Luke Wade, a former contestant on “The Voice,” will perform Tuesday at A&R Music Bar.
Credit: Courtesy of Maureen Smith
Singer Luke Wade has not let a loss stand in the way of his future success. After being eliminated from the seventh season of NBC’s “The Voice” in December, Wade has gained a contract with Fleming Artists. He is currently performing a nationwide tour — including a stop Tuesday in Columbus at A&R Music Bar — with his band, No Civilians. Although the former frontrunner ended up just shy of top four on “The Voice,” the soul singer has no regrets and instead remains focused on the future of his music career.
“(I hope) to create and sustain a natural following and fan base,” Wade said. “To have fans all over the country (and) have 300 people come out at every city you play that know all our songs (would be great).”
His greatest takeaway from the singing competition is learning what it takes to perform as a professional musician.
“Your coaches are people operating on the highest level of music,” Wade said, “and it’s about being a musician but also about being comfortable in your own skin and just connecting with people on and off the stage.”
Wade describes his personal voice as one that “leans towards the soul side of things, and so do I,” adding that it also has modern folk influences.
Wade grew up in the small town of Dublin, Texas, and experienced several hardships during childhood. He suffered a near-fatal bout of spinal meningitis, a paintball accident which left him blind in one eye, as well as a severe heat stroke several years later.
He values opportunities to give back and inspire others. This past Friday, Wade visited Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai in New York City to perform and visit with the patients and families.
“Kids are in there and they’re fighting fights that I feel like they shouldn’t have to fight,” he said. “They show me how strong you can be and you should be and … how to make the best of (life).”
Wade said he is trying to do just that. He thinks his proudest moment has been his determination and resolve throughout his music career.
“It’s been really hard and I stuck with it and I stuck with my band and I stayed on the road and kept on grinding it,” Wade said. “You can cash in on what the show gives you and I haven’t done that, and I’m fighting for that next thing that I want.”
Wade said he hopes to encourage other aspiring musicians to believe in themselves and continue pursuing their dreams.
“You can’t just say, ‘I want to be a superstar.’ You just have to do what you can do every day to get better,” he said. “That’s really what it’s all about — being where you’re at and doing your best to love it.”
Luke Wade will perform on Tuesday at A&R Music Bar, 391 Neil Ave. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com at $21.60 with fees.
