PAXTON — Gina Miles’ ascent to the finale of Season 23 of NBC’s “The Voice” has her hometown of Paxton abuzz.
After performing live for the first time on national television during Monday night’s semifinals of the singing-competition reality TV series, the 19-year-old native of the Ford County seat — whose legal name is Gina Galey — was selected to advance to the show’s finals, which air live over two nights at 7 p.m. Monday, May 22, and Tuesday, May 23.
Local viewing parties have been held back in her hometown — population 4,450 — as the show has played out over the past two-plus months, with Miles advancing from the blind auditions to the battle round and then the knockout round, playoffs and semifinals in prerecorded episodes that aired in March, April and early May.
More watch parties are set for next Monday in Paxton, including at the Dr. E.T. Grove Civic Room on the second floor of the Commandery Building, where some 40 people gathered Monday to watch Episode 15 and see Miles take yet another step forward in her quest for stardom. It was the second watch party held in a one-week span in the historic venue in downtown Paxton.
Her father, Ryan Galey, was again in attendance Monday — celebrating his birthday, no less — as he joined family members, friends and other community members in letting out an enthusiastic roar of approval when her selection as one of five singers to advance to the finals was revealed by host Carson Daly at the episode’s end after each of the eight semifinalists had performed live on stage.
For the first time this season, the show’s viewers instead of its four coaches — Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan — selected which singers would advance to the next stage. Besides Miles, who is competing for Team Niall, advancing to the finals were Team Blake’s Grace West, a 19-year-old resident of Nashville, Tenn., and native of Canton, Mich.; Team Blake’s Noivas, a 30-year-old resident of Hutto, Texas, and native of Jasper, Texas; Team Kelly’s D. Smooth, a 25-year-old who lives in Montgomery, Ala., and is a native of Birmingham, Ala.; and Team Chance’s Sorelle, comprised of sisters Madi, Ana and Bella who range in age from 15 to 21 and hail from Lexington, Ohio. Eliminated were three of the eight semifinalists: Team Chance’s Ray Uriel, Team Kelly’s Holly Brand and Team Niall’s Ryley Tate Wilson.
As the fifth contestant to perform live on national television during Monday night’s episode of Season 23 of NBC’s ‘The Voice,’ Paxton native Gina Miles sings ‘All I Want’ by Kodaline. (Photo by Trae Patton/NBC)
As the fifth contestant to perform Monday, Miles sang “All I Want” by Kodaline.
“‘All I Want’ is a perfect song for me (to sing) because I just want to make people feel something,” Miles said in a prerecorded video clip that aired immediately prior to her performance. “It’s about a desperate feeling of wanting someone who doesn’t necessarily want you, and those sorts of emotions I can always connect with, because I’m an emotional person. I’m a teenage girl, so I cry all the time.”
Miles seemed at ease performing for a live national TV audience on the stage. Miles said she feels that her confidence has grown “by leaps and bounds” since the blind auditions, when coaches noted that she seemed nervous. Miles said she took to heart Horan’s advice that “to be prepared is the best confidence you can have going on stage.”
“I feel like I’m leaps and bounds from where I started,” Miles said. “I’d really like to attribute so much of that to (Horan’s coaching).”
“I’m so proud of her,” Horan said prior to Miles’ live performance. “I just knew there was an amazing tone in there, and that was just a girl who had audition nerves. Then to watch her take off through the season, I’ve never seen a transformation (of a singer) in such a short period of time.
“Gina’s biggest strength is her tone,” Horan continued. “It’s so unique. She has one of those voices where if she came on the radio, I’d be like, ‘Gina Miles.’ You wouldn’t even have to think twice (to recognize the voice), and that is such a unique gift to have.”
After Miles’ live performance, Chance the Rapper called Miles’ rendition “breathtaking” and “amazing,” telling Miles that he thought it was “one of my favorite performances from you so far this season.”
Horan told Miles that she looked confident in addition to her outstanding singing.
“It’s just insane, the person that you’ve become throughout this show — how much confidence (you now have),” Horan told Miles. “You strolled around that stage tonight like you own the place. It was amazing to watch. You are a completely different person than who came to the auditions. Another unbelievable performance from you. We’ve got something incredible planned if we make it to the finals.”
Miles advanced to the two-hour live semifinals episode after performing “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak on the previous Monday’s episode, when she was among 20 singers competing in the playoffs round. Her performance prompted a congratulatory note from Isaak, who posted on social media last week: “Wow! Consider my chair turned. @ginamilesofficial! Great job.”
Miles initially appeared on the blind auditions in March, performing “The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry to advance to the battle round. During the battle round, Miles sang Bob Iver’s “Skinny Love” with Kala Banham, also from Team Niall, with Horan selecting Miles to advance to the knockout round. In the knockout round, Miles performed “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye to advance to the playoffs.
When she is not singing, Miles admittedly is “very shy” and has a “smaller speaking voice.” Her singing voice is giant, though.
“I feel more comfortable in my voice when I’m singing,” Miles said.
An aspiring professional singer and songwriter, Miles grew up in Paxton and attended Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School through the end of her junior year, when she moved to Sacramento, Calif., to live with her aunt and pursue a career in music more seriously — a move that was made with her father and stepmother’s support. Miles gained an interest in music at an early age with having a dad who DJ’d every weekend.
Miles, who already has an EP out called “Who Are You?” featuring songs she wrote when she was 16 or 17, hopes to eventually have the opportunity to release an album. While she was exposed growing up to everything from R&B to hip-hop to country music, Miles said her favorite genre to sing is pop music.
The artist named “The Voice” will receive the grand prize of a recording contract.
