Huntley left the best, first impression during the last night of Blind Auditions on season 24 of The Voice on October 16, 2023. Sharing his gravelly rendition of The Black Crowes‘ 1990 hit “She Talks to Angels,” the Virginia-based singer and songwriter made coaches Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, John Legend, and Niall Horan turn their chairs almost simultaneously. He even had his young daughter Stella on hand, who chose Horan as her father’s coach.
Throughout the competition, Huntley knocked out each performance with covers of the Icelandic band Kaleo’s “Way Down We Go,” The Beatles‘ “With a Little Help from My Friends,” and Tom Odell‘s “Another Love,” along with Creed’s “Higher,” which he performed on the first night of the finale.
It was Huntley’s rendition of Bob Dylan‘s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” with coach Horan on the second finale night that helped crown the Florida native the winner of The Voice and earned him the $100,000 prize and a record deal with Universal Music Group.
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Being on The Voice also helped the 33-year-old artist figure out the style of music he’d like to pursue. “This show helped me find what brand I am,” Huntley told American Songwriter, a day after winning The Voice. “I don’t want to set myself as one thing, but I want to show the true nature of my voice and writing.”
Long before his time on The Voice, Huntley’s career had many twists and turns, before he landed at the top of the singing competition. Here are seven little-known facts about the Voice winner.
1. He Released His Debut Single in 2022
By 2022, Huntley had already jumped back into music again after stepping away from it for several years to devote time to his family. In April, he released his debut single “Holdin’ On,” on streaming platforms, along with a music video. The song is an anthem for persistence, chronicling some of his struggles working to make it in music.
You can take all my pennies til’ my pockets they run dry
You can starve the soul inside me
You can leave me high and dry
I’ve had my ups, I’ve had my downs
I’ve been kicked and knocked around
There ain’t nothin’ that the Devil can throw
I’ll keep pushin’ ’til the wheels fall off
I’m holdin’ on and I’m not letting go
I’m holdin’ on ’til the sun of tomorrow
You can take me anywhere and I’ll still be just who I was
And if seeing is believin’ then I’m
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on
“Thank you all so much for the support over the years!” wrote Huntley on Instagram with the release of the single. “I have a bunch of releases planned and have been working hard putting an album together of all my songs. This is the first of many.”
2. Huntley Covered The Marshall Tucker Band and The Darkness in 2015
Credited as Michael Huntley, in 2015, the singer and songwriter released two videos, including one of him performing a cover of The Marshall Tucker Band’s 1973 song “Can’t You See” and a stripped-back acoustic version of The Darkness‘ 2003 hit “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.”
Both videos were filmed in an abandoned house in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
3. He‘s a Die-Hard Wrestling Fan
Legendary wrestler Hulk Hogan would always say “Say your prayers, eat your vitamins” to his fans, whom he lovingly called Hulkamaniacs. In a recent interview with American Songwriter, Huntley referred to his fans as “Huntley Maniacs.”
“Let’s go,” said Huntley, referring to what’s next after winning season 24 of The Voice. “It’s like Hulk Hogan used to say, ‘All my Hulkamaniacs.’ Now, it’s Huntley Maniacs.”
Earlier in the season, coach Niall Horan also likened Huntley to another legendary WWE wrestler following his performance of Bon Jovi‘s “Wanted Dead or Alive” during the Knockouts. “Huntley when you were in the dark you looked like The Undertaker from WWE,” said Horan. Huntley responded, “I’ll take that.”
Another kismet moment came when Huntley said he noticed WWE star Triple H in the audience during his performance of Creed’s “Higher” on the finale of The Voice.
4. He Fronted the Band Lucys Letdown
Years before The Voice, and going solo, Huntley was performing regionally at festivals and different venues around Virginia as frontman of the band Lucys Letdown.
Along with guitarist Scotty, bassist Zach, and drummer Rob, Lucys Letdown blended modern and classic rock, funk, and more with songs like “Kickin Stones,” “Loose Cannon,” “Chariots,” and “Dead Man Walking.”
5. He Worked as a Booking Agent
In between performing around Virginia with Lucys Letdown, Huntley also worked as a booking agent for musicians since 2022, according to his bio for The Voice.
6. Before ‘The Voice’ Huntley Won ‘Fredericksburg Idol’
Before competing on The Voice, Huntley auditioned on American Idol twice and even received a golden ticket to Hollywood his second round. Though Huntley didn’t go far on AI, Huntley did win Fredericksburg Idol, a regional version of the singing competition in Virginia.
“I love my hometown,” said Huntley, following his win on The Voice. “The amount of support has been really heartwarming, and I just appreciate everyone having my back. It doesn’t feel like it’s just my journey. It feels like it’s all of ours.”
[RELATED: Huntley Earns Four-Chair Turn During Final Blind Auditions on ‘The Voice’]
7. Elvis Presley ‘Helped’ Huntley Learn How to Sing
When he was just 4 years old, Huntley started singing and would occasionally impersonate Elvis Presley. By the time he was 14, Huntley started getting more serious about music after a friend overheard him singing while walking home from school.
Huntley eventually dropped out of college after two years and moved to Nashville but didn’t find success at first. After moving back to Virginia, Huntley left music on the sidelines for some time after becoming a father to daughter Stella in 2016 and son Michael Jr. in 2021.
Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC
