Blake Shelton has a few strong words for Universal Music, which gives winners of The Voice a record deal. The label, which has been with The Voice since the beginning, has had contracts with artists like Chris Blue, Sundance Head, Jordan Smith, Brynn Cartelli and more, but has yet to turn any of the winners into mainstream success stories at radio. With the recent win of Todd Tilghman, Blake says it’s up to Universal Music to finally do their part to foster the careers of the rising stars.
“The frustrating for me, as a coach on this show, year after year, is they win this record deal with Universal and so many times, the ball’s been dropped, and there hasn’t been a lot of follow-through with the record deal,” Blake said in a press conference (via ET Canada). “I’ve been vocal about that from the beginning, because it’s a hard pill to swallow, when somebody works as hard as Todd has, and they get this chance, and there’s just no follow-through with the record deal.
“So, I still feel like that’s something that has got to be improved on, and worked on,” he continued. “Because here’s a guy that clearly America has connected with. They love him, they bought his original song, and it went to No. 1 on iTunes … he’s clearly an artist that moves the dial. Let’s get together; let’s get a plan together. As his coach, whatever I can do to contribute to the record label, to make all of this stuff come together –- it’s clearly something that’s ready to work, and it’s been handed to the label. Now, let’s see what they do.”
Blake has had seven total wins on The Voice, including with Danielle Bradbery, Cassadee Pope and Chloe Kohanski, but has never felt quite as motivated to see someone succeed as he does with Todd.
“As far as what I can do, I wish I had a record label, that I could sign Todd to, because I know that I would make him a priority, and that’s what I think Universal Records has got to do,” Blake maintained. “There’s no more excuses. It’s time. It’s time for those guys to follow up and make this happen. A lot of eyes are on him, at this point, I would think. I want to support him in that, in any way I can, but as far as a plan, you gotta follow a record company’s lead. They have to lead this charge.
“They have to do it, and the rest of us can be a support team around somebody like Todd,” Blake added. “Todd’s important. He’s important to me, he’s important to NBC, he’s important to The Voice.”
Blake previously praised Todd, especially for all the ways they are not alike, and said he is eager to perform with the father of eight.
“I think our partnership between Todd’s energy and my lack of energy together, we make one normal human being,” Blake said in a press conference after Todd’s win. “It’s the perfect combination of dudes. Honestly, I can’t wait to be in the same room with Todd, and hang out with him. I want to perform with him on stage.”