Trini Payge Turner moves up on The Voice

Singer and musician Paige “Payge Turner” Roopchan has won her first battle on US network NBC’s The Voice. She was chosen as the winner over fellow Team Gwen member Lauren Frihauf.

On Tuesday a producer on The Voice contacted Newsday to ask for permission to use a previous story about the show, to demonstrate that Turner has the support of her community.

The battle broadcast on Monday, saw the TT-born 27-year-old Turner going up against 16-year-old Frihauf, singing If the World Was Ending by JP Saxe. Turner’s smooth voice and stage presence drew praise and comments from all the judges.

Singer-songwriter and first ever American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson said “I could not keep my eyes off you. There’s something so special about your tone. It felt a little theatrical in the beginning but then it felt like you were a character like a movie and I wanted to know the end.”

Country music star Blake Shelton, who was the first person to ask Turner to be on his team during her audition, said he felt like she’s still on his team.

“I just haven’t accepted it yet, when I saw you I was like oh yeah, we have a connection, we’re going to win the show together. You’re somebody who’s going to do really well on the show. If this was my battle I’d being going with Payge right now.”

Singer John Legend said Turner’s voice had the depth, character and range to convey what the songwriter was trying to convey.

Stefani said both singers were really artistic, with the music and the emotion coming from deep inside.

“Payge, you know what you want to say, you know what you want to be, and I think we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg vocally, so it makes it nearly impossible for me to choose somebody. I always knew this was going to be my hardest battle.” She then chose Turner as the winner of the battle.

Turner was surrounded by music growing up in Trinidad, as her mother is contralto soloist Jacqueline Johnson, who sings with the Marionettes Chorale. Johnson said Turner showed an interest in music from the age of five.

Turner moved to Kansas City at 13 with her father, Peter Roopchan. The Voice website says, “Payge’s parents separated and thought it best for her to move to the US with her father for a better education. Arriving in Kansas in the middle of winter was a major culture shock for Payge, but she joined the choir and theatre and focused on music.”

The Voice website says after the judges select their teams during the audition rounds, they dedicate themselves to developing their team of artists, giving them advice and sharing the secrets of their success, along with help from their celebrity advisers. The coaches enlist music industry heavyweights to prepare their artists for the Battle Rounds, in this case Julia Michaels for Team Gwen.

During the battle rounds, the coaches pit two of their own team members against each other to sing the same song together in front of a studio audience. After each vocal battle, the coach must choose which of his/her singers will advance to the next round of competition. Artists who won their battle or were stolen by another coach will advance to the knockout rounds.