By Karen Moul

Last season on The Voice, Daniel Rosa didn’t make it past the blind auditions. When none of the judges turned around, he asked what he could do better, and they suggested he work on his pitch.

Rosa took the advice to heart and when the Voice powers-that-be invited him back to try again in season three, he was ready.

“The greatest thing that ever could have happened to me,” he says, “was to not make it on the show last season. I was very inspired to move on.

“I needed a lot of work. I learned that I needed to trust myself. I knew that I needed to work on my stage presence. I still do,” confesses Rosa, who admits that this week’s episode was the first time he had ever performed with a mic in his hand.

“I was terrified holding that microphone, so I didn't last season and this time I did. So it was really liberating.”

It wasn’t just Rosa’s new-found poise and confidence that drew notice; his arrangement of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” caught the attention of Cee Lo and Blake, both of whom spun their chairs and made a play to add him to their teams. But the real highlight was seeing all four judges’ obvious delight in Rosa’s return.

In the end, Rosa went with Team Cee Lo, and he looks forward to the battle rounds.

“I don't know what I'm going to bring to this next season,” he muses. “I just know that last season helped me so much to get here so I feel like a completely different person from last season. So I think that's really going to help me through.”

Cee Lo also added R&B singer Trevin Hunte while Adam selected Bryan Keith and Joe Kirkland. Christina went with Devyn DeLoera and De'Borah. The big winner was Blake, who snagged two of the most telented singers of the evening, Scottish rocker Terry McDermott and yodeler Gracia Harrison.

NBC Conference Call
The Voice
Bryan Keith, Joe Kirkland, Gracia Harrison, Terry McDermott, Daniel Rosa, Trevin Hunte, Devyn DeLoera, De'Borah

September 11, 2012

QUESTION: Devyn and Trevin, we know that both of you are very talented singers; we know that both of you obviously had to overcome rejection growing up. But we don't necessarily know how you got to the point you're at now; what you've been doing in the past couple years musically and how you got to the point where you were good enough to be on The Voice.

So maybe if the two of you could tell us a little bit about what you've been doing on stage in the past couple years.

DEVYN DeLOERA: I was very shy growing up, as you saw. And I came out of my shell probably in junior high, high school time of my life. And I just started getting on stage. And by sophomore year I had gotten into some singing competitions and I was doing things like that. I never won or anything but it was a good start to getting to this point.

And I've recorded in some studios and I attended GMA Week in Nashville one year as a Christian music artist. So that's pretty much what I've been doing to get prepared and doing YouTube videos and things like that.

QUESTION: Okay, and Trevin?

TREVIN HUNTE: Well for me when I was growing up I wasn't the most vocal type of person, I was always the type of person to always stay in the background. And I used to get picked on when I was in school. I was called everything - any (unintelligible) and it was kind of hard for me growing up.

And when I moved from New York to Atlanta I started getting better but that's been (unintelligible) from that moment I (unintelligible), negativity and I just (unintelligible). Ever since then I've been working in my class. I've been writing - I'm writing songs (unintelligible), just putting myself in talent shows and (unintelligible) performing side of (unintelligible) so that's what I've been doing (unintelligible)...

QUESTION: Joe, obviously you look like a front man, you sound like a front man. What's that transition been like for you?

JOE KIRKLAND: Repeat that last part one more time?

QUESTION: We know that you started not as a front man, you started as a backup singer. But from what we saw last night obviously you look like a front man, you're very comfortable on stage. You've got the voice. What has that transition been like becoming a front man for you?

JOE KIRKLAND: It's been pretty difficult. I had a lot of negativity when the transition was made because obviously our old lineup was like (unintelligible) already toured and done a lot of that stuff.

So it was very difficult to prove, I guess, that I could do it. But I've watched people do it and I learn a lot by watching. And I knew what it took and so I guess it just took the guts to actually get up and do it, so I guess that's it.

QUESTION: Joe, what sparked your desire to compete on this show? And given that there are essentially 1001 singing competition shows on TV, why this particular one?

JOE KIRKLAND: Actually what's funny is I wasn't really that familiar with the show. I got given an invite to audition. And I guess I checked it out and I noticed that the show was more unique than any of the shows I'd seen because it actually held true to us as artists; it didn't really try to make us seem any different than what we really are.

