While a predictable reality show finale is never ideal, in some cases, the expected outcome is the right one.
That was the case for The Voice this season as many expected upstate New York farmhand Sawyer Fredericks to walk away with this year’s trophy and is exactly what happened in last week’s eighth season finale.
Despite being the youngest performer in the competition, Fredericks managed to croon his way into the hearts of his fans and was a fixture on the top of iTunes charts after almost every performance. On Tuesday, Fredericks delivered another stirring rendition of his winning single, “Please” that was written by the singer’s idol, Ray LaMontagne.
Fredericks shared his victory with his coach, Pharrell Williams, which marks the first win for the rapper since he joined the NBC series. Pharrell now joins an elite category of coach winners that includes Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Usher.
Team Blake’s Meghan Linsey finished as the season’s runner-up and, interestingly, her resume serves as the polar opposite to the winner’s. Linsey, 29, brought a wealth of experience to the show as she formerly served as half of the successful Steel Magnolia country duo.
It’s hard to say when a surprise stops being a surprise, but that certainly seems to be the case for Team Adam’s underdog, Joshua Davis. The journeyman singer kept advancing in the competition and once again, placed higher than expected as he edged out Team Pharrell’s 17-year-old phenom Koryn Hawthorne for third place.
At the post-finale press conference, I caught up with Pharrell to ask him what it felt like to finally join the show’s winner circle and “beat Blake.” I also asked Sawyer what the best part about The Voice journey was for him (aside from winning).
Check out the video above!
