On Sept. 22, Season 28 of The Voice premiered on NBC. The Voice, a competition reality show, aims to find the next “voice” of a generation by pairing up-and-coming singers with celebrity coaches who judge and lead teams of singers, with elimination each week until one singer (and one coach) is declared the winner. Previous successful contestants include Morgan Wallen and Melanie Martinez, with past coaches including Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, John Legend, and more.
“Pairing singers with music legends is a great way to kickstart many artist’s careers, and The Voice has very unique challenges that are fun to watch, especially the blind auditions,” said senior Aurora Mata.
Garden City High School class of 2025 graduate Ava Milone is competing this season under the alias ‘Ava Nat.’ Milone, a Garden City native, has been singing and performing throughout her whole life.
“Growing up in a loud house with sisters, there was always music playing. When I was at a family event my close family friend recognized that ‘maybe she should be put in lessons’,” said Milone.
When Milone began high school, she began to take music more seriously, performing many genres of music from pop to jazz, and releasing her first self-written EP, Align. During her senior year, Milone recalls her mom’s encouragement pushing her to sing on The Voice.
“My mom was the person who put the initial audition in for me, I remember being not mad, but caught off guard. It was around January when I got the call during vocal jazz rehearsal…and it was really surreal because it had been such a long process,” said Milone.
The show starts off with blind auditions, where a panel of celebrities, facing away from the singer, will hear them sing and will turn their chair around to see the singer’s face if they like the music. If the contestant gets one chair to turn, they are automatically on that coach’s team, and if they get multiple, they pick which coach’s team they want to join. This season’s all star coaches are rapper Snoop Dogg, crooner Michael Bublé, country star Reba McEntire, and former One Direction member Niall Horan. Milone performed the song, “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams for her blind audition, earning three chair turns from Snoop Dogg, Horan and McEntire. Milone ultimately chose Team Niall.
“I was trying to get in the right mindset.. and just remind myself I am as prepared as I can be and just to go out there and be myself… if the judges hear it, then great. To get to here is just such an incredible thing…that’s what kinda helped me stay sane backstage. [I Love You, I’m Sorry] was 100% the right song for me because it still showcased my range but it was also that singer-songwriter vibe. Gracie is one of my role models,” said Milone.
Milone’s mom was at the blind auditions supporting her, after being the one who initially submitted her audition.
“She was a champ throughout…and was treating me like a little bit of a diva the day of. It was definitely a huge advantage to have my mom there,” said Milone.
Niall Horan, Milone’s celebrity coach, also got his career started on a competition TV show, The X Factor.
“Going into it, I specifically thought Niall would match me well as an artist. In working with him one on one, he had incredible insight that was personal and wasn’t just general. He genuinely cares about each person on his team and wants to make sure we reach our potential. He saw who I was as an artist and that felt really good,” said Milone.
Milone believes the best part of her experience being on The Voice so far is the people she’s met and the confidence she has gained.
“All of the incredible people I’ve met have been so kind and supportive, all of the friends will always call and we’ll jam out or meet up and do a show together. Having these connections not only as musicians…but they are just great people. I think another really meaningful part of my journey is not just finding myself as an artist but as a person. Having confidence performing on the biggest stage I ever have has really helped me grow,”
. Having this unique and career-changing experience at such a young age only makes Milone appreciate her time so far on The Voice even more.
“It’s been one of the best summers and experiences learning as an artist. This is the coolest thing I’ll ever do, and I feel lucky to do it when I am eighteen. There is so much work that goes into it… and I’m really grateful for everyone and everything. It was just a really great experience that I will never forget,” said Milone.
The Voice will air on Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC until December 2025. Long Islanders have a new star on the rise, with Ava Nat making a name for herself not just on The Voice, but as an up-and-coming face in the music industry.