For high school student and LDS member Madilyn Paige, one minute and thirty-six seconds was all it took for her life to change forever.
Such was the time allotted for her to sing for the judges of The Voice, the hit NBC singing show known for holding “blind auditions” which do not allow judges to see the contestant until they’ve heard the audition. Nailing an emotionally evocative rendition of David Guetta’s “Titanium,” Paige eventually caught the eye of Usher and Shakira, who turned their chairs.
“Being on The Voice was incredible for me,” Paige says. “I learned a lot while I was there and I met a lot of great people! Auditioning for The Voice was a pretty long process, with different rounds of eliminations and waiting in between. I felt very humbled and honored to have two of the coaches (Usher and Shakira) “turn their chairs” for me and want me on their teams.”
Eventually, Paige was stolen by coach Blake Shelton, becoming the final member of his team. After singing “Clarity” by Zedd (feat. Foxes) during the playoff round in which the coach has to whittle down their five-person team to three, Paige was eliminated.
“When I was eliminated it was hard at first because I wanted to move on, but I felt grateful that I made it as far as I did. I was so happy for my fellow contestants that were moving forward, and I really enjoyed watching them perform that season. I felt at peace with it and realized that everything happens for a reason and that I went as far as I needed to go.”
When asked if any particular performance or moment stood out to her, Paige responded, “My favorite performance on the show was my battle round with Tanner James, who is also from Utah. I had so much fun singing with him and we became good friends. It was nice to work with someone who came from the same place and we related well to each other. It felt like singing a duet with a friend.”
Since her time on The Voice, Paige has used faith and perseverance to continue her musical journey, releasing a self-title EP in February 2015.
“I rely on my faith every step of the way. I believe that I am receiving direction in every decision I make and that I am being led in everything that I do. It helps me choose what’s right for me and what’s not.”
Her first single, Irreplaceable, makes Paige’s desire to create music that inspires people clear. The song is an anthem that encourages self-confidence, inner strength, and individuality. The music video has already racked up over 40,000 views and continues to climb.
At the end of the day, Paige wants to say thank you.
“I want my fans to know that I’m just like many of them. I’m a high school girl who has insecurities and struggles, and that I’m still discovering who I am. I also want to say that I am so grateful for all of the blessings that I’ve been given and that I am thankful for all of those people who support me and cheer me on! Thank you!”
