Jacob Interviews….The Voice’s Kim Yarbrough, Part Two

 

By: Jacob Elyachar

Before you read part two of my interview with the lovely Kim Yarbrough…. please read part one of my interview if you have not done so already.  Click here to read it: https://jakes-take.com/2012/05/29/jacob-interviews-the-voices-kim-yarbrough-part-one/

My conversation with The Voice: Season Two’s Kim Yarbrough continues as we talk about the show’s Battle Rounds, the Live Shows and her plans for the future….

Jacob Elyachar: Let’s talk about the Battle Rounds.  Were you surprised when Adam paired you with Whitney Myer?

Kim Yarbrough: The only reason why I was surprised that Adam paired me with Whitney was because Whitney and I had bonded a few days before that so it was just like pairing me with my sister.  That was the only thing that surprised me and I was like: “Oh my god! I have been making friends with this girl for the last several days and now we are going to have to sing together.”  I had no idea who Adam was going to pair with.

JE: Could you describe the first rehearsal of “No More Drama?”

KY: It was very relaxed.  I felt very good about the song choice because I love Mary J. Blige and I felt like it was the chance that Whitney and I could make real music, get soulful and really get into the lyrics of the song.  I love rehearsing, being a violinist at the age of seven; you have to practice a lot.   I have taken it with me all throughout my life.   Any time some says “Rehearsal!”  I am like: “Where?” I always like to sit down and rehearse.

JE: Let’s talk about your one-on-one rehearsal with Adam.  He brought in R&B superstar Robin Thicke to assist with your rehearsal.  What was it like working with them and what was Robin’s advice?

KY:  His advice mostly to me and this was kind of confusing in the way they did the edit of the show.  There was a conversation in that rehearsal between Robin, Adam and I about Mary J. Blige basically saying that I needed to come from a broken place in my spirit in order to get into the lyrics of the song and deliver them in a convincing way.    The way they (The Voice production team) edited the footage, some people thought that they were talking about me but they weren’t; Adam and Robin were talking about Mary J. Blige and how she taps into the brokenness of her songs when she is singing and by the time she gets done, she’s gasping for breath because she is so into it.    That was basically a great conversation that we’ve had about tapping into the emotion of the song and Robin is really good at that.

JE: Your battle with Whitney was one of Team Adam’s best vocal battles and Blake Shelton stated that he was at a one of those VH1 DIVAS concerts.  Was the Battle Round stage intimating to you?

KY: I would not call it intimidating; I would say I was kind of concerned because I know that without even trying, I have a big voice and sometimes like Robin said “I need to know when to tame the beast.”  I was worried that I would overpower Whitney and I did not want to do it and did not want to sacrifice who I am but I had to walk a fine line between not overpowering her and being true to myself.   I wasn’t intimidated but I was more concerned because I wanted to go out on that stage and make real music with Whitney.

JE: What were your last words with Whitney before she left the show?

KY:  We talked backstage with Christina Milian (the Voice’s Social Media Correspondent) and Whitney was upset of course and she said that there was nothing that she could not have done differently to win that battle.   At the end of the day, it is not about who’s better or who’s worse and I have worked hard and I had deserved to win.    Whitney and I communicate to this day.  She’s still my little sister and we plan to hook up or something.   I don’t know if we are going to a musical hook-up anytime soon but she still has plans on coming to L.A. for a visit.

JE: Did you guys have any time in between shooting the Battle Rounds and the Live Shows?

KY: We had a three-month break between the time that we finished shooting the Battle Rounds and the time that we had to report to shoot the Live Rounds.   We broke I think Christmas Eve and went back on March 19.

JE: Let’s talk about your performance in the Live Round. You covered Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”  I understand that you and Adam had some disagreements on the selection of the song.  Would you like to clear things up?

KY: It was not really a disagreement.  Adam chose a classical song for me to do initially and the producers of the show did not want me to do that classical song because they did not want me to switch genres.  They thought it would confuse people if I switched genres like that and they wanted me to stay R&B or stay in the same vein.   Adam and I were always on the same page and what I love about Adam is we were thinking the same thing at the same time and our connection was so weird.   But what it came down to was what Adam and I wanted to do versus what the producers of the show felt what was best for me and the show.

JE: Have you thought about what’s next for your career?

KY: I was asked this question a lot by several reporters during our interviews with the local press junkets.   I am a television actress and that was the reason why I moved out to L.A. was to be a television actress and it was always my thinking.   I have the best of all possible worlds’ here.  There are other things that I do that make up my career other than just being a singer and that is a wonderful thing.   I am very blessed to have a career already working and be able to call myself a working actor because a lot of people in L.A. cannot call themselves working actors.

The show has been one of the best experiences in my life and I think it will help me with my acting career.  I am not regretful; I am not sad; I am just happy to have this under my belt and going back to a wonderful acting and singing career.

JE: The Voice’s third season premieres this fall.  What would your advice be to aspiring singers who want to audition for the show?

KY: To quote Nike, “Just Do It!” Don’t talk about it; Don’t have a meeting about it…just do it!  Secondly, I would say don’t allow anyone to tell you who you are.  Trust who you are and give it to the rest of the world and be yourself!

To learn more about Kim Yarbrough’s career and time on the Voice, please visit her Website: http://www.kimyarbrough.com/

To watch Kim’s battle with Whitney, click here: http://youtu.be/TEdrmZV3KhA

and to listen to Kim’s cover of “Rolling in the Deep,” click here:  http://youtu.be/C4fybv9dkYk