Boulder singer competes on “The Voice”
A Boulder singer and music teacher will appear on “The Voice” this season after a successful blind audition that aired on the popular NBC show Tuesday night.
Halle Tomlinson, 18, performed a soulful rendition of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” during a blind audition on the popular singing competition show, which features celebrity judges Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.
On “The Voice,” the celebrity judges listen to each performance with their backs turned to the artist. If they like what they hear, they turn around. The performer then gets to select which celebrity judge’s team to join.
Once teams have been assembled, they compete against each other with weekly performances until viewers select a winner. The winner gets $100,000 and a recording contract.
Two chairs turned for Tomlinson during her performance. Levine turned around almost immediately, followed by Keys.
Tomlinson ultimately decided to join “Team Alicia.”
“Your voice is an instant, recognizable signature,” Keys told Tomlinson. “There is a gang of people that are carbon copies of a gang of other people. I loved it you didn’t try too hard. It was easy and effortless and fluid. It was so good. I’m so proud of you. I loved it.”
Levine said he thought Tomlinson had some things to work on, but added that she had a “gorgeous voice and a lot of potential.”
On “The Voice,” Tomlinson explained that she grew up in Dallas and spent much of her childhood at her parents’ performance arts studio. She appeared on the television show “Barney & Friends” as a child.
After 11 years, Tomlinson said the studio closed and her parents split up. Her mom, Kelly, remarried and the family moved to Boulder when Tomlinson was 12 or 13.
“My biggest fan is probably my mom,” said Tomlinson as
she fought back tears. “We’ve been through a lot together. She is one of the most incredible people that I have ever met.”
Tomlinson said she works as an instructor at School of Rock, a music school with locations in Boulder, Denver, Broomfield, Littleton and Aurora.
Before walking out on stage, Tomlinson said she would “probably freak out” if Keys turned around during her performance.
“This is really what I want to do, this is my passion so I hope it works out,” Tomlinson said.
According to her website, Tomlinson was influenced by classic rock and new age styles “to create an original sound unlike anything else.” Tomlinson plays the piano, guitar, drums and bass, and has performed at Red Rocks and Lollapalooza, according to her website.