In 2002, a new pathway to stardom opened up for aspiring musicians when American Idol premiered on Fox. Nearly a decade later, seeing the tremendous success of artists like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, The Voice debuted on NBC in 2011. Although the process differed, the end goal remained the same: setting its winner up for a lucrative career in music. It isn’t entirely uncommon for hopefuls to try their hand on one show after coming up short on the other. Now, one such contestant is opening up about the “complete contrast” between appearing on The Voice and American Idol.
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‘The Voice’ vs. ‘American Idol’: “They Treated Me Like Crap”
Two years ago, Jacquie Roar captivated The Voice coaches with a four-chair turn Blind Audition performance of Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the Party.” Landing on Reba McEntire’s team, the Oregon-based wedding DJ (real name: Jacquie Butler) flexed her powerful vocals on songs like Heart’s “Alone” and Taylor Swift’s “Don’t Blame Me.” Roar very nearly won the whole thing, placing fourth behind season 23 winner Huntley and runner-up Ruby Leigh.
A decade before making waves on The Voice, however, Roar tried her hand on season 13 of American Idol. And the experience couldn’t have been more different from her time on the NBC show.
“I will tell you that I was absolutely miserable at American Idol,” Roar said bluntly during an appearance this week on the Curious Goldfish podcast. “They treated me like crap. They treated all the contestants like crap, and you could tell which ones were the favorites that they wanted in the top. You could absolutely tell, and they were just mean.”
[RELATED: Watch ‘The Voice’ Finalist Share the Stage With Jelly Roll in “Full-Circle Moment”]
Ten years later, Roar found a “kind, supportive, respectful, lively, energetic” environment on The Voice.
“I would say The Voice was absolutely the most awesome experience from start to finish,” she said.
Since her stint on The Voice, Roar has released a series of singles, including “Bad Habit,” “Learn About Love,” and, most recently, “That’s the Spirit,” which dropped in April. She has also shared a stage with country megastar Jelly Roll.
“I’ve grown so much as an artist because of The Voice,” the 39-year-old country-rocker told host Jason English. “And I think that American Idol steals your light… They want you to suffer while you’re there so that you’re earning your spot.”
Featured image by Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Images
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