Who is Michael Huntley? 5 facts about 'The Voice' Season 24 winner
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Alt-rock powerhouse Michael Huntley was crowned the Season 24 winner of "The Voice" on Tuesday night.
During night two of the live finale, finalists Huntley (Team Niall Horan), Jacquie Roar (Team Reba McEntire), Lila Forde (Team John Legend), Mara Justine (Team Niall Horan) and Ruby Leigh (Team Reba McEntire), took the stage for a series of performances, including duets with their respective coaches.
Forde came in fifth place for her jazzy rendition of "Sleigh Ride" by Ella Fitzgerald with coach Legend. Roar hit the stage with coach McEntire for a soulful cover of "No One Else on Earth" by Wynonna Judd. The singer came in fourth place.
Justine brought the emotional angst with coach Horan for a passionate performance of "Wasted Time" by the Eagles, earning third place. Leigh took the No. 2 spot after performing a cover of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee with coach McEntire.
But Huntley's earnest acoustic rendition of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan, performed with coach Horan, earned the vocalist the $100,000 prize and a record deal with Universal Music Group.
Here are five facts about the "The Voice" season 24 winner.
Who won 'The Voice' 2023?
Winner Michael Huntley is a dedicated dad to two children, Michael and Stella. The singer brought Stella, 6, on stage during his blind audition. During the Oct. 16 audition, Huntley told viewers that he started performing part-time to provide for his family while also working as a booking agent for other artists.
According to his NBC bio, Huntley became a very involved parent because he never had a relationship with his father. In addition to his "Voice" debut, Huntley dedicated his playoff performance of David Kushner's "Daylight" to Stella.
Huntley turned all four coaches' chairs
Huntley's cover of "She Talks to Angels" by The Black Crowes was a crowd-pleasing first audition. According to NBC, all four coaches turned their chairs within seconds of Huntley's performance, earning plenty of praise for the 33-year-old singer.
"You sing your own way. You sing very direct, and so much power, and the control that you have, it's so beautiful to listen to. You made us feel, and that's a really important thing," coach Horan said.
Huntley brought Stella on stage to help him pick a coach, ultimately choosing Horan, who Huntley stated was Stella's "crush."
Huntley is from Florida
Huntley is originally from Spring Hill, Florida, but lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Hollywood Life reports. The vocalist moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music after college but eventually returned to Virginia, playing gigs across the state before auditioning for "The Voice."
Huntley auditioned for "American Idol" before "The Voice"
Huntley auditioned for "American Idol" twice before taking "The Voice" stage, per Life & Style Magazine. Unfortunately, he did not advance on the show after his first audition. He did receive a golden ticket after his second audition during season 16 but did not make it past Hollywood week.
Huntley started singing at age 4
Huntley, who was compared to Kentucky crooner Chris Stapleton by coach McEntire, began singing and impersonating Elvis by age 4 but never took himself seriously. When "The Voice" winner was 14, a friend overheard him singing while walking home from school. The friend encouraged Huntley, who decided to pursue music from that day on.
Watch Huntley, Niall Horan perform during 'The Voice' finale
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Michael Huntley? 5 facts about 'The Voice' Season 24 winner
