WATCH: 26-Year-Old ‘Cuban Cowboy’ Earns Four-Chair Turn With Impressive Luke Combs Cover
Orlando Mendez, a 26-year-old from Miami, Florida showcased his country pipes on The Voice with a blind audition that earned…
Orlando Mendez; Photos by Greg Gayne/NBC
Orlando Mendez, a 26-year-old from Miami, Florida showcased his country pipes on The Voice with a blind audition that earned an impressive four-chair turn.
Nicknamed the “Cuban Cowboy,” Mendez took the stage to perform Luke Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart.”
His impressive vocals caught the attention of all four coaches, Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and John Legend.
The Miami native had a tough decision to make and each coach attempted to coerce him to join their team.
Shelton was up first.
“Orlando, my name is Blake Shelton and I’m from Ada, Oklahoma. I’m an eight-time Voice winner, a member of the Grand Ole Opry and CMA Entertainer Of The Year, but I am not from Miami,” he said with a laugh.
Cabello, who hails from Miami, chimed in and began to banter with Shelton.
“So, is country music your thing?” Shelton asked, to which Mendez replied, “Country music is my passion. I’ve been listening to your songs since I was a kid, but I come from Cuban roots.”
“Aw cute,” Stefani gushed.
The “No Body” singer went on tell Mendez, “I’ve been doing this a long time on this show. Some may say too long, others may say I’m just getting started. I’m a country artist and that’s all I’ve ever cared about being. I personally like being put in a box, do you feel the same way about your direction and do you want to be stubborn about it like I do then I’m the coach for you buddy.”
First-time coach Cabello did her best to recruit the country hopeful to join Team Camila.
“Orlando, I turned around first because something that I’ve really been looking for is somebody with a really special tone that I can hear on the radio,” she explained. “You said ‘you know what I’m Cuban and this is the kind of music that inspires.’ You know the kind of artist you want to be and I would just help you on that journey. I like things that make me feel and your voice made me feel today and I would love to be your coach.”
Stefani, who recently made her Grand Ole Opry stage debut alongside Shelton, tried to use her country cred to convince him to join her team.
“I’m basically Country now as well like I’ve gone Country,” she proclaimed.
“As the performance went on, you got better and better once you saw everybody turning around, your star came out and I could just see how excited you were.. Like I’m here in front of Blake Shelton, one of the greatest country singers of all time in the whole world,” she added. “Blake is amazing, but I would love to be your coach and outside of the genre let’s talk about the show. It’s a lot of pressure, connecting with the camera and the nerves, I could really help you with that and I would love to be your coach.”
Cabello interjected, “I was actually on a singing competition show and you know what if you want to make an unpredictable cool choice, I think you should be on my team.”
Before Mendez made his decision, Legend took the opportunity to speak.
“One of the things that grabbed my attention is do you want to make an unpredictable choice today you could predictably pick that very crowded country box that Blake is trying to cram you in,” he said. “You could go with somebody because they’re from your hometown. Also, you could go with someone who is married to a country star and has Country No. 1 hits or you can do something that no one would expect and pick team Legend.”
Ultimately, Mendez chose Cabello as his coach.
“Camila, let’s do this thing!” Mendez shouted.
Cabello, who went to the same high school as Mendez, was thrilled to welcome a country artist to her team.
“I’m really excited to have Orlando. He has a gift with this tone of voice. It was really exciting to win a Country artist, especially over Blake,” she said. “I’m feeling myself for sure. Let’s represent and do it your way.”
NBC’s The Voice Season 22 premiered on Monday, Sept. 19.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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