Billy Gilman has opened up about the uphill battle his coach Adam Levine said he'll endure on The Voice due to the fact he was once very successful in the music industry.
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Billy, a 28-year-old former child country star from Richmond, RI, signed a record contract with Sony at age 10 and went on to release a hit song and album called "One Voice" the following year.
However, Billy's sweet, high-pitch voice changed when he became a teenager, so he was dropped from his record label. Once he came out as gay, Billy embraced the next stage of his life and realized he wanted to sing pop music rather than country. He came to The Voice to prove to himself and the world he's capable of a comeback.
"You just don't know how the chips will fall because of certain situations that happened when I was younger," Billy said.
Billy performed "When We Were Young" on Tuesday night's show and all four coaches -- Adam, Blake Shelton, Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys -- pressed their buttons and turned their chairs around for him. Billy chose to join Adam's team after the coach begged and pleaded.
"The great thing about The Voice is they just give so many professionals a chance. There are so many fabulous singers on this season who have fans and that work [in the industry] at this point," Billy explained.
"So the past success, I hope it won't define the outcome of what's to come, but you just never know. And you have to just keep humble. It's a totally different situation now. I mean, it was 17 years ago that I had success."
Billy confessed he went through "a horrible experience" when his voice changed, however, it's a stage in life every male vocalist must go through.
"When [The Voice] opportunity came about, I said, 'This is the perfect vehicle to finally sing the way I want to sing,' because even in my past success, I was always being told what to do," he told Reality TV World.
"And finally, I hope at 28, someone sees me for what I want. This is the vehicle. It's a classy television show and it's going to be a long road, but it's already been a long road. And this is where I am, so it's meant to be, I think."
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
