For most, 2020 was a year full of isolation, and Andrew was no stranger to that feeling. Amidst the uncertainty, he received an email gauging his interest of potentially vying for an audition for NBC’s The Voice. With nothing planned for the foreseeable future, Marshall decided to give the opportunity a chance, sending in multiple videos of him performing in his basement, as well as conducting an interview.
As months bore on, Andrew expected that he was passed on, until he received an unexpected phone call in early August informing him that he would be flying to California to sing a blind audition infront of musical icons, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Nick Jonas, and Blake Shelton.
The news was both exciting and anxiety inducing, but the thought of flying across the country and truly having a once in a lifetime experience was one that he couldn’t pass up on.
The process was a month long and Marshall went through countless interviews, rehearsals, and wardrobe fittings to eventually make it to the ionic stage where four red chairs loomed in front of him facing away.
The song, though an incredibly popular song, poised the challenge of showcasing Andrew’s vocal and performance ability despite it being relatively limited vocally.
Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, Andrew’s performance did not earn him a spot in the following weeks semi-final, sending him back to Massachusetts to think and plan out his next move as an artist.
Even though his time on The Voice ended abruptly, Marshall learned the importance of growth and development not only as a singer, but as a person, performer, and artist. The failure prompted his move to Nashville where since he has been developing his own true artistry, along with pushing himself to become the best version of himself he can be. A mindset he attributes solely to his overall experience on the show.
After only a mere few seconds, Andrew’s rendition of the John Mayer classic “Gravity” convinced Nick Jonas to turn his chair around prompting the following reaction:
“I will tell you one thing that I saw was every single face on this screen here light up when you came out and I think that your presence on stage… to have that reaction on top of a phenomenal opening bar in that song, I knew you’d be the perfect addition to this team.”
Marshall continued his journey on The Voice stage, facing off in the battle round with the upbeat pop hit “Adore You” by Harry Styles. The performance saw Andrew stripping the assurance of his guitar, and instead found himself taking ownership of the stage with energy and movement instilling in him a new kind of confidence as a singer and performer.
After being stolen by Blake Shelton, he entered the knock out round, singing the emotional ballad “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz, which he dedicated to his friend and fellow cancer survivor, Jack, whom he had just reconnected with minutes before his mentoring session with Blake Shelton and Snoop Dog. The performance notched him yet another steal, this time returning him to his former coach, Nick Jonas, for the live playoffs.
Before Andrew knew it, the top forty from the blind auditions had been dwindled down to seventeen and the quarter-finals of the live playoffs had begun. After learning and growing significantly from his initial performance, he was given Corinne Bailey Rae’s hit song “Put Your Records On” to arrange into his own unique live performance to earn the nations vote.