Jermaine Paul’s prayer is answered

LOS ANGELES — Local fans of Harriman resident Jermaine Paul were thrilled to learn this past Tuesday night that Paul’s voice was not silenced on the hit NBC reality show, “The Voice.”

As one of the six singers representing Team Blake - coached by country western star Blake Shelton - Paul, Erin Willett and RaeLynn received the highest number of nationwide audience votes to automatically advance to the next round of competition. Jordis Unga was selected by Shelton in an elimination round afterward featuring the bottom three singers.

Paul, who performed before millions of viewers in The Voice’s first live broadcast in Los Angeles, sang Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” He opened the show by rising up on a platform - amid white smoke and bright purple lights - to the stop of stairs.

Paul then came down the stairs and danced onto the stage to the delight of the studio audience who were on their feet, touching the hands of many as he worked his way around the stage and belted out the lyrics.

Paul’s wife Melissa and daughter Arealyah were in the audience to cheer him on.

Afterward he finished, host Carson Daly asked specific coaches for their opinion. The opposition coach, singer/actress Christina Aguilera, remarked she didn’t see the connection with Paul and the song but noted he “milked every single opportunity of that song that you could make it your own with … amazing job on your part.”

Being first up Paul was happy that producers took him up on his suggestion to be the first performer.

“When you’re in the moment, you’re looking for confirmation and validation,” said Paul on Wednesday evening. “Being the first, it was nerve wracking. I wanted to be remembered throughout the night and I was worried there would be so much talent getting up after me that my performance would be memorable.”

“I thought let’s kick it off right,” he said. “Let’s not make the folks back home wait and America wait. For me, I thought it (his performance) was awesome. Vocally, I thought I could have done better but the energy was there. I’m just such a tough critic.”

Tuesday’s show started out with 24 singers, with six on four teams, including Aguilera’s group who performed with Shelton’s that night. Adam Levine’s and Cee Lo Green’s teams will perform next week. After the results are announced on April 10, that number will drop to 16.

Rehearsals, performances While Paul’s wife and daughter flew back to Harriman on Wednesday, Paul remains in Los Angeles. The world of television takes no breaks, as rehearsals quickly started on Wednesday for his next live performance on April 16. That same day was filled with media interviews from all over the country.

And there’s other performances and appearance,s too. Yesterday, for example, he appeared with other Team Blake members at an exclusive acoustic concert for KKGO/Go Country 105 radio listeners at the Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles.

“You can imagine we had to do everything from everything after the results,” Paul said, functioning on only four hours of sleep which ended with a 5 a.m. wake-up call to begin satellite press junkets. “I’m extremely excited, really really, really excited. I’m pretty much running back and forth and doing press and things like that ….and getting ready for not next week, but the week after. I haven’t had time to really enjoy it all.”

Now that his “Livin’ on a Prayer” performance is over, Paul revealed that song was one of five he suggested to sing.

“There were five songs I thought would be cool and I e-mailed Blake with my ideas,” said Paul, adding he could not reveal his song title for his April 16 performance. “‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ was a joint decision between me, Blake and the producers. It was number three in my pick. I was thinking of everyone at home singing (that song) with me. I wanted to make the right decisions. I don’t want to get caught up in genres. I don’t want to do anything people expect me to. I want to keep it fresh new and exciting. I want to do songs that America knows and loves.”

For the neighborhood Paul said his performance was dedicated to the communities where he grew up and where he now lives.

“It was for the people in Rockland (County) and the Spring Valley area and for all the kids like me that come out of that tough neighborhood who come from of ‘the hill,’” he said. “That performance was testament to the struggle I’ve gone through up until this point and for all my friends and family.”

He also acknowledged the support of in his current hometown area.

“I just want to say that performance was dedicated to Monroe-Woodbury Class of 1996, we sang that song all the time,” he added. “And it was for the people in Harriman, Monroe, Central Valley and Highland Mills and all around. There are some really good people in that area, supporting me and what I’m doing for a long time. I’m blessed to live there and I love my community.”

He thanked them for their continued support, votes and iTunes purchases.

“It’s a grueling experience and I really, really felt the support from back home,” Paul said. “I’m so happy everyone called in and voted. I’m hoping they can do the same in two weeks. I really feel like we can possibly win this thing.”

- Nancy Kriz