With 12 seasons on the books, The Voice has produced some undeniably talented winners. From Season 1’s Javier Colon to Season 12’s Chris Blue and every winning artist in between, it’s been fun following their fame. But what about the contestants who didn’t win but still managed to capture America’s attention?
Each season has had fan favorites — contestants who endeared themselves to the audience so much that it felt like a legitimate loss to see them go. They didn’t win their respective seasons, no, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t win in the court of public opinion. Even in being voted off, their appeal endured.
So where are they now? What happened after their time on The Voice ended and these fan favorites returned to the real world? Happily, they’re pretty much all still out there hustlin’ and performin’ any chance they get. Take a look for yourself.
Ali Caldwell
Caldwell’s rendition of Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman” earned the New Yorker a four-chair turn. After landing on Team Miley, she cruised to fifth place with her powerhouse vocals. Caldwell is still making music, with a recent tweet indicating she will be dropping a new single soon.
Aaron Gibson
It was Gibson’s unique gravelly tone that got three chairs turned, but it was his never-say-die attitude that kept him around. A member of Team Miley, Gibson worked his way out of the bottom three multiple times. He made it to the top eight before being eliminated and has since gone on to cultivate his own eponymous rock band.
Amy Vachal
Despite having released two EPs prior to appearing on The Voice, it wasn’t really until the singer-songwriter brought her unique style to NBC’s hit reality singing competition that fans really took notice. From Team Pharrell to Team Adam, her original riffs on classic songs always impressed. Vachal spent much of 2016 touring but, according to her website is now focusing on producing her own full-length debut album.
Braiden Sunshine
In 2015, young Braiden Sunshine stole hearts as he competed on Season 9 of The Voice. With a legion of young fans supporting him, Sunshine became a semifinalist before being sent home. Since that time, he released his first three songs digitally (his single “Reality” hit the top 50 on iTunes). The teen is back in school now, but he still performs on weekends and spends his spare time in the studio. His self-titled EP and new single, “Heartbeat,” are available.
Barrett Baber
It didn’t take much for this unassuming teacher to win over the judges and the audience during Season 9, especially given his optimistic outlook as a plane crash survivor. Following a four-chair turn, the country singer chose to roll with Team Blake and soared all the way to third place. His new album, “A Room Full of Fighters,” dropped at the end of 2016 and reached top 20 on the iTunes charts.
Aliyah Moulden
Perky young pop star Aliyah Moulden proved a breath of fresh air on Season 12. She joined Team Blake, becoming the youngest contestant ever to make it to the finale at only 15 years old. She continues to perform, opening for stars like Todrick Hall and performing at the BET Experience L.A. Live event. Her collection of songs from her time on The Voice is now available on iTunes.
Darby Walker
A free spirit, it’s no wonder Darby Walker gravitated toward Miley Cyrus following her three-chair turn on Season 11. Despite vocal fan support, though, Walker failed to earn enough votes to make it past round 11. But, hey, all’s well that ends well! Walker maintains a busy schedule of performances, most recently performing at the Unicorn Carnival music festival.
Chris Jamison
This charming singer-songwriter has been busy since leaving The Voice in Season 7. For starters, he got married this summer. Sorry, ladies — this catch is officially off the market. Musically, Jamison has maintained a packed schedule of performances. In August of 2016, he released his debut EP, I Am Chris Jamison, which peaked at No. 4 on the iTunes pop chart.
Dia Frampton
Stretching way back to Season 1, Dia Frampton took a spot on Team Blake for her rendition of the song “Bubbly.” Her star continued to rise during the show, culminating in Frampton ending the season as runner-up. She’s been busy in the years since, forming and apparently dissolving two different bands before ultimately pursuing her solo career. Her debut album, Red, received positive reviews in 2011. Late in 2016, she revealed a new EP titled Bruises. Frampton has also pursued other creative endeaovors, including writing a book and acting in shows like Criminal Minds.
Christian Cuevas
Team Alicia’s Christian Cuevas exploded onto the scene in Season 11 with his undeniably powerful pipes and rich tone. He advanced pretty far in the competition before being forced to perform for the chance for a save but came up short of enough votes. These days, the worship leader has largely returned to his roots, performing at Christian music shows and covering worship songs. However, he also routinely posts pop and R&B covers on his YouTube channel.
Hunter Plake
Hunter Plake was a memorable contestant on Season 12, not only for his music, but also for his heart-tugging backstory. Shortly after he and his wife wed in 2016, their home and car were destroyed by floods in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Plake was an early contender during his season, and fans were shocked to see him go home. He has since focused on his band with his brother, Dakota, which they renamed from Bywater to Plake. Their debut single, “Eden,” hit No. 41 on the pop charts and No. 161 on the all-genres chart.
RaeLynn
A true Voice success story, Season 2’s RaeLynn rose all the way to the semifinals before being cut. The Team Blake contestant’s sweet personality and twangy voice made a major impression, though, securing RaeLynn a recording contract. Although she has switched labels a time or two, the country singer — who remains close friends with Blake and his ex-wife, Miranda Lambert — landed with the esteemed Warner Bros. Nashville label last summer. The successful single “Love Triangle” set the tone for her debut album under the label, Wildhorse, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart. RaeLynn has also enjoyed success with the previous singles “God Made Girls” and “For a Boy.”
Michelle Chamuel
This quirky Massachusetts singer-songwriter is a perfect testament to persistence paying off. After failing to turn any chairs during a Season 3 audition, Chamuel returned on Season 4 and made it all the way to runner-up. Since then, she has released released two EPs, and in May of 2017, a self-produced album titled Insights & Turnpikes. She also notably co-wrote and produced the song “Hang Out with You” by her musician girlfriend Mary Lambert. Her latest project is a series of songs created for specific purposes, i.e., “Music for Summer Chores.”
Matt McAndrew
Heavily favored to be the winner of Season 7, Matt McAndrew fell just shy of that mark, landing instead in the runner-up spot. Don’t tell that to his fans though — McAndrew will always be a winner in their book. Bolstered by such a solid fan base, McAndrew broke his contract with Republic Records in 2016 and went on to release an independent EP titled Rush in Slowly.
Madi Davis
Another Season 9 standout, Madi Davis won the audience over with her distinctive vocals on throwback tracks like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” She has continued to write, record and perform music in the time since. Her first album, Above the Waves, debuted at No. 18 on the singer-songwriter charts. She also recorded the song “Enter the Fire” for the independent action film of the same name, which premiered earlier this year.
Lauren Duski
Lauren Duski came *this* close to being crowned the winner of Season 12, but the country singer was edged out in the end by pop performer Chris Blue. Although Duski hasn’t yet released any new music, she is still promoting her standout single from the finale, “Deja Vu.” She is currently touring, continuing to write music and promising to have something for fans to sink their teeth into soon.
Wé McDonald
Wé McDonald took the world by surprise when she spoke in her super-sweet and youthful voice… and then belted out songs with a voice as pure and deep as some of the greatest soul singers in history. Although she placed third in Season 11, McDonald has built upon the positive impression she made on fans. She continues to make music, touring the country for performances and recently putting out an open call for auditions for her band.
Emily Ann Roberts
Another teenage spotlight-stealer, Emily Ann Roberts secured a spot on Team Blake during Season 9 thanks to her natural charisma and country twang. She improved steadily over the course of her time on the show, rising all the way to runner-up. Today, Roberts continues to perform and put out original singles.
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