FEATURE
Sisaundra Lewis: Beyond The Voice
By Carol C. Bailey
It was Season 6 of the American Reality TV Show, The Voice and our family was front and center. Why, you ask? We had someone from our hometown performing that’s why. I had not personally met her, but she was a friend of a few friends and that was good enough for me.
I learned later that her daughter was the catalyst for her even being on the stage that night. This young lady encouraged her mother, recited some of the same words she had heard herself over the years and Mom realized that this was a gift that needed to be embraced and welcomed. So, she auditioned and made it to the show.
She came to the stage, was introduced and then performed. There was overwhelming applause from her rendition and all four judges turned their chairs around to see who had captivated the audience. This means that Sisaundra Lewis had found favor and now had the opportunity to choose which of the judges would be her Coach for the duration. She chose country singer Blake Shelton and we all became Team Blake from that point on.
The fact that she had made it to this national stage was not a surprise to those who knew her. She has always been a hard worker. Her family worked as migrant workers: picking oranges in Florida and apples in New York.
Continued on next page
Photo by: Edz Antoine