Lowell Resident Competes on The Voice

For 24 seasons, the television series The Voice has been seeking out new musical talent. And this year, a Lowell resident is among those vying for a shot at stardom and a recording contract.

Lindsey Garcia, performing under the name LVNDR, sung a smooth version of Drake’s hit song Hotline Bling to garner the attention of two judges during her blind audition. She now moves on to the next phase of the competition.

Basics of The Voice

For those who aren’t familiar with the show, The Voice features four celebrity judges who coach contestants but also eventually whittle down their number to a top 12. Those individuals then perform live and receive votes from viewers to determine the winner.

This year’s celebrity judges are John Legend, Gwen Stefani, Niall Horan and Reba McEntire. During the blind audition segment of the show, judges have their backs turned to each performer as they begin singing If they like what they hear, the judges can hit a button, turn their chair around and invite the performer to join their team.

Judges coach the members of their team throughout the rest of the competition, and if more than one judge turns their chair during a performance, the contestant gets to choose which team to join. If no one turns their chair, that contestant is eliminated from the competition.

In the case of LVNDR, Horan hit his button almost immediately, and Legend was quick to follow.

“I didn’t even think John [Legend] would turn for me,” LVNDR tells Lowell’s First Look. The Grammy-winning artist is known for his piano skills and smooth voice, but he couldn’t compete with Horan, whom LVNDR picked as her coach.

“His style of music fits my genre the most,” LVNDR explains. Horan rose to fame as a member of One Direction, a group that was formed as a part of the show The X Factor. LVNDR says that weighed into her decision as well since she thought Horan might have a unique perspective as a coach given his past experience on a singing competition.

LVNDR: From Lowell to LA

This isn’t the first time the 27-year-old has tried out for The Voice. Ten years ago, she posted a video to YouTube of herself singing and that caught the eye of a talent scout. She was invited to Los Angeles to the open call auditions which take place prior to the taped rounds.

“I had complete stage fright,” LVNDR remembers. “I forgot my lyrics, forgot how to play my guitar.”

She returned home and vowed to work on her stage presence. She also wanted to improve how she engaged with an audience. You may have caught her singing at venues such as Turnstiles and the Listening Room (now Midtown GR) in Grand Rapids, the Garage Bar in Ada and Sound Check in Lowell.

It was before one of those performances that she was dabbing on some lavender essential oil, as is her ritual, and decided that Lavender – minus the vowels – would be a good stage name. As someone who has previously struggled with shyness, LVNDR wanted a way to separate her personal life from her professional life. Performing under a new name seemed like a good way to do that.

In honor of her name, LVNDR bestowed each of the judges on The Voice with a necklace containing a lavender scent. “I thought it might be a personal touch,” she explains. The necklaces might also eventually turn into merchandise for fans.

Asked if she had a message for Lowell, LVNDR says she is so thankful for all the support she has received from fans at home: “I absolutely love this town.”

The Voice airs on NBC at 8pm on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The blind auditions continue tonight so the earliest we might get another glimpse of LVNDR is during the Battle Rounds, which may begin as early as tomorrow.

In the meantime, here’s a video of LVNDR singing Hotline Bling during the blind auditions.