From time to time, the city of Wilmington sees one of its own land on a national stage. One notable example: Chef Keith Rhodes of Catch Seafood Restaurant competed on Bravo’s Top Chef. American Idol has picked out at least two Wilmington-based singers.
More recently, another of the Port City’s local musicians enjoyed a stint on national television. Only after pressure from family members, did Carlos Rising agree to audition for NBC’s singing competition, The Voice.
He considered himself a songwriter and musician first, vocalist second, and The Voice, well, that title…
If you’ve never seen the show, contestants audition for a panel of four music superstars, who are the judges and team captains. The performer begins the audition facing the judges’ backs. If any one of the stars turns their chair around during the audition, the contestant lands a spot on a team. If two or more judges have turned their chairs, the contestant has a choice: which star’s team will he join? Who will coach him throughout the competition?
In the case of Wilmington resident Carlos Rising, (yes, that’s his real name) two different celebrities, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton, offered him a spot on their team during a show that aired in March of 2023.
In this episode, we hear parts of his audition, the song battle that was the end of his journey on the show, and how his own perception of his musical assets turned on its head as a result of the experience. We also hear a few cuts from his new EP, It’s Just a Phase.
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