Singers From The Voice Who Were Also On American Idol

The following article includes brief references to addiction and mental health struggles.

It feels like "American Idol" has been on the air since the dawn of time, so it's unsurprising that some of its former contestants have popped up on its reality singing show competitor "The Voice," which has also been around for more than a decade. In fact, while "Idol" began first, "The Voice" has had more seasons thanks to NBC's tendency to run two a year. And while some former "American Idol" singers have tried to turn a chair or four, it's actually even more common for "The Voice" contestants to end up on "American Idol" — which makes sense, since "The Voice" has pumped out fewer successes and certainly no Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson (not even an Adam Lambert or Chris Daughtry).

In some cases, contestants who didn't even make the finals on their first show had great success on the second one. In others, people failed to make the live rounds on both "The Voice" and "American Idol," but certainly not for a lack of talent. And even the contestants who didn't make it far on either program benefitted from the additional exposure, sometimes achieving a bigger following than people who actually made the finals. There are also a fair number of cases where contestants hit the final 10 or 12 (or whatever number they landed on that year) on both reality programs — with one of them even winning the whole shebang on take two. 

Here are 25 singers who were on both "The Voice" and "American Idol."

Wé Ani is a powerhouse singer with a rich, deep tone that could shake someone out of a coma. That's why some might find it amusing that her regular speaking voice is unexpectedly high-pitched. Watching the "American Idol" judges react to her voice was fun, but for fans who recognized Ani from "The Voice," the juxtaposition was no shocker. In fact, it was even more fun on "The Voice," given that the coaches heard Ani sing before she spoke. She went by Wé McDonald back then, but the singing was just as enchanting when she auditioned with her take on Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" in 2016. Her audition turned all four judges' chairs, and when Ani introduced herself, they nearly fell out of those big red seats.

Ani was only 16 going on 17 when she appeared on "The Voice," but she made it to the top three in Season 11, where she landed on Alicia Keys' team and performed songs like "Love on the Brain" and "Take Me to Church." Though many fell in love with Ani, her post-show mainstream success was limited. She would return to reality TV during Season 21 of "Idol." 

"Now I'm going to be able to show not just my ability to sing but I get to show my artistry," Ani told NorthJersey.com, "which is something that 'American Idol' does really, really well." This time around, Ani made it to the top five but was unfortunately cut (alongside another contestant) just prior to the top three in May 2023.

Unlike Wé Ani, Megan Danielle made "American Idol" Season 21's top three, thanks in no small part to her growing confidence amidst glowing praise from the judges, especially Luke Bryan. Danielle's "American Idol" audition was especially memorable, as the show brought out Lauren Daigle to surprise the singer, who chose Daigle's "You Say" as her audition song. The Hollywood rounds went fine for Danielle, but she almost didn't make the top 26 — she was tasked with performing in an on-the-spot sing-off with a fellow contestant, which she aced with a powerful version of Adele's "Easy on Me." Her performances since have only gotten better and better, and since she's only in her early 20s, as of this writing, we can't even imagine how good she will be in the future.

But Danielle was even younger when she first appeared on reality television. As a 17-year-old high school student, she auditioned for "The Voice" in 2020, singing "Remedy" by Adele for Season 18's coaches. After landing on Team Kelly, Danielle sailed through to the live playoffs and, after not getting America's vote, Kelly Clarkson chose to save her for another week. Danielle was voted off in the semifinals, ending in the top nine. 

In April 2023, Danielle told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of her time on "Idol," "[The producers] let you be exactly who you are. That's what's amazing. I get to sing the songs that I want." She also revealed her hopes to land in the Christian pop genre after her time on reality TV ends.

Marybeth Byrd is a country superstar in the making, and we have to agree with "American Idol" judge Luke Bryan that Byrd has what it takes to make it in country music, which is something he noted from her very first audition. "Everything about you has got it, from the name to your presentation to the sound of some Arkansas blues and small town-ness going on," he said in reaction to Byrd's performance of The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love." "It's authentic, and I see a very bright future." Byrd made it all the way to Season 21's top 10 before getting the boot from the "American Idol" stage in May 2023, even though her countrified performance of "Dancing Queen" was arguably quite good.

