Tutwiler native Mike Steele is chasing his musical dream as a Season 29 contestant on the hit reality TV series, “The Voice,” which airs on NBC and Peacock.
The 28-year-old, a 2015 graduate of West Tallahatchie High School, appeared on the most recent episode of The Voice Monday night (March 2), during the second of three "blind audition" installments.
During a blind audition, a contestant walks onto the stage and begins singing. Initially, the judges have their backs to the contestant and must choose to "turn" their chair facing the stage before the song ends to show interest in having the performer join their team, which eventually rounds out at 10 performers for each.
Singing “For Tonight,” by R&B artist Giveon, Steele’s tryout performance earned him a “triple turn” and a standing ovation from judges Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Adam Levine.
Tutwiler native Mike Steele performs during a blind audition on NBC-TV's "The Voice." (Photo courtesy of NBC)
"We turned for you because we love your voice," Legend told Steele. "That rich baritone is rare. You know, I'm a baritone myself, and I would love to have you on Team Legend. I feel like we could have a lot of fun working together."
While all three coaches made a pitch for Steele to join their team, he ultimately selected Legend as his coach.
“With Steele’s R&B roots and rich baritone vocal range, Team Legend was the perfect home for him,” said Steele's publicist, Jasmine Rodriguez.
Steele, his family, friends and others assembled Monday night in Sutton Auditorium, on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University, to watch his prerecorded blind audition on The Voice as it was being broadcast for the first time on NBC.
For a split screen view of Steele's post with the Valley clip, see the reel here, and for the entire blind audition performance with judges' remarks, see The Voice YouTube channel.
In a post on his Facebook page Tuesday (March 3), Steele, a self-styled R&B soul singer, wrote, “I got a triple chair turn on last night’s episode of @nbcthevoice and went Team Legend on em. Thank you God.”
In another Facebook post replying to the hundreds of congratulatory messages he had received on the social media site, Steele, who now lives in Clarksdale, wrote, “I truly wish I could respond to everyone individually, but it’s honestly impossible. Just know I see the love, I feel the support, and I’m beyond grateful for every message, share, comment, and prayer. It means more to me than you all know.”
According to a biographical sketch from his publicist, “Mike Steele grew up singing in church and spending hours in the studio with his dad and his R&B group, Dirty Delta Fam. Recording songs and performing at car shows as a kid sparked his lifelong passion for music.
“As he got older, he began posting covers online, and one video went viral, earning over 5 million views and launching him onto local Memphis stages with a live band.
“That momentum led him to study music performance at Mississippi Valley State University, where he honed his sound and confidence.
“A father of two, Mike says his children gave him purpose and pushed him to keep growing as both a man and an artist.
“From small-town dreams to viral moments, he’s built everything through persistence and faith. Now, with ‘The Voice,’ he’s ready to prove that talent and heart can take you anywhere.”
The final blind audition episode of The Voice is scheduled to air March 9. By night’s end, all three judges/ coaches will have filled out their teams in preparation for four rounds of head-to-head competition called “battles” and “knockouts” between the 30 contestants prior to the semifinals and finale.
An episode count for the current season has not been announced, but season 28 featured 19 shows. New two-hour episodes air Mondays at 8 central time on NBC and are available to stream the following day on Peacock.
The overall winner of The Voice will receive a Universal Music Group record deal and a cash prize worth a reported $100,000.
Tutwiler native Mike Steele, left, poses with John Legend, his coach on The Voice. (Photo courtesy of Sissiretta Owens)
