Richmond singer-songwriter Sid Kingsley competes on NBC's "The Voice." (Photo by Tyler Golden courtesy NBC)
A Richmond singer-songwriter gave a soulful, chair-turning performance on NBC’s musical competition series “The Voice.” Sid Kingsley, 37, belted out a Bob Dylan song, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” during blind auditions for the latest season of the show. Within seconds, two of the four judges, singers John Legend and Gwen Stefani, turned their chairs in hopes of claiming Kingsley for their teams, followed by country star Blake Shelton. Kingsley chose Legend as his coach, despite his mother's urgings to pick Shelton. In our interview, the Southampton County native talks about his aspirations, love of music and experiences on the show.
Richmond magazine: How did you come to appear on “The Voice?”
Sid Kingsley: In January, I came across an advertisement for open auditions, but the date conflicted with another competition in Richmond. I learned I could submit a video for a private audition for “The Voice.” So, I did that and got a call a couple of days later to go to North Carolina to do an in-person audition. In March, I got a call inviting me to L.A. to be on the show.
RM: What was your reaction when you got that call to be on the show?
Kingsley: Normally I would have been extremely excited, but since we’re in the midst of a pandemic, I wondered, How is this going to happen because there are so many COVID-19 restrictions? I’m happy to say that it all worked out.
RM: Were you nervous when you stepped onstage to perform?
Kingsley: I was nervous leading up to the audition, but when I started singing I felt calm. There wasn’t a live audience, so that was different. It was intimate. Then, one judge turned a chair and another and another. I felt good. I felt validated.
RM: When did music become your passion?
Kingsley: I come from a musical family and was inspired to learn the saxophone in the fourth grade. My dad got me hooked on jazz. I grew up in Branchville, Virginia, which is in Southampton County. There weren’t a lot of kids to play with, so I’d just put on records and emulate what I heard. I practiced for 10 or 11 hours a day. In college, I taught myself to play the piano. I also read a lot of theory books. I decided to leave college and truly pursue music.
RM: What’s your prediction for the show and your career?
Kingsley: For the past six years I’ve been actively singing and performing soul music and recently started releasing songs online. I have high hopes for winning it all on “The Voice.” I’m super competitive. I want to win. Doing so will help me live my dream and perform on big stages around the world.
NBC's “The Voice” airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
