Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Luis Fonsi joins the Spanish version of ‘The Voice’ in Miami
Luis Fonsi may be best known for his blockbuster hit song “Despacito.”
Now, the Latin pop singer will share his musical expertise with aspiring singers as a judge on “La Voz.” That’s the new Spanish-language version of NBC’s popular singing competition show “The Voice” which debuts 9 p.m. Jan. 13 on Telemundo. The other judges are Colombian pop singer Carlos Vives, Mexican singer Alejandra Guzman and Puerto Rican rapper Wisin.
“The first thing is the voice. It’s the name of the show. It’s all we hear,’’ said Fonsi of what he’s looking for in contestants. “I am very picky. I am very selective about what voice I want. I can’t describe what voice that is. It’s the moment, the magic you feel when the hair on the back of your neck stands.”
Like its English-language sibling, “La Voz’’ will start off with judges listening to the vocalists during the blind auditions, when contestants sing without the judges initially seeing them. If any of them like what they hear, they push a button and their red chair turns around to meet the singers.
The show will then have battle rounds (when two singers face off on stage) and live shows where the public votes for their picks and then the finals. Each judge has a team of contestants. Fonsi’s is TeamFonsi.
The Puerto Rican native and Miami resident said he wanted to be on the show because “I like the show. I am a fan of the show. I am fan of the format. I think it’s a winning format. It’s proven a winner worldwide.”
The contestants are ages 18 and up who attended auditions last year in Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, New York, Chicago, San Antonio and Miami. The show will be shot in Miami at Telemundo’s studios.
Because the show is in Spanish, it will definitely have a more Latin flavor because of the judges, coaches and contestants.
“We are louder. We are Latino. We jump higher. We scream louder. We poke fun at each other like the NBC version. There are obviously similarities because it is a format but you will definitely feel whatever it is that sets us apart,’’ said Fonsi
He noted that viewers might hear contestants perform pop and country but also reggaeton, ranchera, bachatas and tejano music styles that are popular in Latin America.
“We have very American sounding artists. You have a little bit of everything,’’ he said.
What kind of judge will he be? “Honest. I am just going to be honest. I don’t take on a character or a different personality,’’ said Fonsi, who will also be appearing on the show’s version in Spain. “I would say it’s definitely mentoring...I want to make sure that every time they get on that stage, they are going to kill it.