The 19-year-old from Philadelphia, Pa., will agree that their pairing isn’t normally what you would expect, but somehow it worked. And even though Blake knows country music best, he did help Cam quite a bit when it came to selecting songs that helped Cam on his road to winning the $100,000 prize and a recording contract. “I think particularly ‘Take Me to Church’ was one of his suggestions and other things like ‘10,000 Hours,’ that was definitely Blake,” Cam told Parade.com in this exclusive interview. “He was like, ‘This will be a great song,’ and honestly, I had a great time performing that song with Emma Caroline. She is an amazing vocalist and even a more amazing and beautiful person.” But it was Blake’s ability to keep things chill that Cam says was the most important aspect of their successful partnership. “He’s so welcoming, even when we’re working on production because production can be tense sometimes,” added Cam, who gave Blake his eighth win. “It can be a stressful time. And so, Blake being on the set, he just puts all of that tension at ease, and he brings this environment that is welcoming and just very chill and down to earth. I think that, for sure, is the main thing, but also being authentic.” A lot of the artists who audition for The Voice are novices, but that isn’t the case with Cam. He previously was under contract to Dr. Dre, he performed at the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House during President Obama’s term in office, he opened for Patti LaBelle, and he was a guest on Ellen. So, with all that behind him, what is he going to do with this second chance at building a successful career in music? What is different now than before? “I’ve gained this new understanding of who I am as an artist, what I would like it to look like, and how I would like to be portrayed,” Cam said. “It took me some time to figure it out and it took me some stumbling and some bumping into walls and figuring things out on my own to be able to stand on my own two feet today and display who I am. And so, I think all of this was necessary and it was divine for me to make it to this position.” Cam also spoke with us about his plans for the future, what his album will sound like, and staying in touch with Blake in the future.
Your win wasn’t a surprise for me. Two weeks ago, I wrote a story predicting you as the winner. But for you, was there a point where you thought, “Hey, this is going great. Maybe I’ve got this?”
Of course, I had a few of those moments where I was like, “Well, maybe I could do this.” And then I had some time to envision, what would that look like for me? But I also was focused on my prayers, and in my affirmations, I would always ask for whatever was best for me. Whatever that looked like that’s what I was asking for. So, I was doing The Voice and that’s a blessing. It’s been a breathtaking experience. So, I’m grateful.
We saw in the video from Monday night, Blake keeps in touch with his past winners. They were all there to congratulate him on his 10th anniversary. Did he say anything to you about working together now that it’s over, or is it different in your case since it’s hard for you to open for a country act?
Blake actually made sure that he was extending that hand. He was like, “Whenever you need to, you can contact me. We can always stay in touch. Whatever you need, just let me know and I can help you out.” So, just knowing that he’ll be in my corner for the remainder of my career, hopefully, it’s amazing. And again, it just reminds me of that faith that he’s had in me from the beginning.
The other night on Zoom, you said you want your album to be representative of your time on The Voice with a lot of different genres. The record label might want something a little more cohesive. So, do you have a theme in mind to tie everything together?
What I meant by that, I would say more so in the things or in the accents or maybe the type of instruments that I would bring into the album. It wouldn’t necessarily go straight from pop to country to R&B in that framework. But I pull a lot of inspiration from a lot of different environments whether it comes from ancient Viking calls to country songs to ancient African Proverbs. It depends on just what is true for that song. So, my goal is to really work on something fully well-rounded that’s something that represents me totally, of course. I also want to make a little introduction. So, if anything, there will be an introduction to who I am as an artist.
What did this experience teach you?
This experience taught me a lot about myself. It taught me a lot about my passion that I thought I had before. And now the passion it’s given me is even more. It literally lit a fire. It is amazing the kind of newfound love that I’ve developed for music that this show has given me. And it taught me authenticity, too. That being real is what works and resonates with people.
Other than Blake, was there any of the other coaches’ advice that you took to heart?
Oh, definitely. The words that John was saying to me, I was trying not to pass out on stage. Just to be able to hear from him and him complimenting my choices and the fact that he said I sang in ways that he couldn’t have even imagined, that is so that’s big for me because I look up to John as an artist, as a human, and the way he carries himself. So, I just appreciate that.
The Voice is just one of many talent competitions out there. There’s American Idol and NBC also has America’s Got Talent. Why was this show the right one for you?
Because The Voice is about that. It’s about finding these unique talents. My main thing was just trying to just have this experience. I didn’t know what it would be like, and I had no idea that it would be as life-changing as it was. Of course, I had some inkling that it would change my life, but this has changed me on so many levels. There are so many layers to it that I wouldn’t ever be able to finish this phone call. It definitely has turned me into a more trusting and loving and understanding person. That was something that was tested and something that was important to figure out while I was here and to be able to see that all the other contestants really felt that same way. They all showed that same love and passion for this. It was amazing. I saw in past seasons the way they operate. And so, I knew that that was an environment that I wanted to be a part of.
You’re from Philadelphia, but do you live in L.A. now?
Yes, I do live in L.A. now. I moved here in 2019.
So, what’s next for you? L.A. is opening back up June 15th lifting the COVID restrictions. What’s your plan?
Well, for sure, I’m going to take a break. I need to definitely soak in everything and find some time to really just live in this because there’s been a lot of times where I haven’t been able to. When I was younger, there were a lot of things that flew by and I wasn’t fully able to just soak in the moment. So, I definitely want to do that first. And then my hope is to be able to go see my newly born niece. I’m very excited to see my family. It’s been a while. So, those are the first two things.
Who will you stay in touch with? Who did you make friends with on the show?
Honestly, everyone. We are all just one big family. I give a special shout-out to Christine Cain. She played a very, very important and crucial role in me stepping into who I am today. She’s made me more comfortable. I needed her through this experience. And Denisha Dalton, Victor [Solomon], Dana [Monique], Andrew [Marshall], I could go on. Anna [Grace]. Ryleigh [Modig]. They were all just amazing people. I’ll stop there. Thank you all so much for making this experience amazing and just being so true to yourself and allowing me to do the same. The Voice returns next fall for Season 21 with coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Ariana Grande making her debut in the big, red swivel chairs. Next up, every Voice contestants who have sadly died since competing.
