Me, The Voice, and NYC

Throwback to June when I went on a last minute trip to New York City and loved every minute.

I have been back and forth for years and years about auditioning for one of these music shows, like the Voice. I have literally registered and cancelled it like 4 times. All for different reasons but the main one being - the odds. Like seriously what we see on tv is not all they have been through to get there. There is a nice long process before you make it to that point. So major respect for those killer voices!

This season was no different. I considered it when I saw it was in Atlanta, about 5 hours away, but quickly realized I was a bridesmaid in a wedding that weekend so that wouldn't work. I saw NYC on the list but didn't want to waste a trip on it knowing everything I had read about the numbers and how they pick a small handful out of thousands. I would think- I have way more things I'd rather spend that money on!! My sweet friend who had just moved up there made an offer that was hard to refuse and it was truly great timing for both of us. The way I figured it the audition was a bonus, make it or not I can have fun in New York with my friend!

I read all that info about odds and numbers and auditioning etc, but what they all said was that it was a cool experience that was definitely worth it even if you don't make it. I am far from major power house singer and never expected to go all the way. I'm not being negative or self-deprecating I just know the show and I know my limitations. It was just something I really wanted to do for the experience. I too am in the group that trying it at least once was worth the fun.

You make your appt online. I get there and stand in line outside for a long, long time, then I stand inside for a long, long time, then I sit inside for a long, long, time! Outside was ok. Made some new friends who literally have made auditioning for shows like this something they do on a regular basis. They were so sweet and a lot of fun to talk to. Once we got to sit down people were all singing and dancing and having fun. It was like a giant room of different harmonies and big voices. The atmosphere was so great. The night before I was a little nervous, but I really never got nervous there. By the time you wait forever you are just ready.

They finally get to us. The way the counting worked out, 10 at a time, the 3 of us who had become buddies would have been split up so we traded and let the other group go before us so we could stay together. I'm so glad we did because it really made no difference in moving forward and it was fun to see them do their thing.

10 of us all sit in a room. There is a guy at a table with a computer and a guy at the door. One at a time you sing a verse and a chorus. We all sang. Some were like CRAZY WOW!!!!! Like they HAVE to go thru - blew me away- killed it. Some were like ...bad...really bad. He never hardly flinched and just said "Thanks, but I'm not going to move any of you through. Try again next year." That was it. Was it fun? Yes. Was I sad? NO If some of those other crazy good people that totally should've moved forward didn't make it what do I have to be sad about?! Literally people who had watched and counted all day said they saw like 5 go past the first round-there were thousands there. I had no reason to be sad and I wasn't going to let it bother me!

Let's go enjoy NYC!!! We did all kinds of super fun stuff. I even found the subway to be enjoyable lol. By the time my trip was over I was thinking this small town southern girl could totally love it here!! ...but I do love Florida and grass and peace and quiet and my family so I think I'll stay home...but it is such a fun place!

Some cool things that everyone doesn't get to do, but since my friends are pretty awesome and have a cool job I got to tour NBC and see everything behind the scenes and eat lunch in the fancy staff lunch place thing. I got to see the SNL stage and do a fake newscast reading off the teleprompter in a filming room...I totally could've been a weather girl like I wanted to when I was little!! My FAVORITE thing was our VIP passes to the hardest show to get tickets to in NYC ...The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Yes, Jimmy Fallon. He even gave me a high five at the end of the show AND the back of our heads were on TV. We are totally famous now! Lol (that was a joke)

It was cool though because he was super intense and concentrating like the whole show and barely acted like the audience was there. I was like dang he's kinda rude, we are RIGHT here really close and on the show he seems so friendly- but he was just busy! Once the show was close to being done they were setting up Mumford and Sons equipment. He came up to the audience and talked and talked to people. He let everyone ask him questions. He was so funny and a normal nice guy just like I hoped he was!

It was a really great trip and experience. I love my friends lots and I'm glad I wasn't scared to just see what the auditioning process was all about.

I will never forget the morning heading home. Loading up my luggage in the taxi at 4 am in the rain. Me and the driver couldn't figure out how to get the gate to the house open and I had tried all of the alarm codes she gave me the night before. Eventually after getting soaked we figured it out only to get to the airport about 30 minutes away where it had clearly not rained or got anyone else wet on their way there. Just me. Drenched and half asleep, but going home!