If Asher HaVon hasn’t responded to your social media message, it’s probably because fans have swamped him with support since the Selma singer began his journey weeks ago on NBC’s “The Voice.”
“It has been the most incredible warmth that I’ve ever felt ever in my life,” HaVon said of his hometown supporters. “I think I have about 1,300 unanswered messages. I just can’t get to them all, but the love has been extraordinary.”
He’s earned the accolades after recently making it past both battles and knockouts rounds while singing with extremely talented competitors.
There was a Thunderdome-worthy duet with HaVon and Alyssa Crosby performing Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero.”
“It has truly been a dream come true, singing with Alyssa for my battles,” HaVon said. “She’s such a powerhouse. I just really enjoyed more than anything our connection to the song, and us just wanting to deliver that song the best we possibly could.”
Then there was the knockouts, where he and Tae Lewis took turns sitting and watching each other perform. HaVon won the day with Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart.”
“Tae is such a gift,” HaVon said. “Just sitting on stage watching him, I felt like I was at his concert. Just for that moment, I was super fanning out.”
Speaking of fans: In a message that he hopes reaches them, HaVon sent his love to his home while speaking Friday from Los Angeles.
”You mean the world to me,” HaVon said. “Everyone in my city means the world to me, and I pray that I can continue to make you proud. When you see me on stage, I pray that it ignites your own dream.”
HaVon said he’s gained a new understanding of his own voice during his time performing on “The Voice.”
“I always knew I was a good singer. If you work really hard at anything, you become good at it,” the Selma native said by phone from Los Angeles. “I’ve worked really hard at my voice and at singing.”
Now, he’s moved beyond good, thanks in much part to his celebrity coach, country superstar Reba McEntire.
“Being on the show and working with coach Reba has allowed me to discover places not only inside of my voice but inside of myself that I didn’t know existed,” HaVon said. “It’s allowing me to soar even higher.”
Stage presence and, yes, that amazing changing hair has had fans glued to HaVon as well. More “jaw-dropping” looks are coming, he said.
“All I can say is, I am a storyteller,” HaVon said. “In every song I sing, through my looks and my hair, my eyes, whatever on the entire stage, I am committed to tell the story in its entirety.”
The way he sells that look on stage goes back to his coaches.
“Growing up in the South, in the church, around gospel and soul singers, I was always taught to be very engaging. Move and take control of the entire stage,” HaVon said. “But until I stood in the rehearsal room getting ready for knockouts, I never heard anyone tell me to be still and allow all my emotions to come through my eyes and the way I sing. What that taught me was in the middle of singing, all those emotions have no where to go but in the face, and that’s what really sells the song. That has been some of the best advice I’ve gotten, especially from coach Reba and (mega mentor) Keith Urban as well.”
One special fan with whom HaVon talks all the time is Val T. Webb, a Birmingham native who lives in Texas. She was a part of this season on “The Voice” until being eliminated in the knockouts.
“I am screaming for him,” Webb said of HaVon. “I’m hoping to see us get the win for our state of Alabama. I’m rooting everybody on, but of course I’ve got a little bit of favoritism for Asher.”
The knockouts rounds continue Monday, April 15, on NBC. A week later, playoffs rounds begin and HaVon will return sometime during that portion of the competition, which are the season’s final prerecorded episodes.
“Everyone is literally giving it all they’ve got, because that’s our final chance for our coaches to choose who will go on to the (live shows),” HaVon said. “It’s so important that we really commit to the songs.”