They were very open to the fact that I was in a band and I was trying to lead that band. And they didn't try and just make me who they thought I could be.

And even with everybody on this line right now, they're all unique individual artists. And The Voice promotes that instead of tries to hide it. So that's why I thought it was a good idea. And just the amount of exposure that it can give us, it really helps us all out so that's why I decided to audition initially.

QUESTION: What do you think that being on Team Adam can do for you? What can you learn from Adam that you couldn't learn from Blake?

JOE KIRKLAND: I feel like Adam - Adam actually has been - I know a lot about his history and he actually used to not be a front man. And I really enjoyed the thought of him helping me figure out how to exactly be that front man.

He comes from the same music-style background that I do. And it honestly just seemed like a perfect fit so I feel like he's the one that could teach me the most.

QUESTION: How strong are your ties to Ft. Worth, were you born here? Did you grow up here? Did you go to school here? That kind of thing.

JOE KIRKLAND: Oh yeah, I was born in raised in downtown Ft. Worth. I only moved about a year ago so I actually just visited. I miss Ft. Worth every day. I love it.

QUESTION: And right now you're living in...

JOE KIRKLAND: Los Angeles.

QUESTION: Daniel, it was so good to see you on TV again. At what point did you decide that you were going to go for it and give it another go with The Voice?

DANIEL ROSA: When they called me back. Yeah, that's pretty much the answer. I was really looking forward to doing cattle calls again. But they called me back and that's really also helped with my confidence, too; I knew that I was ready to audition and the show also thought I was ready, too. So it was really cool to do that. And I was like, “Yeah, yeah, I can do this again.” So it was awesome.

QUESTION: What was going through your mind when you saw the chairs turn around this time?

DANIEL ROSA: I completely forgot what I was singing at that point. After that it was just kind of like - it was just memories from then on. And I was watching the show last night and I was like, “I don't even remember half the things that happened.” And, yeah, it was just crazy because it was more just like I'm on the show now. And I had the biggest pains in my stomach, major knots, painful.

It wasn't like, “Oh yeah, yeah, I'm on the show.” It was like oh, so much pain. So it was very interesting for that to happen. And, yeah, that was the craziest thing. I was like, “I can't just drop the microphone now, I have to continue with the song.” So that was my whole goal was to continue.

QUESTION: And why did you end up choosing CeeLo?

DANIEL ROSA: Well, I don't know. We're both big guys and I felt like he would respect me as an artist. And (unintelligible) as Blake. But I don't know, I just felt like this small little - like this little click as soon as he turned his chair. It just felt right, which is weird because I was planning on - I thought I was going to go with Blake.

The whole time I was like, "Blake Shelton, Blake Shelton, I'm going to go with him if he turns his chair." But for some reason it was just like, yeah, this feels right.

QUESTION: So what did you learn from your last experience that you're going to try and bring to this experience?

DANIEL ROSA: That I needed a lot of work. I learned that I needed to trust myself and trust my family when they say that you're good, they really meant it. That was a really happy moment for me to - like I said it last night on the show that the greatest thing that ever could have happened to me was to not make it on the show last season.

And I was just really looking - I don't know what I'm going to bring to this next season. I just know that last season helped me so much to get here so I feel like a completely different person from last season. So I think that's really going to help me through.

QUESTION: What do you have to say to your fans that are out there following you?

DANIEL ROSA: My fans - I have fans, that's the greatest thing.

QUESTION: You have fans. You have fans. They were looking at stories for you from last season. So what do you say?

DANIEL ROSA: Yeah, I don't know. Thank you so much for continuing in that trust in me and believing in me because even when I didn't, that was the greatest thing to see. I have the worst confidence but people have the confidence for me from last season. So that was really cool. That also boosted me up to make me want to re-audition this year - or this season.

QUESTION: I was wondering if, Joe, was it harder playing Warped for the first time or auditioning for The Voice?

JOE KIRKLAND: It's two totally different realms because Warped - people actually wanted us there so it was like we already knew we were supposed to be there and it was almost like summer camp, so it wasn't really that difficult.

But auditioning for The Voice was extremely, extremely stressful and time-consuming and everything had to be right. So I would definitely say auditioning for the show.

QUESTION: And, Devyn, could you talk about how Christina has inspired you and what made you select that particular song?

