The Voice Season 16 has concluded after some fierce battles, stunning performances, and a shocking turn of events. In the end, against some Blake-heavy odds, Maelyn Jarmon emerged as the winner of NBC's singing competition.
CinemaBlend had a chance to talk to Jarmon following her win (but before she watched Game of Thrones' finale), and I got the details on the competition from her perspective, along with some words of wisdom that she'd pass on to future competitors.
Maelyn Jarmon Talks Beating Team Blake
When the four finalists were first announced, it appeared the odds of winning were stacked in favor of country megastar and coach Blake Shelton. Not only did he have three contestants in the finale, but all were country singers, who have historically done well on the program. Meanwhile Maelyn Jarmon was hanging out as the sole remaining member of Team John Legend, although that wasn't as lonely as it sounds.
Jarmon told CinemaBlend she felt far from isolated from her Team Blake competitors, even referring to them as "family." But as far as how she felt about her chances of taking down her competitors, she wasn't as confident that she'd be the one to win it all. In her words:
You really don't know what's going to happen with the show. It can always go any way. So going into it, Blake had dominated the season, and of course there was, just the challenge of being up against three – not just country artists – [but] really great country artists. They're amazing singers, great artists. And you know, obviously Blake Shelton is so loved. So I think that it could've gone any way, but what ended up being my advantage was probably that I was the one who stood out from that group.
Though Maelyn Jarmon was a pretty heavy favorite throughout the competition, The Voice and other singing competitions can often be a toss up when the public's vote is in play. Fortunately, it appears the attributes that made her stand apart from Andrew Sevener, Gyth Rigdon, and Dexter Roberts played to her advantage. Whether it was country fans splitting the vote, or other viewers just burnt out on former country winners, is anyone's guess. Regardless, it worked out in Jarmon's favor.
Maelyn Jarmon On The Voice's Coaches
The Voice is set to return for Season 17, and it will retain the same coaches from the most recent season. The news is surely disappointing for those who've grown tired of Adam Levine, as well as those who enjoy the diverse lineup of judges that The Voice often rotates from cycle to cycle.
While change can be good and often inevitable on a show like this, Maelyn Jarmon is on board with having the same coaches return for Season 17. Jarmon told me she's a fan of everyone in the big chairs, and she can only imagine things will get better for coach John Legend when he returns next season.
No, I think it's fantastic. They are an amazing group, and now John is just getting started and you know, now that he's had more experience with it, I think he'll be able to approach next season with even more knowledge and [understanding about] how everything works. I think it's going to be great.
Maelyn Jarmon thinks this is just the beginning for coach John Legend, the latest first-year winner, and she seems to believe he'll come back as an even stronger coach when the next season starts up.
Jarmon also didn't seem to have any problems with the rest of the coaches. Admittedly, she didn't swap teams at all the way some contestants did, so she didn't fully get a sense of the different coaching styles.
Maelyn Jarmon's Advice For Future Contestants Of The Voice
Maelyn Jarmon is the latest winner of The Voice, but she won't be the last. There's already a guarantee that there will be another winner next year, and while ratings for this season finale (and the season in general) weren't as great as they were in seasons past, The Voice will likely produce more winners after that as well.
So, what advice does Maelyn Jarmon have for future The Voice contestants that hope to win it all? Here's what she thinks is the key to a successful run.
I think that being honest and genuine is first and foremost. Being true to yourself, and being confident in who you are as an artist and what you have to say. Also, trying to make an impression rather than be impressive, and once you're on the show, to approach every performance as if it's your last, because you just never know.
Take notes, future Voice hopefuls! Maelyn Jarmon is certainly a winner to take note of, so following her advice certainly can't hurt one's chances. Of course, winning is also much easier when one has a voice like hers, so maybe there's just a bit more to it than staying true to one's personality.
As mentioned previously, The Voice will return to NBC for Season 17. Stick with CinemaBlend in the meantime for updates on the upcoming season, and other important news in movies, television, and pop culture.
