Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Michael Williams, 18, of Mason, Ohio, performs during his blind audition on The Voice Season 18. (NBC Photo)

Then a tender ending to his performance did the trick, prompting a chair turn from Nick Jonas.

And just like that, thee 18-year-old from Mason, Ohio, not only had a spot on Season 18, but the very spot he wanted.

Michael performed Lauren Daigle’s “You Say” for his blind audition.

Here’s what he told Voice Views about the experience.

Voice Views: How did you wind up auditioning for The Voice Season 18 and what prompted you to do it? Had you ever tried a singing show previously? If so, how did it go and did the experience help?

Michael: I ended up auditioning for The Voice through a video entry. A friend from church was going through the process of auditioning and told me about auditioning and I thought why not try it out. I’ll see what happens! So I recorded a video of me singing a Sam Smith song and sent it to the show. The Voice responded not long after inviting me to a callback in Louisville and that’s how it all started for me.

Voice Views: Why did you choose “You Say” for your audition song? What’s your performance history with that song (for instance, is it one you’ve played often)?

Michael: I chose “You Say” by Lauren Daigle because it is such a powerful iconic song that I grew up with. The song itself has not been out for a very long time, but I grew up with Lauren Daigle’s music. She started as a Christian singer on Christian radio and that’s where I first discovered her. It was amazing to see her go from just singing on Christian radio to sing globally on radio stations everywhere in popular music. I feel honored to sing a song that has a Christian/worship foundation but also connects with anyone no matter what they believe. Other than singing it in the car, this was my first time performing “You Say.”

Voice Views: Did you have a coaching preference heading into the blind audition? And how did you feel about landing on Team Nick?

Michael: I didn’t actually know who the new coach was at first so my sights were on John Legend. But when I found out it was Nick Jonas. my perspective quickly changed. Nick then was definitely my first pick just because he connects so well with my story. He came from musical theatER before the Jonas Brothers and then was able to move into the pop/rock world. I really connect with coming from a musical theater background and crossing over into pop later on. It will be a blast to work with him!

Voice Views: What was that blind audition experience like? And were you aware of the coaches, because Nick appeared to turn at the very last second? Were you getting nervous or changing strategy at all as the performance wound down?

Michael: It was pretty nerve-racking, but overall an amazing experience. It taught me how to deal with that kind of pressure in a performance and taught me a lot about myself as an artist. I was definitely aware of the coaches. For example, I remember walking up the stairs onto the stage and seeing the coaches profiles which made me a little bit more nervous. But when I got out on the stage I took a breath, shot a smile over to my family, and started singing. The audience was loud, which I appreciated, but I kind of tuned them out and just focused on singing. As the song went on I definitely got a little nervous but I simply did my very best in the moment and it paid off!

For more on Michael, his background in music and his social media links, head here.