DEVYN DeLOERA: Christina has inspired me. I just think that she's a very strong woman and she stands up for what she believes in. She's a strong vocalist. And I think she's a very admirable celebrity because she keeps her personal life personal and she does her business. And so that was really inspiring. I've always looked up to her since I was a little kid.

And I chose that song because I figured she would either love me or hate me but I was willing to take the risk in case she loved me. And that's a song off of my favorite album of hers.

QUESTION: Trevin, since you have such a powerful voice what are you hoping CeeLo can do for you that you haven't experienced yet?

TREVIN HUNTE: With CeeLo I just hope that I can show people that I have another side to me. I feel like, yeah, I do have a powerful voice but I feel like people put me in a box as far as singing strong ballads. And I think with being on the CeeLo Team I could have a chance with doing some pop and even venturing out to do some country and switching it up and making it Trevin, you know?

QUESTION: And, Joe, since you found some success with the band but lost the record deal what did that experience teach you about the industry?

JOE KIRKLAND: The industry is extremely, extremely cutthroat. And it was honestly a very difficult time just because we honestly - we were given everything. We were a favorite on the label and once everything went down it was just like, “Who are you again?” It literally went from love to nothing.

So it's extremely, extremely ruthless but it honestly - being told no is probably the best thing that can happen to someone in their career because it straightens you up and it makes you figure out what you need to do. So that's what happened to us and we couldn't be more grateful.

QUESTION: Daniel, can you talk a bit about getting let down last season and what you felt and how you didn't let that beat you?

DANIEL ROSA: Yeah, it was the weirdest thing because I thought I was going to come back home and be devastated and been like, “Why, Lord, me?” But it really did the opposite. I was very inspired to move on. And I have something I could work on. And I'm going to do the best that I can to get better.

And I knew that I needed to work on my stage presence. I still do. But that was one thing, I was terrified holding that microphone so I didn't last season and this time I did. But this time being on stage that was my first time I ever held a microphone ever. So it was really liberating.

But last season - I don't know, I was just so looking forward to seeing what was going to happen next that I had no time to be devastated.

QUESTION: Bryan and Joe primarily, how has the experience so far of being on the show compared to what you thought it might be going into it?

BRYAN KEITH: Want to take this, Joe?

JOE KIRKLAND: No, go ahead, Bryan.

BRYAN KEITH: I think for me and Joe, when we would speak over at the hotels and things like that we knew what we were getting ourselves into by joining the show. But it became even bigger for us every time we would go rehearse or figure out our song choices and things like that.

And we started to realize that this is like us leaving our mark; this is our chance to go out there every time and just, you know, this could be our last shot and we would just go for it. And for me personally, I just wouldn't let it phase me.

JOE KIRKLAND: Yeah, you get this funny almost stressed-out mentality of every single day is like, “This could be my last day.” It's so weird how it just builds up and builds up. And then the blind happens and it's like oh, neat. I don't really know how to describe it. It's hard to explain.

QUESTION: And as a quick follow up to that what was it like for you two to finally see your blind auditions on TV and see the reactions that the coaches were having to you?

JOE KIRKLAND: Go ahead, Bryan.

BRYAN KEITH: I don't know. I kept picturing it to happen that way and it happened that way. And I said that last night too. I just kept envisioning that happening and it did. And, yeah, it felt like a dream really coming true right in front of me. And watching it with my family and friends and stuff just really put things into perspective and made me feel like I reached my goal.

JOE KIRKLAND: Yeah, it was definitely surreal. I don't really remember doing all of that on stage. I remember blacking out and telling everybody I blacked out. But it's like once you watch it it's an affirmation that it really happened and that we really do have what it takes to be here.

QUESTION: Gracia, my question is for you. Adam said you have the best country by far this season. Obviously that's a great first step but what else do you think you need to do to separate yourself from the pack? Obviously we saw that you're willing to take risks. What sort of strategy do you have going forward?

GRACIA HARRISON: My strategy moving forward is definitely just to keep the same twangy, really country side that you don't really hear on the radio anymore. Because I think country has really become merged with the country in a pop sound or like rock. And so I think that to set myself apart I just need to keep it country.

QUESTION: Trevin, what would you like to say to that teacher who told you that you'd never amount to anything?

TREVIN HUNTE: I would like to thank her, actually. I’m very thankful that she said that because it took that for me to actually turn it into something positive. And I guess that's why I passed the blind auditions. I'm just so grateful and thankful to have made it past the blind auditions. And I thank her for that, honestly, for pushing me.

