Fans of The Voice were left questioning the rulebook after Bryan Olesen’s successful blind audition. Oleson is a former guitarist for the Christian rock band Newsboys, who he played with from 2004 to 2006, and a founding member of the band VOTA.
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There’s no doubt that Olesen has the talent to be a superstar, and that’s the issue fans seem to be having—many see him as already a star. As one fan put it on Twitter/X, “So [GRAMMY] nominated artists are allowed to compete?”
Other fans wrote similar sentiments on social media. “Just a little confused how this is allowed.. he is already famous..”
On that comment, others agreed. “That’s what I’m saying like what is happening??” one person wrote. Another commented on something Dan + Shay said, writing, “like… I don’t understand.. Dan&Shay said ‘I was expecting to turn around and see someone famous’… well yeah you literally did..”
[RELATED: The Story Behind the Christian Rock Band VOTA, Featuring ‘The Voice’ Hopeful Bryan Olesen]
What Does the Official Rulebook of The Voice Say About All This?
In the official Eligibility Requirements for The Voice, there is nothing that says a participant may not already be famous. There are rules about impropriety, such as being affiliated with The Voice or NBC. However, the producers of the show retain the right to disqualify someone from auditioning if they determine the person is connected in a way that would “create the appearance of impropriety.”
Essentially, it is up to the producers of the show to make the decision, but it is also the responsibility of the auditioning artist to know whether or not they would create a conflict of interest on the show. The problem fans of The Voice seem to be having with Bryan Olesen’s audition is his level of fame. He is currently in a widely successful band, and there is a chance he may be taking an opportunity away from a true emerging artist who hasn’t had the experiences he’s had.
Featured Image via The Voice on YouTube / NBC Stream
