him the victor following a battle round performance of Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” with teammmate Gigi Hess.

Both singers received praise for their vocals and their teamwork on the performance, but Kelly later said she’ll “be shocked” if Micah doesn’t make the finals because “he’s got talent for days.”

Alas, Micah did lose his status as the only male on Team Kelly during Monday’s show. Kelly stole CammWess from Team Legend during the same episode.

Here’s what Micah, 25, from Atlanta, Ga., told Voice Views about his battle round experience.

Voice Views: What do you think was the key to your success in the battle round?

Micah: I think there were two large contributing factors to my success in the Battle rounds. First, Gigi and I spent a combined eight hours just rehearsing and mapping how we wanted this duet to sound and feel. And that was before we even showed it to Kelly. We went back and forth with so many ideas, but ultimately landed with an arrangement that complimented us both.

Second, Kelly and Dua really gave us great feedback. I personally felt encouraged by my rehearsals with Kelly to the point where I was brimming with confidence. I knew that even if I lost the battle, I was going to leave it all out on the stage.

Voice Views: How did the song choice work for you? Did it pose any special challenges?

Micah: The song choice was great because it is a power ballad, my favorite type of song to sing. I already knew the words and the melody so it was easy to connect to the song. The song did pose some challenges though. Kelly had us raise the key even higher than the original (which is already very UP THERE for a man to sing) and so my more powerful chest notes were always on the verge of breaking into head voice. I belted a high B in the bridge on “…and I tend to close my eyes,” which is a very challenging note for a man to sing. But I worked with Kelly, and a lot on my own, to make it consistently powerful and rounded.

The original song is so hard to beat, so it was definitely intimidating to learn we were singing one of the top songs of last year. At the same time, it is a beautiful song to have the opportunity to sing, and I’m so glad we got the chance to perform it on such a big stage.

Micah Iverson performs during his battle round match on The Voice Season 18. (NBC Photo)

Voice Views: Did you have much experience singing duets or performing with others prior to the battle round? And, if so, do you think that worked to your advantage in preparing for the battle and how so?

Micah: I have some experience singing duets, which I think helped. Duets are tricky because even someone with the best singing tone can fall flat if they can’t learn to blend with their partner. The ability to match timing, identify vibrato, copy intonation, and so many other variables work towards making a great duet.

In college, I sang Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth with my A Cappella group. We featured my friend from our sister A Cappella group, Nicole, and created something really cool that the crowd loved. It’s experiences like that I think have taught me what makes a good musical duet.

Voice Views: Anything else you’d like to add about the battle round experience?

Micah: It was very hard to see Gigi go home. Spending so much time together meant we became close friends. After Kelly chose me, I hugged her and reassured her that there was a save and steal left. When I walked off stage, all I could do was listen for someone to press their button. That was hard. But I was also so honored to have sung with such a talented singer and incredible friend.

Voice Views: And, obviously, you can’t talk about song choice, but is there a side of your artistry you haven’t gotten to display yet that you hope to in coming rounds?

Micah: I would love to sing a song by Dashboard Confessional or Switchfoot. They are two of the more formative bands from my childhood and it would seem like a full circle if I were to sing their music on the show. I play piano and guitar, so I hope to accompany myself in future performances.

See also …
Meet Micah Iverson
Micah Iverson talks about his blind audition