QUESTION: Did you go into it thinking that if CeeLo turned his chair around you would pick him or was that a decision you made on the spur of the moment?

TREVIN HUNTE: Well in the back of my mind I've always wanted to work with CeeLo mainly because I'm also a songwriter and I feel like if we was to come together and make something it would be something very epic. But I got to say when Christina turned around for me first it was kind of crazy and in my head I was actually startled and I was going back and forth. But I just listened to my heart and I listened to my mind and it told me to go for CeeLo.

SCIFI VISION: Terry, those coaches really kept it down to the final second before the chairs started spinning around. What was going through your mind? What's the pressure like when you get down to it like that?

TERRY McDERMOTT: The flight home was actually going through my mind. I think you kind of see it on the television, I'd [gone] for the last note on the track and I look up, I'm holding out the note. And at that point the last thing I've seen before I've looked up is that there are no chairs, there's no chairs turned around. I'm like, “Oh well, that's it then. Free flight home, leaving tomorrow.”

So I finished the note and I looked down and there's three chairs turned around. I'm like, “Okay, okay, I'll just put the bags on hold then.”

SCIFI VISION: And after your audition you chose Blake and you said that you chose him because you liked what Blake did with his team last year. Could you elaborate on that a little bit?

TERRY McDERMOTT: Blake's approach - he's very supportive and he's very hands-on. And I got that impression from watching the previous season. He seems to - there's a very encouraging atmosphere when he's working with his artists, a very positive, nurturing sense. And I think that really carried over with me. I wanted to embrace that, I wanted to grab that if I could.

Plus my wife's an enormous music country fan and has worked on converting me, so she would have been mad at me if I hadn't gone with Blake.

SCIFI VISION: Well how's that conversion going? You chose “Baba O'Reilly,” why that song?

TERRY McDERMOTT: “Baba O'Reilly,” for me The Who, greatest rock band the world's ever seen. And I just can't say enough how much they influenced me in music. You know, they were the paradigm for me for a live rock band, as an example of a British rock band conquering America or coming to America and succeeding.

And the likes of Roger Daltry are such a signature, an amazing voice, great songwriting and Pete Townsend really, really inspired me throughout my youth and even just before my band's getting signed they were, we used to go in our rehearsal space and (unintelligible) The Who songs just for fun.

And even actually when my band, Driveline, we were touring around America now and again we'd throw a Who cover in. So I never really lost touch with those roots. So the fact that I get to do a Who song on the show just feels like perfect symmetry to me. It feels like a circle of completion. It's a wonderful feeling. I'm very proud to have got a chance to do a Who song.

QUESTION: De’Borah, was that your time of really coming out last night on the show? Is that the first time you made that announcement to everyone?

DE’BORAH: That is absolutely correct. I never, ever mentioned those words, "I'm gay." I've never said that before. And it actually didn't even freak me out. It was just like, “Whoa, I can't believe I just said that.”

QUESTION: Yeah. Was this for your parents and the rest of the world too? Did your parents know before this or...

DE’BORAH: Well, they knew but I've never actually uttered the words. It was more of assumption.

QUESTION: Yeah. Well I just want to say, you know, the gay community here supports you and we need to be hitting the gay bars so whenever you can.

And how was it with Christina picking you? I mean, that must have been such a validation, you know, after doing that.

DE’BORAH: I actually - when I saw her I died inside. I couldn't believe it. Just from the one song that I love the most - I love her, I love all her albums but the one song I love the most is what got me right there. And I cannot believe it. And The Voice was saying Christina is just - I'm so amazed I can't even talk. I love her.

QUESTION: My question is for Joe, Bryan and Terry. In the past seasons rock artists like Tony Vincent seemed to hit a roadblock when it came to the live show times and group numbers. How do you guys plan on appealing to the public and staying true to yourselves as artists?

TERRY McDERMOTT: Go on, lads.

BRYAN KEITH: I think the key to it is to not lose yourself and basically just maintain that connection with people; that humble connection. You can't be a gimmick in this thing. It could either be the death of you or it could bring out the best in you. But being a gimmick isn't where you want to be when it comes to depending on America.

And I think that's what's gotten us all this far. We're all really good people besides great singers. And we just need to maintain that and let people recognize that.

