North Carolina singer wows Blake Shelton in ‘The Voice’ audition. ‘Proud to have you’
_fitted.png "Carlos Rising is the lead singer of Wilmington-based band, Holy Heat.")
A North Carolina singer wowed judges during his “The Voice” audition — and earned a spot on Blake Shelton’s team.
Carlos Rising performed “Change the World” by Eric Clapton during blind auditions that aired Tuesday, March 7, and he left the judges in awe. The 28-year-old is the lead singer of the Wilmington-based band Holy Heat.
Seconds into Rising’s performance, Shelton turned his chair. Shelton sang and danced along as Rising finished his audition.
As the audition continued, Niall Horan was seen hovering over his button, contemplating whether to turn. Ultimately, only Kelly Clarkson joined Shelton, turning her chair in the last moments of the audition.
“I hit my button because I thought you have what it takes to be on this show,” Clarkson told Rising after his audition.
Horan, one of the show’s newest judges, called Rising’s voice “insane” and complimented his “controlled rasp.”
Chance the Rapper, who also joined the show as a judge this season, compared Rising’s voice to 90s band Jamiroquai.
“When I first moved to Nashville, it was just me and my guitar,” Shelton told Rising after his performance. “When I see someone like you up there performing, that’s what gets me excited. Somebody that I’ve never heard anything like before.”
“Proud to have you on my last team on ‘The Voice,’” Shelton told Rising. He has said this will be his final season as a judge on the show.
Rising ultimately opted to join Shelton’s team. He shared his excitement on Instagram, calling his audition “a once in a lifetime experience.”
“I want to say thank you to my wife, my family, my friends, and my community for your never ending support and love,” Rising wrote in a March 8 Instagram post. “Most of all, thank you to MY NEW COACH @blakeshelton. Thank you for seeing something in me and giving me a chance to be on your last team ever! Let’s do this thing!”
Holy Heat congratulated its lead singer on his accomplishment in a Feb. 27 Facebook post.
“[We’re] so excited for him and this next step in his musical journey,” the band said.
Viewers also shared their excitement for Rising.
“Winner picked,” one person commented on Instagram.
“Such a fantastic voice,” another comment said.
Wilmington is about 130 miles southeast of Raleigh.
This story was originally published March 8, 2023 at 2:28 PM with the headline "North Carolina singer wows Blake Shelton in ‘The Voice’ audition. ‘Proud to have you’."
