On national TV, in front of millions of viewers and four internationally known recording artists, St. Louis musician Neil Salsich blew away the crowd during his audition for The Voice. Singing a 90-second version of “Honky Tonky Blues” by Hank Williams Sr., Salsich’s voice jumped up and down, soft and raspy, with a little yodel. All four judges turned around for him. Chance the Rapper called him “the definition of cool.” Kelly Clarkson cheered him on and told him his falsetto is “incredible.” Blake Shelton welcomed him to his team.
That pre-recorded episode, the first episode of The Voice’s 23rd season, aired on Monday night. It’s just the start. NowSalsich will continue to compete each week in performances, battle rounds and knock-out rounds.
Salsich, the frontman for the popular local band, The Mighty Pines, has performed for years in St. Louis. But already overnight, he has become a mini-star. His audition received half a million views on YouTube. Fans are tagging him on Instagram. Former Voice stars are DM’ing him. People are asking for photos before shows in St. Louis.
But Salisch didn’t just show up and perform “Honky Tonk Blues.” He spent months preparing with The Voice. And that the audition, the one that aired on Monday, almost didn’t happen.
Let’s go back to that day, many months ago, during the summer of 2022, the day when his very first online video audition was scheduled with The Voice.
He had signed up through an online form. But there was just one issue: The night before that very first audition, Neil Salsich went to see a Dead & Company concert.
Salsich doesn’t usually get hungover on weeknights, but this was a special occasion. Former members of the Grateful Dead? Live in St. Louis? With the guys? He had to honor the occasion.
The next morning, he woke up hungover. It was the middle of summer, the summer solstice, and it was hot outside. He was chopping lettuce and making cole slaw.
Then he remembered.
“I was like, ‘oh my god, I had this Voice audition,’ he says. “Like I kinda spaced.”
He splashed some water on his face and hopped on a video call. He didn’t warm up. The screen counted down. 3-2-1. For 90 seconds, he sang “Tell It Like It Is” by Aaron Neville acapella in front of a black screen.
Forty-five minutes later, he got an email: You passed.
But that was just the first step. For the next few months, Salsich went through auditions and more auditions. Interviews, and more interviews. He spent 24 days living in Los Angeles, sworn to secrecy, working with a voice coach and practicing with a live band –– all leading up to the 90-second audition that aired Monday night.
That 90-second performance is possibly the first of many for Salsich on The Voice. Although the world is just getting introduced to Salsich, it’s nothing new for him. Salsich has already recorded the whole show. He knows what happens, but he can’t say anything. He’s back in St. Louis, performing with The Mighty Pines –– and reliving the whole Voice experience again.
“It’s still, to this day, the number one priority in my life,” Salsich says. “People are watching this obviously, on Monday. It's like ‘pow.’ But for me, it's been my baby for months now. It still is.”
He’ll return to the stage on Monday at 6 p.m. and Tuesday and 7 p.m. when The Voice airs again on NBC. We spoke with Salsich about that first performance. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What went through your head when you walked out there?
It was crazy man. I was just taking deep breaths. You're mic’d up. People are attending to you. People walk up to you at the last minute and straighten up your shit and brush whatever out of your beard. There's hundreds of people working. It's very down to the minute or the second. I have so much respect for all of that –– just seeing all of these people just like, bam, firing on all cylinders doing their job. There's a stage manager. You don't hear this on TV, but for all the people in the room there's a voice on the PA being like, “90 seconds, 60 seconds.” There's just all this shit happening and then these doors open and holy shit –– even talking about it has my heart racing.
You didn't seem nervous on stage.
It was weird, man. I definitely was a type of nervous. But I wasn't afraid. It's hard to explain. I'm glad I didn't present as nervous. My heart was racing and maybe my knees were shaking a little bit underneath. But there was like a whole ’nother part of me that had a sense of calmness. I knew that I had a good voice. I wasn’t pulled off the street. I had experience at this. So I kind of knew I would turn one chair, which is all you really need to make it onto the show. And of course, in my head, I was also telling myself like, “‘hey, it may not [happen]. Stay humble. You don't really know what's going to happen.”’
Did it remind you of any other concerts?
It's actually a completely different type of performance than anything I've ever done because it's only one song and there's so much build-up to it. It’s weird –– it's a competition, which is cool, that's the point of the show. But no other performances are a yes or no. You just perform.
How has the transition back to St. Louis been?
It's been great. I haven't even been home for that long. It's exciting. For example, after I announced that I was going to audition, I walked into [a St. Louis venue], and people I didn't even know were wanting to take their pictures with me. I'm just excited to keep playing shows around St. Louis. I'm also a little nervous. Part of me is like, I hope I can play an anonymous show again. I don’t know, man. This is what I wanted. But I’ll just have to get used to it.
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