A college student and country radio host for Jonesboro's MIX 106.3, as of this writing, Byrd still has plenty of time to find her way in the music business — but that doesn't mean she hasn't been trying for a while. Three years before "American Idol," Byrd appeared on "The Voice," doing very well for herself on a team coached by EGOT winner John Legend. At the time, she was only 18 and had just graduated high school, but Byrd handled the live stage like a pro. She made it to the top eight, performing pop songs like Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" alongside country hits like John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery." The latter was Byrd's audition song, which turned all four judges' chairs.

Malik Heard has "American Idol Season 21" as his Instagram bio, but what the singer doesn't note is that years before his second attempt at reality television-driven stardom, he was on "Idol's" biggest competitor. Heard auditioned for "The Voice" in Season 10, which aired in 2016, and both Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams turned their chairs for him. Heard chose Aguilera's team, and when he was not chosen as the winner of his "Battle," all three of the other coaches (including Adam Levine and Blake Shelton) tried to steal him. He failed to move past the next round, after losing his "Knockout" to Hannah Huston after their duet of "House of the Rising Sun."

Seven years after his time on "The Voice," we were pleasantly surprised to see Heard return to our TV screens in an attempt to become 2023's "American Idol." His first audition was not shown, but he lit it up during Hollywood week with his performance of Tevin Campbell's "Can We Talk" during the "Showstopper" round. The judges forced him into a sing-off with another contestant during their deliberations, ultimately giving both Heard and PJAE the greenlight to the top 26. But that round was the end for Heard (and PJAE, actually), as he failed to make the top 20 after singing what the judges agreed was a strong version of Paramore's "Ain't It Fun." 

While he may not have gotten America's votes, we have a feeling this won't be the last we see of Heard.

Michael Williams is yet another alum from "The Voice" who made it onto Season 21 of "American Idol." The Ohio native was featured in the premiere episode, where he impressed all three of the judges — but especially Katy Perry, who swooned over the combination of Williams' silky voice and undeniable handsomeness. As Williams sang the Bruno Mars hit "Talking to the Moon," Perry made a heart with her arms, pointed, put her hand on her chest, and even jokingly turned her engagement ring around on her finger as she looked directly into the camera. She couldn't even form words once the song was done, and when she could think straight again, compared Williams to Shawn Mendes and Harry Styles. Not bad, right?

Williams' talent and looks scored him a ticket to Hollywood, and he continued to perform well enough to eventually make the live rounds. The singer made the show's top 20 but ultimately failed to get voted into the top 12 after a brutal cut that eliminated eight very capable singers. 

Being so close yet so far away from the win was, unfortunately, not a new feeling for Williams, who had a similar trajectory when he appeared on "The Voice" in 2020. He auditioned for Season 18 with Lauren Daigle's "You Say," ending up on Nick Jonas' team. Like on "Idol," Williams made it to the live rounds on "The Voice," but he was eliminated that first week after not being chosen in a "Wildcard Instant Save" sing-off.

We included Allegra Miles just after Michael Williams, since the pair once sang a sizzling duet of "How Will I Know" that was oozing with style. This happened when both were contestants on "The Voice" back in 2020. Miles auditioned for Season 18 of the show with an impressive take on Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," turning two chairs and ultimately choosing Nick Jonas as her coach. She lasted until the semifinals, when she was cut after singing Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" — angering many, as evidenced by a Goldderby poll where 52% of fans said she was "robbed" of a finale spot.

We had high hopes when Miles returned to our screens a couple of years later on "American Idol," where she auditioned with an original song titled "Tainted." Miles made it to the top 14 for the season but was once again cut too early to the dismay of many. Miles, for her part, seemed to be in good spirits about it all. "The love you have shown me is indescribable and I am so beyond grateful," she wrote on Instagram. "Getting to sing my original music on national TV, and you guys telling me how you connected and it made you feel less alone — that is why I make music." 

