Levine scores a second victory

MANILA, Philippines - The Voice (US) Season 5 recently announced its new winner, Jamaican talent Tessanne Chin — and coach Adam Levine was really proud and thrilled with the victory of his artist (the second for him after scoring the first win with Javier Colon).

In fact, a night before the finals, People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive declared that Tessanne would win the competition. “I know in my mind and heart that you are the winner of the show,” Adam said after Tessanne belted out Whitney Houston’s powerful ballad, I Have Nothing. “You are just capable of anything and it blows me away.”

Aside from the brand-new car that Tessanne took home as one of the three finalists, she got a cash prize of $100,000 and recording contract as winner of The Voice (Season 5).

Twenty-eight-year-old Tessanne who was a back-up singer in Kingston, Jamaica, was rather a late-bloomer when it comes to performing solo. She did try to make it by joining The Voice and from the start of the blind auditions, she immediately made the chairs of the four judges turn, landing with coach Adam.

Tessanne competed with Will Champlin, another Team Adam artist who placed third. Adam’s other artist, James Wolpert, was in the Top 5 but was eliminated a week before the finals.

In the finals, Tessanne got the chance to perform with her idol, power belter Celine Dion, with whom she did a duet of Celine’s Love Can Move Mountains. Celine later rendered her new hit, Incredible, with Ne-Yo.

After Tessanne was named winner, she took center stage and carried out an original song, Tumbling Down, written by Ryan Tedder, lead singer of One Republic, who acted out as mentor for the artists of Team Adam.

Meanwhile, a week before the finals, coach Blake Shelton lost all hope to score another win, when his last remaining talent, Cole Vosbury, was eliminated from the competition.

Blake was gunning for his fourth win this season after getting trophies for Jermaine Paul (Season 2), Cassadee Pope (Season 3) and Danielle Bradbery (Season 4), respectively. For Season 5, Blake’s other talents who made it to the Top 12 were Austin Jenckes and Ray Boudreaux. Blake’s artists were mentored by Cher.

Second placer was teenage diva from New Jersey Jacquie Lee, also the youngest talent in the competition, who was mentored by coach Christina Aguilera. The latter’s other talents were charismatic vocalist Matthew Schuler and talented singer Josh Logan. The talents’ mentor was English artist Ed Sheeran.

From Team Cee Lo Green, there were long-haired contestant Jonny Grey, singer-songwriter Caroline Pennell and rocker Kat Robichaud, who competed in the Top 12 but were all eliminated early on. Cee Lo’s mentor was R&B artist Miguel.

The Voice (US) is hosted by Carson Daly and airs on AXN. The new season is set to air on Feb. 24, with returning judges Shakira and Usher to join Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Meanwhile, The Voice Philippines is now auditioning for The Voice Kids, its second season to air early next year.