Arroe Collins That Voice: A Decade With The Performers On NBC's The Voice

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

, Ann Arbor, MI native Laith Al-Saadi went head-to-head with teammate Jessica Crosbie. Laith beat Jessica, and Adam named him the winner of the knockout.

Laith comes from a musical family, with the exception of his father who only listened to Arabic classical music growing up. When his parents divorced, Laith had the freedom to pursue all types of music, and learned how to play several instruments. Laith studied Jazz at the University of Michigan, and then went on to be the lead singer of the Detroit Lions’ pep band. Since college, he has worked as a full time musician and opened for big names like B.B. King and Gregg Allman.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Hanover, NH native Adam Wakefield went head-to-head with teammate Peyton Parker. Adam beat Peyton, and Blake named him the winner of the Knockout.

Adam grew up in rural New Hampshire and started playing the guitar at four. As he got older, he joined a band with his brother and learned how to sing. Adam’s brother struggled with mental health issues and tragically passed away from a drug overdose, and Adam moved to Nashville shortly after. He crafted his personal sound in Nashville, where he now plays in a country band.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Brooklyn, NY native Moushumi went head-to-head with teammate Nick Hagelin. Moushumi beat Nick, and Pharrell named her the winner of the Knockout.

Moushumi’s parents immigrated to the United States to pursue careers in the medical field. With both of her siblings following in their footsteps, Moushumi felt the need to follow in their career path too. She attended medical school in Manipal, India, but always felt like music was her calling. Despite her parents’ wishes, Moushumi dropped out of school after two years and is now living with them in New Jersey pursuing music in New York.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Statesville, NC native Lacy Mandigo went head-to-head with teammate Katie Basden. Katie beat Lacy, and Blake named her the winner of the Knockout, but Pharrell pushed his button moments later and stole Lacy.

With a dad who has been in several 80s hair metal bands, Lacy grew up with music in her life. After attending one of his shows, Lacy was blown away with the response of the crowd and fell in love with singing. She was even brought up on stage to sing at one of her dad’s shows where her dream to become singer was only amplified. Lacy knows she’s meant to sing, but doesn’t quite think metal is her genre and is ready to find her own voice.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Los Angeles native Alisan Porter went head-to-head with teammate Daniel Passino. Alisan beat Daniel, and Christina named her the winner of the Knockout.

As a married mother of two and stepmom to one, Alisan proudly says that her family is “everything,” but her current life is a far cry from a career in Hollywood that began nearly 30 years ago. When she was just two, Alisan started auditioning for commercials, and in a span of just two years, she was booking national commercials and was even featured on Star Search. With this exposure, she was put on the radar of every casting agency in Hollywood and soon began booking film roles—most notably the title role in the John Hughes film “Curly Sue,” starring Jim Belushi, and “Parenthood” alongside Steve Martin. As a young adult, Alisan struggled with drugs and alcohol, but now eight years clean, she is proud to share her story of overcoming addiction and is ready to give stardom one more shot on ‘The Voice.’

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Emily Keener is a seventeen year old singer/songwriter (from Cleveland, OH) with a thing for Paul Simon. She plays her dad’s old acoustic guitar, and can fill a room with her unique style. Emily draws inspiration from a huge variety of artists and writers, and appreciates just about every genre of music in existence. Her eclectic interests are obvious to anyone who hears the unexpected blend of sounds and styles in her shows. A love of classic music contrasted by a fresh, unique approach to songwriting provide a solid base for her ever-growing career.

Writing is Emily’s passion, and she does it like no one else. Her songs are distinctly original, and her goal is to allow her writing style to grow and change with her. The melodies and ideas in each one are filled with depth, honesty, and beauty.

She has performed frequently for the past five years around NE Ohio. Emily has been trained by Joan Elison, a renowned performer and vocal coach (South Euclid, OH), and Tony Schaffer, master guitarist and multi-instrumentalist (Monroeville, OH). Emily started playing the guitar when she was 11 years old and began writing songs when she was almost 12. After writing for 5 years, she has over 100 original songs and has released three EPs and one LP.

“East of the Sun” is Emily’s latest record. (Higbee Studios/Waveburner Recording–March 2015) The project is entirely backed by The Womacks, a legendary group of performers and musical minds. These finely sculpted songs are rooted in tradition but experimental in delivery. Emotional lyrics and honest musicianship pay homage to The Songwriter, while filling the listener’s soul with the good vibes of Americana and Rock.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Paxton is a former dancer and idolizes the work of Michael Jackson. He was once an extra in a commercial with Britney Spears. Now he teaches at Showstopper Dance Studio and sings at his local church in Miami.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Thousand Oaks, CA native Katherine Ho went head-to-head with teammate Lily Green, singing a duet of “Lovefool” by The Cardigans. Katherine beat Lily, and Adam named her the winner of the battle.

Both of Katherine’s parents have graduate degrees and work in science, but that didn’t stop the 16-year-old from pursuing her music dreams. A child of Chinese Immigrants, Katherine started playing piano at five and moved on to vocal lessons at nine. Her career was kick-started when her vocal teacher got her a professional gig as a session singer for the film “Valentine’s Day.” Last summer, Katherine was accepted to the ‘A Cappella Academy’ summer camp, which was founded by Pentatonix’s Avi Kaplan.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?

Long Beach, CA native Caity Peters went head-to-head with teammate Joe Vivona, singing a duet of “Honesty” by Billy Joel. Caity beat Joe, and Pharrell named her the winner of the battle.

Caity started singing in middle school and went on to excel in her high school choir. She attended the Young Americans College of the Performing Arts for two years where she took college classes and taught singing to students in Europe and Japan. She is now at home in Long Beach, CA - attending the city college and working on her teaching credential for elementary education.

If you could share a conversation with a seed before it becomes a tree would you speak of its future fruit or would it be all things right now?