JOE KIRKLAND: Absolutely, I agree. I think that going on stage and feeling exactly what you - you know, there's so many talented vocalists and you can go on stage and - hundreds of people can go up and sing the song. But when you make that moment, when you make that connection and have that feeling with someone I think that's what will project you into further rounds and whatnot. So that's what we need.

TERRY McDERMOTT: I think the lads there have hit the nail on the head. I think for me it's about authenticity. I think that's what connects with an audience. I know that playing live and touring, that's always, I think, what's remained real to an audience is that they want the person on the stage that's singing to them to remain authentic. They don't want (unintelligible) bells and whistles, it has to be real.

And I think that you can succeed a lot as well by keeping the soul in it. You know, it's not so much about the rock and roll as it is the rock and soul. It's got to have the heart. That's what will transcend rock. That's what transcends anything, any genre, I think, is if you keep the heart in it and keep the soul in it then you can touch people that won't expect it.

QUESTION: Bryan, what was it like being the only contestant last night to have all four chairs turn for you? And what went into your choice to join Team Adam?

TERRY McDERMOTT: Show off.

BRYAN KEITH: I didn't believe it when it happened. But it just felt like I needed them to turn around for me so badly because I felt that they were going to want to know where my voice was coming from and so they had to turn around for me. And I just felt like I believed in that so much that when it happened it just felt right.

And Adam - I went in there wanting Adam the entire time. And for a split second I almost went with Christina because she was trying to tell me that she would stick up for me until the bitter end and everything. And that really got me.

And then I started contemplating joining CeeLo's team because I could tell he really felt me a lot. But Adam - I went with him because he pushed me to prove myself. And he waited until the end. And I liked that, I liked that he didn't press his button for me right away. So it made me want to be with him even more.

QUESTION: Any regrets?

BRYAN KEITH: Not at all. Adam's amazing. He's incredible. I loved everything about what the coaches had to say but Adam - we have a really cool connection and I think we relate to each other very well.

SCIFI VISION: Daniel, I wanted to ask you about the arrangement or the version you sang of Gotye's song. Did you put that together? And where did that come from?

DANIEL ROSA: I did. Oh, I was hoping someone would ask that. I like the song. I saw it on the list and I was like I think that would be really interesting to do because the original song - I like it a lot and it sounds really happy. And I was listening to the lyrics and reading the words. And it's a really sad song.

And I wanted to try to portray that somehow in the music and the way that I sing it and it's such a heartfelt song, “Why'd you cut me off, we've been through so much together?” And it just sounded like it needed that kind of spin because you hear that song everywhere. So when they gave me that song I'm like, “I can't do it the same way." So yeah it was - I liked the outcome of it.

SCIFI VISION: It was great, yeah, I think I like it better than the original. Do you enjoy arranging music and playing with different versions?

DANIEL ROSA: Yeah, I love it. Normally I don't do stuff like as dark as I did yesterday. I play the ukulele so I try to do songs that you wouldn't normally expect on the ukulele. I try to stay away from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “I'm Yours” by Jason Mraz.

And I love those songs, I just don't want to be put in that box of ukulele players. So I had to go in to open mics and everything. I had to learn to get out of that box and learn to do my own versions of songs. So I definitely enjoy it. It's one of my favorite things to do is try to figure out a different way to do a cover of a song.

QUESTION: This one is directed towards Bryan Keith. Could you just go a little into your dad's influence on your sound and then how you separated from that and developed your own?

BRYAN KEITH: Coming from the Bronx, it's unbelievable the diversity that you like encounter with your friends and stuff. And growing up I was with a lot of people who were into salsa music because of my dad and the neighborhood I happened to be growing up in, a lot of minorities going on.

And once we moved to a different part of the Bronx where it was a little bit more suburban, I guess you could say, but all my friends from high school and then all the kids I met out where I moved to would all get together and we all loved music so we would all just get together and play guitar and listen to rock bands. Because I really love a lot of these rock bands that are out now like Thrice, Taking Back Sunday, Brand New.

And then my brother was a metal-head so I feel like I'm in between the salsa that my dad does, the Latin jazz soul, and my brother's early metal-head 80s rock days. So it just influenced me from both of them and made me a soulful rocker, whatever you want to label me as. But I'm just a mix of both. And my dad's classic flavor and my brother's kind of out there a ways made me.