‘Storm’ coming
‘Voice’ winner bringing soulful sound to ABQ as album release nears
It’s been almost a year since Sawyer Fredericks was crowned the winner of NBC’s “The Voice.” In that short time, Fredericks has adjusted to life after the TV show and life on the road.
Oh, he’s also put together a self-titled EP and will be releasing his debut album, “A Good Storm,” on May 13.
The 17-year-old has come a long way from the 88-acre upstate New York farm where he grew up.
However, home is still a big part of his soulful, contemporary folk sound. “That’s where I started playing guitar,” he says during a recent interview. “It was so much fun growing up there. There was a lot of open space, and I was able to be around animals. Nature really inspired me. I feel like it gave me a different musical perspective.”
Fredericks’ stark honesty and soulful delivery turned him into a national phenomenon during the eighth season of NBC’s “The Voice.”
As part of Team Pharrell Williams, he emerged as the youngest victor in the show’s history at just 16 years old.
Moreover, he made “Voice” history, becoming the first artist to land 14 songs in the iTunes overall top 200 songs chart in one week.
All in all, his digital sales exceeded 1 million cumulative singles, making him one of the show’s most successful artists ever.
“I learned so much,” he says of his journey on the show. “It was incredible to be around that many artists and see so much talent. I took it all in. Getting to perform on that stage was amazing. I also remember Pharrell gave me a piece of advice that I’ll never forget. He said, ‘Stay true to yourself.’ ”
That’s what Fredericks does on his coming album.
“The process of co-writing was new for me,” he says. “Learning to create a more upbeat song and work with someone else was a great learning experience. ... I want the lyrics and music to connect to the audience. I just hope they feel when they hear me.”