Shakira is back on “The Voice” and, not surprisingly, so are bilingual singers.
If there’s one thing fans can count on with the Colombian star’s return to the Emmy-winning singing competition is that Latino artists will flock to auditions for a chance to show-off their vocal chops to the superstar.
In season 4, Shak picked up Latina singers Monique Abbadie and Mary Miranda after they performed the Colombian star’s “Loca” and Selena’s “Como La Flor,” respectively. Both songs were sung in Spanish, which left fellow coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Usher at a clear disadvantage to snatch up either contestant.
And the bilingual music has already arrived to season 6. On day three of the blind auditions, Mexican-Greek singer Melissa Jimenez also tried her luck with a little Spanish. Despite performing Alicia Key’s “If I Ain’t Got You” mostly in English, the 29-year-old contestant made sure to add a few Spanish verses of the tune mid-song.
Reactions from the coaches were mixed. While Shakira perked up to listen intently, Usher simply began saying “Oh, man! That’s not fair” to his fellow Latina coach.
Jimenez, also known as MJ, has been making a living singing in her father’s 10-piece band “Something Special Orchestra” before trying her luck on “The Voice.” The Latina hopeful had some short-lived success in the industry prior to her audition and her dreams of a solo career were kept alive when both Shakira and Usher turned their chairs.
The two celebrity coaches battled it out for MJ, with Usher not so subtly mentioning he “made history” when he worked with Alicia Keys in the past.
“Speaking of history, how many Latinas have made history in the U.S.?” Shakira quickly interrupted, referencing her crossover success. “You could be next.”
Shakira may have had the Latina advantage on this one, but it seems that Usher’s pitch changed Melissa’s mind in the end. Better luck next time Shak.
Check out MJ’s audition above and the wave of Latino contestants singing in Spanish below:
