Singer/Songwriter Wilkes Lands on Team Blake

Wilkes has been around music his whole entire life. The Talented singer singer/songwriter is out to prove he is more than just a rock guy with the help of NBC’s The Voice.

Wilkes has been in rock bands for the last 17 year and according to the talented artist he looks like you typical rock guy, but that is not what defines him as an artist. According to Wilkes he is heavily influenced by country and pop.

“I think the biggest thing to keep in mind with me as an artist Is right out of the gate I’ve always been branded as the rock guy because I do have a little more grit on my voice than some. My persona comes across as rock with my hair and my skinny jeans and the whole nine yards, I look like I'm a guy from a rock band and I have been for 17 years, but I was raised on pop music and country music…” said Wilkes.

“So I'm very much a country guy. I'm very much a pop influenced guy. So the main thing I would say is to keep your mind open when it comes to me because I do have a base in rock but my original stuff is country with a pop rock sound. So if you like rock and you’re into me because of that you wont be disappointed, but don’t write me off of the country music thing either because I also live there and I love pop music. So yeah the main thing is keep your mind open, don’t necessarily try to pin me down in one spot but expect me to go other places and venture out into Left field. And keep people guessing, that’s the plan,” continued Wilkes.

Wilkes was discovered by The Voice on Youtube. During the Blind Auditions Wilkes sang The Wallflowers' "One Headlight”. Wilkes’ performance got coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton to turn their chairs, Wilkes would end up choosing to join Team Blake. While on The Voice Wilkes hope to be able to soak up every moment, lesson, and experience he can.

“…The Voice is undeniable as a giant platform with a giant reach and anytime I can get new fans or connect with people, whether it be fans, or connections like Blake, like the producers of The Voice, [I welcome it],” said Wilkes.

“I’m all up for creating new connections, new friendships, and growing my fanbase any way possible. The Voice has the reach obviously to move that leaps and bounds. In addition to that with working with somebody like Blake and even being around Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson Adam Levine, I'm going to be soaking in every little thing that happens like a sponge. So that I can take every little nugget of information or critique that I possibly can. So I can come out a better musician over all once my run on the show is done,” continued Wilkes.

Wilkes decided to go with Shelton as his coach because he felt an instant connection with the country crooner. With Shelton’s roots firmly planted in country music and the south Wilkes felt it would give him the best opportunity to thrive on the show.

“The main reason I went with Blake [Shelton] is our personalities are similar. We come from a similar background, southern guys even though he’s from Oklahoma, I'm from Georgia. We’re both kind of southern rootsie dudes. We kind of get how each other thinks. Like one of his newest songs called ‘I Lived It’ and I’ve heard him talk about it before that he was a little worried about that song coming out in a few ways because if you didn’t live it you didn’t get the song and a lot of people wouldn’t understand that song,” said Wilkes.

“But when I hear it that’s exactly how I grew up. That alone when we get in a room together we’re already on the same page. So going in I knew sitting in a room with somebody for weeks or months trying to work on Music that hits me so deeply and spiritually like music does I want it to be somebody I instantly connect with. I don’t want to have to jump a hurdle to try and find a connection with somebody and I knew I would have that connection with Blake,” continued Wilkes.

Wilkes will now compete in The Battle Rounds where he will face off against a fellow Team Blake member for a chance to advance to The Knockout Rounds. To keep up with Wilkes visit his website at http://wilkesmusic.com. Like him on Facebook (@WILKESmusic), and Follow him on Twitter (@WILKESmusic) and Instagram (wilkesmusic).