#in-no-time

Sawyer Fredericks was never a typical Voice contestant. In a season dominated by mighty-piped soul divas — and a series historically dominated by industry veterans — here was this sweet little 16-year-old singer-songwriter, a total unknown, literally fresh off the farm, winsomely warbling Ray LaMontagne songs in a distinctively reedy drawl. But from his very first audition, viewers took notice of this Team Pharrell outlier, one of the most unique contestants in Voice history, and made him the “king of iTunes,” downloading all of his performances in droves. And on this Tuesday’s finale, Sawyer was crowned the king of The Voice Season 8 — with a gorgeous winner’s single, “Please,” penned by none other than his idol, Ray LaMontagne.

This wasn’t just a victory for Sawyer. It was also a first-time win for his coach, Pharrell Williams, who now joins a shortlist that includes Usher, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton — the only other coaches to win The Voice since 2011. This was a total turnaround from Pharrell’s debut season last year, when, embarrassingly, he was the first coach knocked out of the running in the top eight week.

Placing second this season was a contestant from the other end of the industry experience and age spectrum: Team Blake’s 29-year-old seasoned pro Meghan Linsey, formerly of the successful country duo Steel Magnolia (winners of CMT’s Can You Duet? talent show in 2009). While Meghan didn’t win The Voice, this show gave her a second chance and an opportunity to reinvent herself as a soul-singing solo artist, so hopefully this is just a new beginning for her.

Coming in third was Team Adam’s underdog troubadour Joshua Davis (another quiet-voiced troubadour among the divas), and fourth was Team Pharrell’s 17-year-old Koryn Hawthorne, the powerhouse contestant who showed the most growth this season and — possibly with her avowed admirer Pharrell’s post-show guidance — has the potential to go on to bigger and better things.

As for Sawyer, time will tell if the success he had during his Voice run, on iTunes and elsewhere, can be replicated in the real world. Past Voice winners have had a notoriously rough time. Last season’s champ, Craig Wayne Boyd, has already parted ways with his record label. Season 6’s Josh Kaufman has yet to release an album, a full year after his victory. And Season 5 winner Tessanne Chin’s horrifically under-promoted album came and went without a trace. But Sawyer may be different. For his sake, The Voice’s sake, and the sake of anyone who enjoys good folk/Americana music, I hope this isn’t the last we’ll hear from him.

Performances highlights of Tuesday’s finale included Koryn and Meghan singing separate duets with the original reality show diva, a gracious Kelly Clarkson (see above); Sawyer teaming with John Fogerty for a CCR medley; and all four coaches doing a “Thrill Is Gone” tribute to B.B. King.

And one nice surprise, on a night when the outcome was predicted by just about everyone? News that contestant Mia Z, who was shockingly eliminated in this season’s top 12 week (and who actually sang “The Thrill Is Gone” at her Blind Audition), got to go in the studio with Pharrell anyway and cut her own single. How awesome for her. Now, can Pharrell please do that with Kimberly Nichole and Rob Taylor, too? 

See you in September, when this whole crazy Voice cycle starts anew with Season 9! In the meantime, go check out some of Sawyer Fredericks’s original music here.