Luckily for fans, things were already amping up for Miles in 2023. Set to release her debut EP that summer, she previously dropped the queer anthem "Girl," written about a crush and released independently that March.

As of this writing, NOIVAS is dominating on "The Voice," easily sailing through to the top 5 for Season 23. He auditioned for the show with a whole new vibe — and a whole new name — compared to his time on "American Idol," but fans quickly recognized his immense talent. He first came onto America's radar when he popped up on "Idol" in Season 13, where he made it all the way to the Hollywood rounds. He came back the following season, making it to the show's top 24, before ultimately being cut before the lives. During both "Idol" seasons, the singer went by Savion Wright, and he had a bit of a hipster vibe with his thick-rimmed glasses and floppy beanies.

It was somewhat of a shock when Wright returned to our screens by way of "The Voice" in 2023, using the name NOIVAS (Savion backwards) and having dropped the beanie for a cowboy hat. He turned all four judges' chairs after singing an electrifying version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and ended up on Team Chance. For some reason, Chance the Rapper let NOVIAS get away during the "Battle" rounds, but he was quickly stolen by Blake Shelton, who had been blocked as an option in the original round. 

NOVIAS later told KTAL News that he wanted to be on Shelton's team from the start (which explains the cowboy hat!), and since Shelton has won more times than any other coach, we totally get why he wanted to go with the OG.

Jeremy Rosado was relatively successful on both "American Idol" and "The Voice," which just goes to show how much talent the singer has and how well his personality went over with American viewers. A lovable teddy bear, people fell in love with Rosado's "Aw, shucks" vibe and the way that contrasted with his effortlessly smooth vocals. The first time that happened was in 2012 during "American Idol's" 11th season, where then-judge Jennifer Lopez gave him the nickname "Jer-Bear." After stunning the judges with his audition song "Superstar," Rosado made it all the way to the top 13, where he sang Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky."

Rosado released music in the years after "Idol," including the 2017 EP "Rewind," which made the top 10 on iTunes' Christian chart. But success was limited, and so he decided to try his hand at greater fame once more when he auditioned for "The Voice" in 2021. His audition, where he sang Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye," landed him on Kelly Clarkson's team, and Rosado soared through to the top 10 after people fell for both his singing and his heartwarming backstory (he is legal guardian of his niece), which he highlighted through song choice. 

"When we're on a show like this, we all have a thing. And my thing is this big emotional guy who sings the big emotional songs," Rosado told the Tampa Bay Times. "So I want to pick songs that kind of play to my story, or that I feel so deeply."

The Morgan Twins — Cara and Rhian — can definitely sing, and we are not surprised that they made it onto both "American Idol" and "The Voice." But we're also not surprised that they were cut early on in the process in both instances, since they were more of a novelty act than anything else, and there is no clearly defined space for them on a singing competition show. They first tried making it big on "American Idol," all the way back in Season 2 when they were still in their teens. They made it to the Hollywood rounds before being cut, which is certainly an accomplishment in itself. At the time, they were using their individual names rather than The Morgan Twins, but they refused to sing independently, which ultimately led to their demise.

In the years following "American Idol," both singing twins graduated from SUNY Potsdam while maintaining their dreams of stardom. It was over a decade before we saw them on national TV again, this time on Season 4 of "The Voice," which aired in 2013. They auditioned for "The Voice" with an impressive version of Alicia Keys' "Fallin'," which they began acapella — prompting both Usher and Blake Shelton to turn nearly instantly. Shakira and Adam Levine also turned, but the sisters (now officially going by The Morgan Twins) unfortunately failed to live up to their promise, and their journey ended in the "Battle" rounds. 

The twins don't have a public Instagram account, but their Facebook page indicates they've continued singing as a duo.

