A mainstay of American popular culture is reality singing competitions. Here comes The Voice. Amazing vocalists, famous people in large swivel seats (perhaps the best part), and an Emmy Award on top of it.
Each of the 12 winners of the 12-season NBC program received $100,000 as well as a record deal.
Unsurprisingly, several of the competition’s runners-up have done even better than its champions in the music business. Here are The Voice candidates who have had the most success.
Taylor Phelan
A big favorite among The Voice fans, Taylor Phelan contributed his own unique flare to songs including “Breakeven,” “Sweater Weather,” and “Cool Kids.” Phelan signed a record deal with the independent label Native Nine Records after appearing on The Voice in 2014. In 2017, the singer-songwriter finally made his debut with the well-received tune “Settle Down.” Shortly after, he started a national tour, and among many other prestigious publications, Paste Magazine and Huffington Post have also covered him.
Javier Colon
The first ever winner of The Voice was Javier Colon. From 2002 until 2006, the Connecticut native had a record deal with Capital Records, but it was terminated. Five years later, he received a record deal from Universal Records after winning the first season of The Voice. Colon’s triumph was not entirely anticipated because all four judges on The Voice offered to take him to the finals.
Dia Frampton
On the first season of The Voice, Dia Frampton finished in second place. In 2011, she was named “Favorite Reality TV Personality” by Entertainment Weekly. The Voice was a great chance for Frampton to promote her solo record, but she never imagined she’d be so close to taking home the trophy. After winning The Voice, the singer went on tour as Blake Shelton’s act and has since released two solo albums.
Tessanne Chin
Less than 30 seconds into her audition, Tessanne Chin’s powerful vocals won her the unanimous approval of the four judges. She sang P!nk’s song “Try.” The Jamaican native won season five of The Voice before joining Adam Levine’s group.
After her first audition, Levine informed her, “You might easily win this season of The Voice!” Chin went on to tour as Patti LaBelle’s opening act before releasing her debut solo album in 2014.
Tony Lucca
Did you know that the Mickey Mouse Club was where this season two runner-up began his entertainment career? Tony was desired by all four Voice judges, but he decided to join Team Adam. Following The Voice, the singer had a brief record deal with Levine’s label. Despite this challenge, he’s toured with megastars Sara Bareilles, Maroon 5, and Kelly Clarkson, and his success keeps growing.
RaeLynn
Cher, Rihanna, and Beyoncé are just a few of the famous artists that are sure to succeed! The most probable RaeLynn song you’ve heard is “God Made Girls,” despite being quite divisive. If you haven’t heard about it, you should. Remember to see the music video as well.
Matt McAndrew
Another triumph for Team Adam! After finishing second on season seven of The Voice, rocker Matt McAndrew went on to create his own EP, Rush in Slowly.
Chris Mann
Many admirers were shocked to learn that this opera singer finished fourth in 2012. Chris Mann, though, went on to star in the North American tour of Phantom of the Opera, thus The Voice was just the beginning for him. Fans’ favorite performance from the Kansas native was definitely “You Raise Me Up.” Chris Mann and Josh Groban have even been compared by some viewers!
Jacquie Lee
One of the most talented and youthful performers on the show is Lee. In 2013, she finished fifth on The Voice, but perhaps more importantly, she signed a record deal with Atlantic Records. At the time, she was 16 years old! To far, Lee has released three of her own singles and is a featured artist on Cash Cash’s dance song “Aftershock.”
The Swon Brothers
Meet the Swon Brothers from Muskogee, Oklahoma—two are better than one! They participated in The Voice’s fourth season. The first pair to advance to the live final was a country duo. They went on a national tour and released their self-titled first album in 2014.
Danielle Bradbery
Don’t misbehave around Texas. One of The Voice’s biggest success stories is this country singer from Cypress. The 16-year-old who won season four was declared the champion. She continued to win the competition until season eight. Her 2014 chart-topping song “Heart of Dixie” is expected to be followed by her sophomore album on December 1.
Cassadee Pope
Cassadee Pope was a member of the pop-punk band Hey Monday, which will be familiar to former angsty middle schoolers and youngsters from the 1990s. In the third season of the program, Pope joined the cast of The Voice to launch her solo career, and she won! Summer, her lone EP, was released in 2016.
Sawyer Fredericks
The youngest Voice winners are Danielle Bradbery and Sawyer Fredericks. Both became successful by the age of 16. Frederick’s victory was expected; how could he lose with Pharrell Williams as a role model? The singer’s on-air performances on various shows smashed iTunes records, and in 2015, he released his debut solo album. He has been on the road ever since. Amazing life. What a name, too! His hair, too!
Melanie Martinez
Melanie Martinez, a native of Long Island who dominated The Voice in 2012, was destined for the stage. She was hard to miss because of her strong voice and two-toned hair. The tale portrayed by Martinez’s debut song, Dollhouse, is akin to the plot of Edward Scissorhands, and she has received appreciation for her artistic and theatrical work. In February 2017, her album Crybaby received a platinum certification.
Jordan Smith
If you haven’t heard of him, Jordan Smith won season nine of The Voice. He is the first participant on the program to have a song hit the top of the iTunes list. The top slot for Adele’s “Hello” was displaced by three of his performance records. Not bad at all. Jordan Smith was told by Adam Levine, “I think you’re the most significant person who has ever been on this show,” as he once again predicted a winner. He has the makings of a champion.