BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
WOODBRIDGE — For those who know Mike Schiavo, it’s no secret that he wanted to become a professional musician as he roamed the halls of Colonia High School three years ago.
“It was well known,” said Kevin Perdoni, band director at CHS.
Shiavo, 21, who is a 2012 CHS graduate, appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” on Feb. 29 and was chosen by Adam Levine to be on his team.
“The Voice” is an American reality television singing competition, which first aired in 2011. Contestants go through a blind audition in front of a panel of four coaches, who press a red button to turn their chair around if they like what they hear.
If more than one chair is turned around, the contestant has to choose a coach, who they want to work with for the season. Ultimately, the winner is determined by television viewers and receives $100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group.
For this season, the coaches include singers Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton.
“There was buzz going around that Mike was going to be on ‘The Voice,’” said Perdoni, who said he found out a few weeks ago. “There was an air of excitement on [March 1] among those who knew him in and with students asking us if we knew him.”
With family and friends watching with host Carson Daly, Shiavo sang “Talking Body” by Tove Lo and played guitar for his blind audition.
Levine and Williams immediately turned their chairs and Shelton mouthed, “He’s special” before turning his chair around.
Levine turned to the other coaches and said, “He’s mine.”
Schiavo told the coaches that he was from Colonia and had just moved out to Los Angeles.
“You have a crisp, clear-like tone,” Williams told Schiavo. “We’ve been waiting for someone like you to walk this stage today.”
Schiavo further told the judges that he played many musical gigs in New Jersey.
“I grew up listening to Elvis … Maroon 5,” he said later adding that he was also a Pharrell fan.
Schiavo said his favorite Maroon 5 song is “She Will Be Loved.”
Aguilera in turn said, “Adam, you should sing that with him and seal the deal.”
Minutes later with Levine next to him, Schiavo strummed his guitar and they took turns singing the verses of “She Will Be Loved.”
After the short acoustic rendition, Levine turned to Schiavo and said, “That’s pretty good.”
Levine called Schiavo “a natural” for the effortlessness in which he was able to pick up and sing with him.
Williams asked what Schiavo’s goals were moving forward.
“I just want to work with somebody to help build me and teach me something new,” he said.
Then after a few minutes of humorous arguing among the judges on who Schiavo should pick, Aguilera prompted Schiavo to select a judge.
Perdoni said he is proud of his former student, who he first met in fourth and fifth grades at Oak Ridge Elementary School No. 21 when Schiavo showed interest in the trumpet.
“I thought he did an outstanding job … he nailed it,” he said of Schiavo’s performance.
Perdoni said he was most impressed by the acoustic version that he did with Levine on the whim.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh no, did they rehearse this?’” he recalled. “But Mike had no problem … he just has that natural talent.”
Perdoni said Schiavo is not new to putting something together last minute.
“I hold an annual fundraiser at Colonia High called Total Rock where students come and play rock music,” he said. “Mike would come and play guitar … one year, our drummer for the teacher’s band [for Total Rock] couldn’t make it and Mike stepped in last minute and played the drums for us.”
Perdoni said Schiavo learned the four songs in two days.
“I didn’t even know he played the drums too,” he said.
Perdoni said Schiavo was in his music theory class and was involved in the high school’s concert band playing the trumpet. Perdoni said Schiavo also played Sammy in CHS’ musical production of “The Wedding Singer” his senior year and was a member of the concert choir, show choir and a cappella choir for two years.
Alaine Bolton, vocal music teacher at CHS, said Schiavo would talk about how becoming a recording artist was his dream.
“He knew how hard it might be, but he is a determined young man, so he worked hard,” she said. “He always asked about how he could be better and what he could do to improve.”
Bolton said Schiavo’s performance on “The Voice” was amazing.
“It was also surreal to see a former student singing with Adam Levine,” she said. “My students are like my kids, and I’m very proud of him.”
Perdoni said he had a conversation with Schiavo’s mom during his senior year. She was aware of her son’s dream, but had reservations because he did not want to go to college.
He said he wanted Schiavo to make his own decision and did not persuade him either way, but advised whatever he decided to do, to go for it 100 percent.
“I haven’t talked to Mike, but I’m hoping to reach out to him on social media letting him know we all support him,” he said.