Although Michael Buble was a first-time coach on “The Voice” this season, that didn’t seem to put him at any sort of disadvantage throughout the competition.
In fact, going into the Season 26 finale, the Grammy Award-winning singer had the greatest advantage of all the coaches, with two of his singers making it into the top five.
Now, one of those singers has claimed the $100,000 prize and a record deal.
Who won ‘The Voice’ 2024?
On Tuesday night, “The Voice” revealed that Sofronio Vasquez received the most votes from viewers and officially declared him the Season 26 champion. The finale concluded a somewhat unusual season that included two unexpected dropouts and two first-time coaches.
For Vasquez, the victory is a full-circle moment — from the very beginning of the season, during the blind audition round, Buble told Vasquez: “I think you’re going to help me win this competition.”
Buble’s prediction has now come to fruition. But even before the official announcement, it was pretty clear that Vasquez — who grew up in the Philippines but lives in Utica, New York — was the frontrunner. Predictions from a few entertainment sites pointed to him winning the competition, and YouTube views for his performances during the finale were significantly higher than the other top five contestants, the Deseret News reported.
Here’s a look back at Vasquez’s run on “The Voice.”
Who is Sofronio Vasquez on ‘The Voice’?
Vasquez had a career in dentistry but decided to pursue music after the death of his father, per NBC.com. At the time of his “Voice” audition, he was working as a dental assistant in New York, per WKTV, a TV station based in Utica.
The singer immediately captured the attention of the “Voice” coaches when he took the stage, getting an instant chair turn from all four coaches with his rendition of Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down” during the blind audition round.
Gwen Stefani called it a “Grammy performance” while country music legend Reba McEntire said the singer had “the whole package,” as the Deseret News previously reported.
“I could not hit my button fast enough,” McEntire said, noting that she believed Vasquez could help her get back-to-back wins as a “Voice” coach. “Your soulfulness touched my heart.”
Although first-time “Voice” coach Snoop Dogg told Vasquez to “get in where you fit in” and pursue more soul music with him as his coach, Vasquez ultimately connected most with Buble. The “Home” singer got emotional as he talked about his love for the Filipino people and how proud he believed Vasquez would make them.
During the following round of the competition, when Vasquez was paired with fellow Team Michael singer Aliyah Khaylyn for a Battle, Stefani noted a disadvantage for Khaylyn: “It’s hard singing with you because you are mind-blowing,” she told Vasquez.
“You are a force of nature, dude. Your voice is so fantastic,” Buble added before going on to select Vasquez as the winner of the Battle round. “He is humble, kind, and one of the most gifted vocalists I have ever heard.”
Sofronio Vasquez performances on ‘The Voice’
Below are performances from Vasquez throughout the season, listed in chronological order.
Blind audition
‘I’m Goin’ Down,’ Mary J. Blige
Battles
‘The Power of Love,’ Celine Dion
Knockout
‘You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,’ Dusty Springfield
Playoffs
‘Crying,’ by Roy Orbison
Through the Fire,’ Chaka Khan
Top 8
‘If I Can Dream’
Finale
‘A Million Dreams’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’
‘Unstoppable,’ by Sia
When is the next season of ‘The Voice’ — and who are the coaches?
A new season of “The Voice” — with a (mostly) new set of coaches will premiere on Feb. 3.
Season 27 will see the return of Buble, along with original “Voice” coach Adam Levine, returning coach John Legend and first-time coach Kelsea Ballerini, who previously filled in as a temporary coach for Kelly Clarkson during Season 20.
Being a “Voice” coach is a role Buble said he doesn’t take lightly.
“I know that this is a TV show, and I know that there’s a game involved and that each of us are playing a part, but I can tell you this, it’s not a game for any of us,” Buble previously told Entertainment Weekly. “We talk about it off camera. We know that each of these people, this is their life, their destiny, their dream. And we know that we’re a big part of this journey. And while it isn’t the beginning or end of their journey, we know that we’re a part of it and we take that responsibility really seriously.”