Old school American Idol fans may remember Ricky Braddy. He made the season 8 Top 36 back in 2009. Ten years later, the gospel singer is a contestant on The Voice season 17. And unlike his time on Idol, today, Ricky has a significant story to tell. In his video package that preceded his Blind Audition of Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” Ricky came out as a gay man.
The Voice 17 Recap: Blind Auditions 6 Live Blog (VIDEO)
You would be forgiven for NOT remembering Ricky. His season 8 audition wasn’t aired. He was barely shown during the Hollywood Round. Viewers got their first good look at him when he performed “A Song For You” in the semi-finals. He earned a spot in the Wildcard round, but was eliminated after a performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” I remember thinking at the time that he was kinda robbed.
During Ricky’s season, media outlets speculated endlessly on the sexuality of eventual runner-up Adam Lambert. Meanwhile Ricky was presented as a pious church boy, which he was at the time. In his The Voice video package, he spoke about how, in order to fully participate in his southern Evangelical church, he had to keep his personal life quiet. “My family has been great,” Ricky shared, “But being a part of the church, especially in the south, there are a lot of people who won’t understand.”
His boyfriend Logan was a “huge reason” why Ricky decided to come out.
As far as his The Voice performance is concerned, Ricky got Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and John Legend to turn for him. John called his range “exciting” and said he felt the spirit in his performance. Gwen called his voice “incredible” and appreciated his theatrical side. In the end, Ricky chose Team Blake Shelton. The next hurdle for Ricky is the Battles. If he survives his vocal battle against a fellow team member, he’ll stay on Team Blake. If he’s eliminated, one of the other coaches could steal him. The result will be revealed in the next couple of weeks. Good luck Ricky!
