by Todd Betzold

Last week on The Voice, the battle rounds kicked off and we saw some amazing performances. One of those performances was from the battle between Chris Mann and Monique Benabou for Team Christina. With so much emotion and talent coming from both singers, it was hard for Christina to decide, but she ended up choosing Chris to move on to the live shows. Today, we got an exclusive interview with Chris to talk about his journey so far on The Voice and a message to his Mann Fans.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What made you decide to audition for The Voice?
A. Chris: Auditioning for The Voice was an easy decision, it's something...it's really the only show I've watched out of all of these competition shows that I really can sit through. It's so cool...it's so sexy and I loved watching the coaches and they really use real voices and a voice like mine, I'm trying to do something totally different with this classical crossover thing. I was hoping a show like The Voice would be into that and would accept that and that's what happened...I'm very lucky.

Q. Todd. RealityWanted: What is it like working with Christina as a coach?
A. Chris: Christina as a coach couldn't be any better. My favorite thing working with her is when she demonstrates by singing what she wants to get out of you. It's still completely surreal that she's sitting there in the first place and she's slouched over in her chair and totally kills this run she's trying to demonstrate. She's definitely one of the best singers we have out there. I'm learning so much from her...she's awesome.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: On that same not, she brought in Lionel Richie as a mentor. What was it like getting advice from him for that battle?
A. Chris: Lionel Richie gave the best advice and most of it didn't get aired at all, which is too bad, but I was actually really sick during that whole rehearsal and what Lionel said to me about trying to handle singing when you're sick and the thing that he does when he doesn't feel well I'll definitely remember and use in the future. He also said things like, the you that shows up today is good enough. Those are words I really needed to hear because I was not feeling it at all. He gave such great advice...he's such a pro.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Prior to your battle, Christina and Lionel were worried about you being too trained and focused and you would miss the emotion of the song, but you did an awesome job during the battle. What brought that out of you during the battle?
A. Chris: Singing with Monique you are going to get emotional, she's such a fantastic singer and clearly has that element that's just undeniable. I don't think the trained means you are emotionally-void. I think the whole battle round experience is just crazy...you're singing a duet for your life with a friend and we're supposed to be singing this love ballad, "The Power Of Love," but yet we are trying to kill each other on stage and we're doing it on national TV. There's just so much going on, but in the moment I definitely got an adrenaline kick and I'm glad it went my way, but that's definitely the hardest thing that I've had to do so far on the show.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: You mentioned your different singing style and being a classical crossover. How do you think your singing style will work on the live shows?
A. Chris: Christina and I keep talking about which songs we want to do, which I still bizarre to me that that is part of my life right now...I get to actually be on the phone with her...it's just weird. Picking a song with a big melody that really lets me sing and use that part of my voice...that classical-crossover thing. It's hard to find the right song, but I think when we find the right song it's going to be wonderful...just the response to what I've done already, it's just awesome, especially to the people that didn't know about the style in the first place. I think it'll be cool...I'm excited about it.

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: I'm excited for it too...I love the show and I think your voice is amazing, so that is my two cents.
A. Chris: Thanks...I like those two cents (laughs).

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Anything you want to say to your fans?
A. Chris: I love Mann Fans, as they are called. I've been doing this for 11 years, non-stop, and to have this kind of break is something I've always dreamed of and there are fans of mine that have been with me for years. So, I feel like this is for all of us...I'm just really thankful to them for sticking it out with me...this is not an easy thing to do...to be in this business. There's a lot of rejection and takes a lot time to get into that place, so to all the new Mann Fans and all the people out there who may be hearing this style for the first time and appreciating it...it really means the world to me and I thank them so much for their support and for buying those iTunes singles and for voting starting April 2nd...it's really incredible.

The Voice airs Mondays at 8/7c on NBC.

(Image courtesy of NBC)

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