Shayna Goldstein was one second away from her voice falling on deaf ears on national television.
On Monday, the Denver singer was in the middle of her blind audition on NBC’s popular competitive singing show “The Voice.” It’s the show’s first stage of a tiered competition, and probably its most dramatic. Unknowns from across the country are trotted out onto a stage to sing to the chair backs of the show’s judges: pop star Miley Cyrus, actress/singer Jennifer Hudson, country balladeer Blake Shelton and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. If any member of the veritable pop boardroom turns his or her chair, the singer advances. If they don’t, it’s curtains.
With the judges and the 550-person studio audience looking on, Goldstein launched into a 90-second rendition of Lorraine Ellison’s “Stay With Me Baby.” The 26-year-old is accustomed to writing a song one day and performing it the next, at one of her shows. These 90 seconds, on the other hand, were some of the most meticulously rehearsed of her career.
As she growled through the scorching soul number, the judges’ chairs didn’t budge.
That is, until her very last note, when not one, but two of judges — Cyrus and Hudson — came around.
Goldstein, who also goes by Shilo Gold, was obviously thrilled. But by that point, she was just happy to be performing for the room.
“When I hit the first big note and nobody turned, I didn’t think anyone would,” Goldstein said. “Thirty-five seconds in, I had just committed that, if this is the end of the line, it’s OK, because I’m already living the dream. I wanted to let some of that rehearsed feeling go and just connect with the people in the audience.”
Obviously, it worked. We caught up with an effusive Goldstein on the phone one day after she moved to New York City to talk about “The Voice,” Denver’s influence on her career, and a message she’d represent to the world through her music.
As a singer-songwriter, you’ve been grinding it out on the road and at home in Denver for years. What effect has your appearance on “The Voice” had in the days since your episode aired?
Right now it feels very cool to be caught in a whirlwind like this, especially with so many people I have admired, and getting to see them shine.
My phone has been blowing up like crazy. It’s been interesting. A lot of people I haven’t talked to in years have come out of the woodwork. It’s been nice to connect with them. But it’s been crazy, especially with social media, where people get very excited about something and then very excited about something else. With every high comes a low; I just know that this is a really beautiful piece of my journey as a musician.
You made it to the last eight contestants on another singing competition, ABC’s” High School Musical: Get in the Picture” when you were 16. How did your experience on “The Voice” differ?
As an artist, there’s a big difference. When you’re 16 years old, you still have a lot of life to live. I’m 26 now. I felt very lucky on the show to use my voice to express how I look or how I represent myself in my song choice, and being able to make my songs my own. Speaking of, how did you land on “Stay With Me Baby”? It’s not an overly known song. I wanted to show off my range. In my daily life, I consider myself a blues and soul songwriter. But I was nervous that if I picked something too singer-songwriter, it wouldn’t catch their eye. Also, I felt it was a good choice because I emotionally connected with the lyrics.
The show has obviously been good exposure for you. Your cover of “Stay With Me Baby” was the second most downloaded song on iTunes’ blues chart the day after your episode aired. But let’s say the show ended tomorrow. Is there something beyond your career that you’d use this limelight to highlight?
There is something I talked about on the show that they didn’t air. I moved to L.A. when I was 19 and lived there for a little less than 5 years.
For many of those years, I was anorexic. I don’t know whether it was the industry or being on my own in a new place and wanting to have control over something. But I see so many women my age struggling with body image. I’d really like to have a hand in encouraging women to love themselves and not focus on being skinny, but to be healthy instead. In general, I appreciate having a voice and a platform to talk about that. To show people the journey that I’ve been on, the lows and highs, and what you can accomplish.
You just moved to New York City, but you were born and raised in Denver. What impact did the city have on your career?
I wouldn’t be the artist that I am without the Denver community. I have been very lucky to have a community to support my art and passion. I had 2,000 people at my bat mitzvah when I was 13, thanks to Denver’s Hebrew Educational Alliance. And Denver School of the Arts was really a catalyst to everything that I have ever done. We were always given the opportunity to express ourselves and collaborate with each other. We’d have a performance once a month and could perform anything we wanted. That encouraged me to write my own songs.
We didn’t get to hear your music on Monday’s episode. How would you describe your songwriting style?
I usually say, if Eva Cassidy and Johnny Cash had a love child, it would be me. Eva Cassidy has more of a clear tone, more of a jazzy, soulful side. And then there’s Johnny Cash, who’s more gritty. The tone of my voice is very raspy. But I have a hard time putting my music into a pocket. I listen to everything.
I’ll be releasing a new album, “Hot Coffee,” in 2018, that I’ve been working on for a year. Beyonce came out with “Lemonade,” and I was like, seriously? You’re going to name your album after a drink, too?
Both Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Hudson turned their chairs for you. Why did you pick Cyrus?
Prior to going on stage, me and all my friends on the show thought we knew who were going to pick. But it was tough. Miley is someone I always wanted to work with. But I’ve also studied classical and vocal technique my entire life, so I thought Jennifer could teach me things I haven’t learned. But Miley told me that she knows the circumstances that work best for my voice, and how to take care of it, and that she wanted me to shine as bright as possible. On top of that, when Miley Cyrus is talking to you, everything else disappears. I was like, “Miley, you’re my best friend. Of course I want to be on your team.”
Cyrus is your coach on “The Voice,” and Adam Sandler performed with her on “The Tonight Show” this week. How does it feel to be one degree away from Adam Sandler?
I mean, I come from a line of cantors that dates back to the 1780s. When Adam Sandler sang “The Chanukah Song,” it basically changed my life.
Catch Shilo Gold on NBC’s “The Voice,” airing Mondays and Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
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