Once again, a Western Michigan University grad has made it onto a nationally-televised singing competition. Meagan McNeal, 31, became a contestant on NBC's "The Voice" last Monday when she passed the blind auditions with her twist on The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face." Judge Jennifer Hudson immediately picked her for her team.
In an interview with WMUK's Earlene McMichael airing today, McNeal says singers on Team Hudson are expected to perform when the show airs at 8 p.m. EST today. She is unsure if she will be among that group. Her next chance might be on Tuesday's episode.
The soul and R&B singer/songwriter credits her first paid gig on the stage of Kalamazoo's Fire Historical & Cultural Arts Collaborative with convincing her to seriously pursue singing.
One day, McNeal, now the mother of a four-year-old son, wants to start a music program for youth, focusing on songwriting, beat production, arrangement and such in hopes of giving back in the way that Fire did for her. She would also like to tour and to travel the world.
It was not too long ago that 2007 WMU grad Matt Giraud made the Top 10 on Fox's "American Idol," the show that made Hudson into a household name. Hudson went onto to have a successful singing and acting career. Both McNeal and Hudson are Chicago natives.
McNeal says she is currently working on a studio album, which is nearly done. Her first and only album was "Mindset" in 2011, done while she was an undergraduate at Western.
McNeal graduated from WMU in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in sales and business marketing. She and her son live in Chicago.
The interview will air today (Monday, Oct. 16) during "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" on NPR / WMUK 102.1 FM.