NBC revealed the final 20 team contestants for its hit singing competition "The Voice" on Wednesday. The newly announced contestants join 12 others who were previously announced.
Through the course of the season, the 32 contestants will be whittled down to four finalists — one each for the show's music coaches Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.
The season champion will receive $100,000 and a recording contract from Universal Music Group.
Also read: "Mark Burnett: 'The Voice' Will Be No Joke"
"The Voice" itself has already proven to be a winner with audiences, landing the top ratings spot for the second week in a row on Tuesday following its April 26 premiere.
Read NBC's full press release below.
NBC REVEALS FINAL 20 OF 32 SELECTED TEAM CONTESTANTS WHO WILL COMPETE IN ‘THE VOICE,’ NEW HIT VOCAL COMPETITION SERIES
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 4, 2011 – NBC named the final 20 of its 32 selected team contestants who will move onto the next round of the new vocal competition series “The Voice” featuring its four musician coaches — Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.
Much like today’s music stars, the artists/contestants are encouraged to interact with viewers via social media to build a fan base. The fans will have an important role in the live performance shows, as they will have the opportunity to vote to save their favorites on each coach’s team.
In the finals, each coach will have one artist/contestant left to represent them and that artist’s fate will be in the viewer’s hands. One of the four finalists will be named “The Voice" — and will receive the grand prize of a recording contract with Universal Music Group and $100,000.
The full list of 32 contestants (including the first 12 named last week) can be found on www.nbc.com/the-voice .
The last 20 team contestants – and their assigned musician coaches, home towns, music style (if applicable) and Twitter handles on NBC.com – follow:
TEAM CHRISTINA AGUILERA
Cherie Oakley, Evansville, Ind., country, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/cherie-oakley/
Julia Eason, Palos Verdes, Calif., pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/julia-eason/
Justin Grennan, Enumclaw, Wash., R&B, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/justin-grennan
Raquel Castro, Long Island, N.Y., pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/raquel-castro/
Lily Elise, San Anselmo, Calif., R&B/pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/lily-elise/
TEAM CEE LO GREEN
Curtis Grimes, Gilmer, Texas, country, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/curtis-grimes/
Emily Valentine, Los Angeles, Calif., rock, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/emily-valentine/
Nakia, Austin, Texas, blues, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/nakia/
Niki Dawson, Jacksonville, Fla., pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/niki-dawson/
Tori & Taylor Thompson, Santa Maria, Calif., country, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/tori-and-taylor/
TEAM ADAM LEVINE
Angela Wolff, Nashville, Tenn., rock, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/angela-wolff/
Casey Desmond, Weymouth, Mass., glam rock, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/casey-desmond/
Casey Weston, Naples, Fla., country, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/casey-weston/
Devon Barley, Mattapoisett, Mass., pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/devon-barley/
Tim Mahoney, Minneapolis, Minn., pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/tim-mahoney/
TEAM BLAKE SHELTON
Dia Frampton, St. George, Utah, indie, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/dia-frampton/
Jared Blake, Star City, Ark., rock, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/jared-blake/
Sara Oromchi, San Jose, Calif., pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/sara-oromochi/
SeraBee, Kiln, Miss., https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/serabee/
Tyler Robinson, Caldwell, Idaho, pop, https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/tyler-robinson/
Last night's telecast of “The Voice” scored a 5.6 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and attracted 12.4 million viewers overall according to preliminary "fast affiliate" results from Nielsen Media Research. Last night's figures represent growth over the prior week's premiere results of 10 percent in adults 18-49 (with a 5.6 rating vs. a 5.1) and 5 percent in total viewers (12.377 million vs. 11.775 million). "The Voice" is the first new series on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox this season to grow from week one to week two in 18-49 rating or total viewers (excludes the strip series "Million Dollar Money Drop" and the special preview of "Perfect Couples"). Excluding sports, the 5.6 rating is NBC's highest in the time period since November 29, 2005 (7.1 for the second hour of the "Biggest Loser" finale and "SVU"). In total viewers, it's NBC's top non-sports result in the time period since September 1, 2009 (12.8 million for "America's Got Talent").
“The Voice” will be broadcast from 10-11 p.m. (ET) each Tuesday night on May 10, May 17 and May 24 following new episodes of “The Biggest Loser” (Tuesdays, 8-10 p.m. ET).
“The Voice” is a vocal competition series modeled after Holland's top-rated vocal talent discovery show, “The Voice of Holland.” Hosted by Carson Daly, the show features four musician coaches, Aguilera, Green, Levine and Shelton, who will coach only the most talented vocalists.
NBC recently revealed that it will add more star-power to its new vocal competition series “The Voice” with singers Reba, Monica, Sia (Furler) and music producer Adam Blackstone joining the series as new advisers who will lend their experience and talents to musician coaches Aguilera, Green, Levine and Shelton.
Aguilera (@therealxtina) will team up with singer/songwriter Sia (@Siamusic), Levine (@adamlevine) with Blackstone (@bassicblack), Green (@CeeLoGreen) with singer Monica (@MonicaMyLife), and Shelton (@blakeshelton)with veteran singer Reba (@Reba) — eventually pitting two of their own team members against each other in a dueling duet.
Each of the musician coaches picked their closest advisers to help them at the next “battles” stage of the competition.
The show’s innovative format features three stages of competition: the first begins with the blind audition, then the competition enters into a battle phase, and finally, the live performance shows. The show’s casting team is working with the music industry for the best singers to bring to the blind audition process. During the blind auditions, the decisions from the coaches are based solely on voice and not on looks. The coaches hear the contestants perform, but they don't get to see them — thanks to rotating chairs. If a coach is impressed by the contestant's voice, he/she pushes a button to select the contestant for his/her team. At this point, the coach’s chair will swivel so that he/she can face the contestant he/she has selected.
Once the teams are set, the battle is on. Coaches will dedicate themselves to developing their singers, giving them advice, and sharing the secrets of their success. During the battle rounds the coaches will pit two of their own team members against each other to sing the same song together in front of a studio audience. After the vocal face-off, the coach must choose which of his/her singers will advance.
At the end of the battle episodes, only the strongest members of each coach's roster remain and proceed to the live stage shows. In this final performance phase of the competition, the top contestants from each team will compete against each other during a live broadcast. The television audience will vote to save one talent on each team, leaving the coach to decide live who they want to save and who will not move on. From these four, one will be named “The Voice" — and will receive the grand prize of a recording contract and $100,000.
“The Voice” is a presentation of Mark Burnett’s One Three Inc., Talpa Content USA, Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series is created by John de Mol, who will executive-produce along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey and Stijn Bakkers.
For contestant blogs, embeddable clips and full episodes of “The Voice” please visit NBC.com's official show site: https://www.nbc.com/TheVoice.
For artwork and a complete press kit from the show please visit the NBC Universal Media village website at http://www.nbcumv.com.
Please follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NBCTheVoice and on twitter at @NBCTheVoice and #TheVoice.