Back to basics: Mathai of The Voice

MANILA, Philippines - She has that dusky glow brimming with excitement. Her doe eyes look into the crowd, her free-flowing hair is rich and luxurious. Looking at her, she is a knockout. She looks like a younger Padma Lakshmi pre-Top Chef. Then she starts to sing.

Of course, the judges have no idea what she looks like. All they hear is her voice, a unique and powerful range reminiscent of M.I.A. and Adele. Naturally, she sings Adele’s Rumor Has It, putting in her own emotions and making it her own. This girl’s voice is hypnotic, otherworldly, and there is something about it that hooks the listener from the start. For the first timer, it is a mix of reggae, soul and a little jazz.

This singer, the one with the beautiful face and the astounding voice, is Sharon Mathai, popularly known as Mathai, a 19-year-old wünderkind who has wowed three of the judges and begged to be on their team. According to Shelton, “We are looking at a star,” while Green said that she has “the whole thing going.” In the end, she chose Levine, who pushed his button after eight seconds of hearing her sing. “I’m really, really desperate to have you on my team,” he gushed.

Mathai comes from a family of doctors. She was studying to become a pediatrician when she literally woke up one day and decided to pursue singing. She’s a self-confessed brainiac but performing isn’t new to her because she started singing at age three and has performed for the church choir all her life. In fact, she was part of The Glee Project’s Top 24 but didn’t make it to the show.

Today, Mathai is one of the favorite contenders, with positive reviews of her blind audition all over the web. She has been called “unique,” “awe-inspiring,” and is “one of the few that understands nuance and power.” She has yet to perform in the Battle Rounds (she will perform next week) but we know big things are in store for this girl, whether or not she wins The Voice.

The Voice is a singing competition like no other. It goes back to basics, which is the sound. With the judges only hearing the hopeful’s vocals, they are free of visual judgment and preconceived notions, which can shape decisions. If we are to base a singer on voice alone, then we’re looking at a strong contender for The Voice. And the best part is, Mathai has so much more to offer.

Make sure to catch The Voice on AXN every Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.

SUPREME: Why did you decide to join The Voice?

SHARON MATHAI: With The Voice, it was an artist kind of show. It was about the voice and it seems like a very cool show. It just attracted me in a way other shows didn’t.

S: You come from a family of doctors. Where did your musical talent come from?

This singer, the one with the beautiful face and the astounding voice, is Sharon Mathai.

SM: I don’t really know. Some of my dad’s family members sing. I don’t know where it came from, but it came from my dad’s side.

S: What was life like before The Voice?

SM: I was in school and it was a normal life. I still live a normal life. The only thing different is that a lot more people know about me. I do the same thing, go through the same struggles. I would wake up in the morning to go to school, then I did tutoring because I was a nerd and I wanted to get the subjects done perfectly. I was in the honor’s club in college and I did service leadership. I would go home, hang out until 10 p.m. then late at night, do my homework. I wanted to have fun and do school at the same time. Somehow I succeeded but it was a close call oftentimes.

S: You mentioned that you just woke up one day and decided to pursue singing. How exactly did it go? Do you have any regrets?

SM: I literally woke up and told my mom I think I’m being called to do music for a living. It’s crazy, I never expected it because I was always the big nerd. My friends and parents didn’t expect it, but my parents took me seriously because they knew it wasn’t like me. I don’t have any regrets because I see the people I impacted. It’s not just about making money, but music is touching people’s hearts and reaching into their soul and giving them something that can uplift and provoke their thinking and that’s what I wanted to do.

S: How was your experience with The Glee Project?

SM: I heard about it on TV and I decided to audition for it. It was a great experience, but I didn’t make it to the actual reality show. It’s a good thing because if made it to the reality show, I wouldn’t have been able to try out for The Voice.

S: What do you think is your biggest challenge on The Voice?

SM: I think the biggest challenge would be song choice because you’ve got to pick something that shows your artistry, and not just catering to the people. That’s something that’s kind of difficult sometimes.

S: Do you have a strategy on how to win the show?

SM: I don’t really have a strategy I thought, I just want to show the world who I am as an artist. They can take it or leave it, I don’t want to change who I am for the masses. I just want to be myself as an artist.

S: The prize is $100,000. If you do win, what will you do with the prize money?

SM: It would all go towards my next CD, my music, my artistry. I would save a huge chunk of it, I would give another huge chunk of it away, but also use a huge chunk of it for working on my music stuff.

S: What are your aspirations for the future?

SM: I want to be an artist. I want to sing, I want to impact people with my music. I want it to either make you happy or sad. I don’t want my music to become mindless. I want it to be real music, something everybody can relate to, universal music.

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Want to catch Mathai live or support the show? Then join the Sing Your Way to Los Angeles contest to win an all-paid four days and three nights stay trip to LA to watch the finale live! Log on to www.axn-asia.com/contests/singyourwaytola to join this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!