Caymanian singer, songwriter and musician James Geary has confirmed that he recently auditioned for the British singing reality competition ‘The Voice UK’.
Geary was invited to audition for the critically acclaimed show, which aims to discover unsigned singing talent, whether soloists, duets, trios, professionals or amateurs, through public auditions.
“Over the years, I’d been pushed by loads of people from different parts of the world who would hear me and encourage me,” Geary told the Cayman Compass.
“I’ve always wanted to be on the bigger stage, so when I got the email to go, I jumped on it. Honestly, I have some solid people around me pushing me to take it to the next level constantly. So this time, I just decided to act on it aggressively.”
He almost didn’t make it to the auditions.
The format of the competition begins with producer auditions, which would require travel. With only a couple of days to get to London, financial constraints complicated his plans.
The news of his invitation and dilemma, which he posted on his social media page, were immediately met with widespread reactions.
“I was happy to pass it up and try again later when I’d accrued the funds myself, but because the community made it clear I needed to do this now, I pushed myself,” he said.
“This shows how imperative it is to support artists in Cayman. I’m lucky enough that I’ve got people who will rally behind me to get it done.”
With help from “generous contributions”, Geary was able to secure sponsorship to attend the auditions in London.
The audition
Geary performed two songs during the auditions, ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra and ‘Let’s Stay Together’ by Al Green.
“The audition itself was super smooth. I arrived and waited 30 minutes tops to be registered and 15 minutes after that I was singing in front of a panel. Everyone was so kind and supportive and encouraging. I felt a few nerves initially but was just so ready and full of gratitude by the time I was called to sing,” he said.
The feedback was positive, Geary said, adding, “They said I had a great audition. They noted my first song was quote ‘technical and serious’ and my second was [livelier]. They shared that they noted how much variety my voice had.”
Geary said he was full of gratitude for the experience.
“Being selected for something like this was a complete honour, so I was full of smiles and just had fun,” he said.
Geary now waits to find out if he will advance to the next stage.
Once singers successfully pass the first audition stage, they are invited to the filmed auditions and have the chance to sing for celebrity coaches. During the competition, vocalists go head-to-head in battle rounds, knockout rounds and live performances, all in hopes of being the next global superstar and bagging the winning prize of a recording contract.
A love for music
Geary, 34, got his start in music singing in church. He later studied music business, music education and sociology at Anderson University in Indiana and released two EPs and a full-length album.
Now a full-time musician, Geary’s voice and music, a fusion of R&B, jazz, rap, soul, rock, reggae and adult contemporary, can be heard during live performances and entertainment at various venues across the Cayman Islands.
Along with performing, Geary manages a weekly music calendar via his social media page as a resource for residents and visitors to be in the know about live gigs at various venues across the island.
His music career has taken him onto regional and international stages, including in Europe, the United States and the Caribbean.
He won the Soca Monarch competition in 2021 and then in 2023. He also had the chance to collaborate with local and international artists, including Morgan Heritage’s 2023 album, ‘The Homeland’, as one of their executive producers.
He had a recent opportunity in New York, where he serenaded people on one of the Big Apple’s iconic double-decker sightseeing buses to promote Cayman as a tourist destination, part of a series of “unique activations” by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism to attract potential visitors.
With music being his one true passion, Geary said, ‘The Voice’ “will mean so much to me should I make it through this competition”.
He said, “If I’m able to get a bigger platform to share my gift, I count it as a win. I think [of] what this could mean for Cayman and people who want to pursue [creative careers]. Something like this could expose them to limitless opportunities.”
He added, “I’m very grateful that I get to do this for a living.”
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