Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Rod Stokes performs on Top 24 night on The Voice Season 16. (NBC Photo)

Rod Stokes landed the final spot on Team Blake Shelton during The Voice Season 16 blind auditions.

He was the last singer standing for Team Kelly Clarkson in the live finals.

But he hopes to be one of the first Season 16 contestants to get music in the hands of the new fans he made as a result of the show.

Rod, 34 when he auditioned, didn’t sing his first solo in church until he was 20, but wound up part of a traveling music ministry in addition to helping run a construction business started by his father.

From Grand Bay, Ala., he wound up turning three chairs with his blind audition, being stolen by Adam Levine in the battle round and being stolen again by Kelly Clarkson in the cross battles.

He advanced all the way to the Top 8 before being eliminated and his Top 8 night performance of “God Rest High on That Mountain” reached number 31 on the iTunes singles chart.

Here what Rod told Voice Views about his time on the show and his post-show plans.

Voice Views: Which was your favorite performance on The Voice and why?

Rod: “When a Man Loves a Woman” would have to be my favorite performance because I was able to sing to my wife! It’s a song I sing around the house all the time and being able to sing it to her and America being able to see how much I love her just made it special. I also have to say getting to sing with Kelly (Clarkson) was a bucket list/dream of mine! I mean she’s one of the greatest singers to ever hold a mic.

Voice Views: Where do you see your time on the show leading you musically? What do you have planned next?

Rod: Hopefully leading me in the direction of making music my full-time job. I’ve been in the construction business since I graduated high school 16 years ago. So, I plan on getting in to the studio and recording something as soon as possible!

Voice Views: Do you think you’ll be releasing new music in the future? If so, what can you tell me about that? And, what can fans expect in terms of sound/timing?

Rod: Yes!! Hopefully in the next month or so I can get something out there. I wanna be able to sing music that EVERYONE can enjoy. I understand people roll their eyes and think it’s impossible. But Elvis successfully did it for years, and he’s still leaving a mark on current music! So in a perfect world, I’d like for people to be able to bring their families to my concerts and provide great music and an even better atmosphere.

Voice Views: Do you think you grew as an artist as a result of The Voice experience? If so, in what way?

Rod: YES! This has allowed me to really discover myself as a vocalist. I’ve never had vocal coaching before this experience. The vocal training alone took me to new levels when it came to my tone and hitting notes with ease! So, I’m forever grateful for this experience!

Voice Views: Is there anything else you’d like to add about your experience on the show?

Rod: If you’re wanting to learn more about yourself as a singer, try it! They pull the absolute best out of you and help you grow as a vocalist! Also, I’ve made lifelong friendships through out this journey and that alone was worth the trip. Lastly, I’d like to give a shout-out to the production staff. They were the absolute best and kept everything running smoothly!

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