Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Tate Brusa performs during his battle round match on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Tate Brusa was one of eight singers to advance to the knockout round on The Voice Monday night.

The 16-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, was pitted against the more experienced Anders Drerup in a battle round match that aired Monday.

But he received praise for his solo vocals during a performance of “Circles” by Post Malone.

And when it came time to announce a winner of the battle, Nick Jonas decided to advance Tate.

Here’s what Tate told Voice Views about his battle round experience.

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

Tate: I think a part of my success in this round was already being comfortable and familiar with the song “Circles.” It isn’t a song I would perform normally, but I am a big Post Malone fan, so I knew all of the words and melodies. Another successful aspect in this round was having my guitar there to make me more comfortable. Anders and I we’re both able to play our guitars and we felt extremely comfortable on The Voice stage.

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

Tate: As mentioned above, I was already familiar with the song. I don’t think that gave me an edge necessarily, but I believe it allowed me more time to focus on the way I wanted to perform it rather than worrying about the lyrics. Discussions took place between Anders and myself about changing the arrangement of the song. But at the end of the day, we (Anders, the Jonas Brothers, and I) all agreed that the original song was such a big hit that it would be a mistake to switch it up.

Tate Brusa and Anders Drerup rehearse for their battle round match on The Voice. (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 it worked to your advantage in preparing for the battle and how so?

Tate: Actually, I have never been a part of a duet before. I’ve never had background singers or partners, but I’ll say I had a blast sharing the stage with my partner Anders. It was a first for me singing a duet on stage in front of a huge crowd, and I am so grateful to The Voice for allowing me the chance to compete while growing and learning. I feel like I’ve learned so much about the music industry, working with others, and my own abilities.

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

Tate: Walking into the studio and seeing that Joe and Kevin Jonas were Nick’s guest mentors was mind blowing. I grew up listening to them and to be able to get real-time feedback and suggestions from them was an experience of a lifetime. It’s was also so cool to work with Paul and the rest of The Voice band; those guys are such pros and having them behind us was incredible. It was such a blast to film!

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 the coming rounds?

Tate: After these first two rounds, I’ve played my guitar twice so I think it would be cool to do the next round without my guitar. I love being involved in the music side of the performances, so hopefully being able to give quality input about what I think the arrangement should sound like would be a special opportunity for me as far as my experience and growth.

See also …
Meet Tate Brusa and learn about the music he’s already released
Tate Brusa talks about his blind audition on The Voice