Beloate is using music to show his love for his family.
The Voice Blind Auditions are all about giving individual talents a spotlight, but each of the singers who step on that stage know they didn’t do it alone. They have family and friends who helped them along the way, and sometimes the story of that family is just as important as the story of the singer.
In Season 26, Episode 3 (which aired October 7), viewers were introduced to Jeremy Beloate, a young man from Memphis whose family has struggled with addiction issues. With his mother and his sister by his side, Beloate revealed in his pre-audition interview that he’s lost his father and both of his brothers to the disease over the years, with one of his brothers passing away just a year ago.
“The hardest part about this loss was watching my mom struggle,” Beloate explained. “It’s been heartbreaking, and I think for my family it feels like every few years something horrible is gonna come. But I’m here, and I’m ready to bring good news. I feel like I’m the change.”
For Beloate and his mother and sister, The Voice has been a kind of beacon of hope and joy since Beloate himself was 12 years old. A singer since the age of four, Beloate has been watching the show since its premiere, and found it not just a unifying force in his family, but eventually a chance to get his own spotlight. Now, he’s singing not just for himself, but for those loved ones he’s lost.
“I’m not gonna be the only one singing when I’m on that stage,” he said, referring to the “guardian angels” of his father and brothers.
Jeremy Beloate’s Blind Audition on The Voice Season 26: details
Photo: Griffin Nagel/NBC
Immersed in R&B and soul for much of his singing career, Beloate brought that energy to The Voice stage with a soulful performance of Giveon’s “Heartbreak Anniversary.” It didn’t take long for Coaches to start turning their chairs, and by the end all four were facing the singer, giving him the chance to pick any Coach he’d like.
“I was waiting and I was waiting and I was thinking this is not my wheelhouse, but oh my gosh, I love your voice,” Reba McEntire said. “Your range, it was just incredible with great feeling and emotion. So I had to turn around and see what goes with this beautiful voice.”
Coach Michael Bublé echoed McEntire’s comments, and added that he saw real versatility in Beloate’s performance style.
“You have a tremendous gift,” Bublé said. “I feel like you could do anything.”
During the post-audition interview with the Coaches, Beloate was able to share his story and the loss of his brothers and father, adding even more depth to a performance that was about heartbreak. It was a big enough moment that he even asked to bring his mother and sister onto the stage, where both got a hug from Snoop Dogg.
Finally, it was time to pick, and Beloate ultimately ended up going with Bublé, who compared the young singer’s talent and versatility to the likes of Josh Groban.