Dimitrius Graham is unlike anyone else on The Voice. The 33-year-old Baltimore local wowed viewers during his blind audition by showing off a voice that subverted expectations people may have after seeing his face tattoos.
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Graham’s performance of Daniel Caesar’s “Get You” got the attention of coaches Kelsea Ballerini and Michael Bublé, meaning that fans of The Voice have more performances to look forward to.
Keep reading for three quick facts about Graham.
He Competed on American Idol Before His Stint on The Voice
Before he auditioned for The Voice, Graham competed on season 17 of American Idol, ten years after he first auditioned for the show. The second time around, Graham finished in the Top 10. The experience, his Spotify bio reads, “left an impression on the judges and his growing fanbase, spreading his reputation worldwide, and leaving everyone optimistic about where his journey would take him.”
Amid his experience, Graham praised Idol for how it allowed him to express himself.
“I feel like I do what I want. I do what makes me happy, and I’m grateful Idol allows me to have that freedom,” he told Baltimore Magazine. “Every single tattoo I have on my body has a deep meaning. The tattoo on my face, that’s my sister’s birthday who passed. My mom is on the side of my face. I have the Virgin Mary. Every tattoo means something. [Idol] just lets me be myself. They kind of know exactly what we like.”
He Performs a Wide Range of Music
Graham got his start in music by singing in the church choir at age 6. In college, Graham got into opera music, traveling the globe to perform all over Europe and Asia.
“I majored in classical music and I definitely love opera—shout out to Pavarotti!” Graham told Baltimore Magazine. “When I got to college, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it my entire life. So I kind of abandoned it, but everybody kept telling me not to.”
A “rebellious stage” followed, but opera kept calling.
“People started booking me more because people were so infatuated with the fact that I was this guy who has these tattoos and he can sing opera so crazy and other genres as well,” he said.
It’s not just opera, though. On The Voice, Graham said he enjoys singing genres including R&B, soul, opera, and pop.
“To me, it’s not really about what I can or cannot do,” he told Baltimore Magazine. “I just try to pick songs that I can feel and songs that I can relate to. That’s the only thing that makes me comfortable.”
He’s Heading to Team Michael
Ballerini and Bublé both fought to land Graham on their teams after his performance of “Get You.” Bublé joked that the country’s population would be doubled after people heard Graham’s performance. Meanwhile, Ballerini went more sincere, telling Graham, “I’m really inspired by your voice.”
Graham ultimately selected Bublé as his coach, though he tried to soften the blow by telling Ballerini that she’s “beautiful.” He seemed sure about his choice after the fact, expressing his belief that Bublé will help him “take my artistry to the next level.”
Photo by Christine Bartolucci/NBC
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