The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, April 22, 2011 2 coverstory Singing sensations Stars look for fabulous singer in ‘The Voice’ By Kyla Brewer TV Media I n April 2009, a completely unknown Susan Boyle took the world by storm after a performance on the reality TV program “Britain’s Got Talent.” Her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables” not only floored the judges, but it sparked a global Internet sensation as millions scram- bled to watch the video. It seemed no one could be- lieve such a beautiful voice stemmed from a woman who appeared to be so plain. Yet, she quickly rose to fame and has since enjoyed success at home and abroad. It was a refreshing success story in a world obsessed with physical appearances. Another series is about to level the play- ing field for talented singers. Carson Daly hosts as celebrity vocal coaches judge contes- tants based solely on vocal tal- ent in “The Voice,” premiering Tuesday, April 26, on NBC. The series enlists the help of four famous musicians who each agree to mentor a team of singers vying to win a re- cording contract with a major label. The celebs will participate in a so-called “blind audition,” in which they turn away from the stage as the contestants are brought out to perform. With nary a glimpse at their charges, Carson Daly as seen in “The Voice” they’ll put together a dream team of up-and-coming vocal- ists. Should two coaches want the same contestant, the pow- er shifts to the contestant, who gets to choose his or her new coach. From there, the coaches mentor their singers, give them advice and prepare them for the battle phase, during which they’ll face off against each other. In this round, the coach decides which of his or her singers will advance. Finally, the top contestants compete in the live perfor- mance phase. The television audience votes for their favor- ites, and the coaches must de- cide who among the remaining talents should stay. In the finale, viewers will de- termine who walks away with the grand prize -- a US$100,000 recording con- tract with Universal Republic. The panel of experts for “The Voice” represent different genres in the music industry. Perhaps the biggest reality TV coup of late is the acquisi- tion of pop icon Christina Agu- ilera as a coach for “The Voice.” One of the most suc- cessful artists of her genera- tion, she was reportedly pro- ducer Mark Burnett’s first choice for a female coach, and it appears she was happy to oblige. “I am so excited to be part of such a wonderful project that celebrates music and the talent behind it,” said Aguilera. “To be given the opportunity to help shape new artists’ ca- reers and mentor them to see their dreams come to fruition is a task I welcome with open arms.” The contestants could learn a lot from the singer, whose 1999 debut album “Christina Aguilera” sold more than 17 A/Auto Boutique B/The Green Giraffe 2 x 2 million copies. Her hits include “Genie in a Bottle,” “Dirty” and “Beautiful.” She has also been named to “Rolling Stone” magazine’s 100 Great- est Singers of All Time, the only artist under 30 to make the list. She’ll face off against hip hop legend Cee Lo Green, who was among the first to sign on with the series. He brings with him a wealth of experience as a performer, songwriter and producer. Green made his mark as a member of hip hop act Goodie Mob and the group Gnarls Barkley, which he formed with deejay/producer Danger Mouse. The Grammy winner is a successful solo per- former as well, best known to his fans simply as Cee Lo. Maroon 5’s Adam Levine has also been tapped as a coach for the fledgling series. As frontman and guitar player for the rock band, Levine has amassed an impressive list of awards and nominations, in- cluding the Grammy for best new artist in 2005. The group has sold more than 15 million, and their releases have reached gold and platinum status. Country crooner Blake Shel- ton was the final of the four to sign on with “The Voice.” Fresh off his CMA win for Male Vo- calist of the Year, it’s appropri- ate that Shelton would have a seat at the table. A Grand Ole Opry inductee, the singer has several popular albums under his belt buckle, including “Blake Shelton,” “The Dream- er” and “Hillbilly Bone.” Chirstopher’s Coins 2 x 2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Why did they replace Mr. Roper with Mr. Furley as the landlord on “Three’s Company”? A: It seems the Ropers were victims of their own (initial) success. The show was a smash hit, and by its third season, which premiered in 1978, it was at the top of its game -- the sec- ond most popular show on TV, ranking just barely behind “Laverne and Shirley.” ABC of course wanted to capitalize on this, so they proposed a spinoff for Stanley and Helen Roper (played by Norman Fell and Audra Lindley). “The Ropers” premiered in the spring of 1979. The Ropers have sold the apartment building and moved to the swanki- er Cheviot Hills neighborhood (a real community in the west of Los Angeles). Helen wants desperately to fit in with her upper-class neighbors and is constantly embarrassed by Stanley’s less-classy antics. Unfortunately, it only lasted a season and a half, by which point Mr. Furley (played by longstanding comedy star Don Knotts) was established as the new landlord. Interestingly, this all mirrors what happened with the original British series on which “Three’s Company” was based. A/Crazy Tom's B/Allstar Auto Wash 2 x 3 Have a question? E-mail us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. P not be provided. ersonal replies will