Jessica Manalo On ‘The Voice,’ The “Soul” Behind Her Music, And Never Quitting!

Jessica Manalo performed a standout rendition of Sam Smith’s “Unholy” on “The Voice,” and she chose Kelsea Ballerini as her coach (over Michael Bublé). Considering her memorable performance, it was a surprise that Adam Levine and John Legend didn’t turn for Manalo. During her Deepest Dream interview, Manalo talked about Las Vegas, why she has a “never quit” attitude to music, and why “soul” is a big part of her music.

Jessica Manalo originally auditioned for “The Voice” back in 2020. “I didn’t get as far as I would have liked,” said Manalo, who gave the show a second shot. “So I didn’t get my blind audition that time because I was sent home early. I was so upset. And then at the time I was 26, but now this time I was 30 and I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ Let’s just do another audition, like for fun or whatever. I (was thinking), maybe this is it. It just takes time and it takes months for your mental state to kind of change.” 

Starting off with the trumpet at 13, Jessica Manalo is also a guitarist who has a diverse taste in music. As far as her artistry goes, this leads to one common trait. “If I mix everything together, the one thing everyone tells me is I’ve got a lot of soul,” said Manalo. “It doesn’t matter what genre I sing. So I feel like the people told me what my genre was without me knowing, if that makes any sense.”

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Manalo also adds that having a “never quit” attitude has put her in good stead, and hopefully “The Voice” brings a spotlight to her talent. Let us know your thoughts on Jessica Manalo!

The Voice airs on NBC Monday nights at 8/7c and streams on Peacock.