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"Breath of Fresh Air" Lauren-Michael Sellers' Voice Was Like "God Was in the Building"
“This is for that child who had huge dreams, and life really did its best to crush that out of her. But, I’m still here.”
One theme that keeps coming up again and again on The Voice is that it’s never too late. Lauren-Michael Sellers, a singer from Birmingham, Alabama, had a tough upbringing, but she found a place in the world where she’s happy — and she made it to Season 26 of The Voice, where her show-stopping Blind Audition resulted in a 4-Chair Turn.
Sellers, 35, explained that she’s the oldest of five siblings. As children, they were raised by her mom, who had “severe mental health” issues which made it so she “wasn’t always able to be a mom."
“I had to grow up very fast,” she explained. “When you love somebody who is Jekyll and Hyde, you don’t trust. You question everything. You really doubt who you are.”
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Going to live with her father at age 13 after her mom lost custody didn’t help Sellers, as she wasn’t especially close with him. But, in that loneliness, she learned to write — stories, a dream journal, and songs. Music became a safe haven.
“Looking back, I didn’t think I would make it, period. So looking back and having that chance, even at 35, is incredible,” said Sellers, who works as a special education teacher when she’s not singing, said. “This is for that child who had huge dreams, and life really did its best to crush that out of her. But, I’m still here.”
Watch Lauren-Michael Sellers’ Performance of Samuel Harness’ “Oceans (Where My Feet May Fall)” During Blind Auditions for The Voice Season 26
For her Blind Audition, Sellers sang “Oceans (Where My Feet May Fall)” by Samuel Harness. Right away, Coach Gwen Stefani was excited, exclaiming “I love this song so much,” before pressing her button. Michael Bublé and Reba McEntire soon followed, and Snoop Dogg turned his chair at the last minute.
“What a beautiful breath of fresh air you are,” Bublé said. “Love your voice, love your control, love that you brought this beautiful energy. This whole place just blew up.”
Stefani explained that she'd had a profound, “spiritual” moment listening to “Oceans” on repeat while going on a run recently. “Hearing you sing it, it just felt very real and honest,” she said.
Snoop and McEntire both said that watching Stefani respond to Sellers’ rendition of the song inspired them to turn their chairs.
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“While you were singing, I was seeing Gwen light up, as if God was coming in the building, and I didn’t want to be left out when he came,” Snoop said.
“I watched her, I listened to you, and I thought this is magical,” McEntire said. “I love your voice. Emotion, when people are singing, if you can feel it — oh my gosh that’s the greatest gift.”
The problem for Stefani was that, although she connected so passionately to Sellers’ performance and song choice, Sellers is primarily a country singer. And Reba is the Queen of Country. Sellers admitted that, before she came on stage, and sang Reba’s prayer. So she went with Coach McEntire.
“It’s like, she wants to do country music. Why am I even trying?” Stefani said afterward. “I should have known. she said your prayer. She has red hair.”
McEntire, for her part, was moved to tears that Sellers chose her because she “wasn’t expecting it.”
“I’m just so thrilled she came on my team,” McEntire said. “Sorry, Gweny.”
Where can you watch The Voice?
Catch new episodes of The Voice Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. Every episode also arrives on Peacock the next day, so if you missed it the night before, you can always catch up.
