This year, Orlando singer Chloé Hogan found herself on the biggest stage of her life- competing in NBC’s The Voice.
The 20-year-old was one of WMFE’s local favorites for NPR’s Tiny Desk contest last year. Hogan made it through to the knock-out round of the competition before being voted off the show.
WMFE’s Matthew Peddie talked to Hogan in November about the challenge of competing and isolating during the pandemic.
"I honestly think that the self reflection time is so crucial," said Hogan.
And we’re given more than what you would normally have in a season that is not happening during the time of COVID-19. During COVID, we have to be secluded and isolated. And it gives us that time to really take in everything that’s happening, take in what we’re learning from our coaches, take in our performances, take in what we want to do next, you know, and what’s happening next, what’s the next steps."
Still, Hogan says part of her wished she could have competed during a regular season of the show, without the pandemic looming in the background.
"I think [every] performer feeds off of the energy of other human beings. And it’s different to not have physical people, like, filling up the space when we’re performing," said Hogan.
"But there’s a magic to watching and knowing that people are watching from all around the world watching these performances and we can feel their warmth, their comforting, their love, their support, their encouragement from wherever they’re watching from. So yes, in that sense, I missed the audiences I missed the cheers and the emotion that fills up the room, the heart, but at the same time, it’s a blessing that we get to be here anyhow."
Part of this interview aired on WMFE in November 2020.