Frenchie Davis was infamously booted from "American Idol" in Season 2, despite many thinking she was going to win the whole thing, after the media uncovered sexualized photos she had posed for prior to filming to help make ends meet. It's hard not to look back at this so-called "scandal" and roll our eyes, especially given that Davis claimed to MTV News that the producers knew about the modeling shots from the get-go. "Idol's" been more supportive of contestants who have had similar controversies in the years since — Antonella Barba's nude photo scandal, for example, didn't get her kicked off the show — but that only highlights how badly Davis was arguably treated in comparison.

That's why it was so exciting for fans when Davis popped up on Season 1 of "The Voice" in 2011, eight years after "Idol" booted her from their top 32. Davis had some mild success in the years in between — most notably when she appeared in "Rent" on Broadway, shortly after "Idol" — but her level of success has seemingly never matched her potential. She was able to show off more of her skills as part of Team Christina, after auditioning with Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" and impressing Christina Aguilera with her powerhouse pipes. 

Davis made it to the semifinals for the season, but we have not heard a lot from the talented singer since she left "The Voice." Davis is active in regional theater, however, most recently appearing in "The Color Purple" at The North Carolina Theatre in the spring of 2023.

At this point, Sonika Vaid may be most famous for appearing on the Netflix reality show "Buying Beverly Hills," which follows Mauricio Umansky and some of his agents at the high-end real estate firm The Agency. On the show, Vaid referenced her singing past, but it was a sidenote in her plotline, which focused primarily on her relationship and her seemingly subpar performance as a realtor. Though she may not be a master realtor yet, Vaid is actually quite a strong singer, and her "American Idol" trajectory made that clear. Interestingly, before she made it to the top 5 on "Idol's" 15th season, Vaid attempted to land a spot on Season 4 of "The Voice." Unfortunately, she didn't turn any chairs and was on screen for only a handful of seconds.

Vaid is in good company, however, since there are a host of other "Idol" successes who failed to impress even one judge on "The Voice." These include Maddie Poppe, who won "Idol" in Season 16, and Caleb Lee Hutchinson, who came in second to Poppe — as well as Cade Foehner, who was number five that same season. But back to Vaid, who dazzled with performances of songs like "Bring Me to Life" and "Rise Up." 

The young singer's fifth place is nothing to be ashamed of, and we're glad that she was still focusing on music while establishing herself in real estate. In December 2022, Vaid told SweetyHigh's "Sweet Beat TV" that she had half a dozen new songs in the pipeline.

MacKenzie Bourg was also a contestant on Season 15 of "American Idol." He placed fourth thanks to standout performances of songs like "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," which he (and his guitar) totally transformed to match his unique style. Bourg first auditioned for "Idol" with a medley of songs from each of the show's three judges — who were Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr., and Keith Urban at the time — which is something we'd never before seen done. His creativity was on immediate display, and we dug it almost as much as the judges did. With over 133,000 Instagram followers, Bourg is one of the most followed singers on this list, and has even more followers than that season's winner, Trent Harmon.

Years before appearing on "Idol" in 2016, Bourg made it to the live rounds on Season 3 of "The Voice," which aired in 2012. Bourg auditioned with a super cool take on Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks," causing CeeLo Green to turn his chair in support. He was cut when the show took the contestant number down from 20 to 12 but seemed to have found more happiness during his time on "Idol" anyway. 

"I think 'American Idol' has done me so many favors by not trying to change me, by letting me be myself. I feel like me with just a guitar," he told Mjsbigblog. As of this writing, Bourg's latest single "sad on the weekend" was released in January 2023, but it has unfortunately not garnered much mainstream attention.

There's no denying that Dexter Roberts is a talented singer, but when he first showed up on "The Voice," Country Living noted that some fans were upset about his past. Before you go Googling any criminal records or moral inconsistencies, the past that created controversy is actually the same as everybody else on this list — people felt it was unfair for him to compete after appearing on "American Idol." This double dipping phenomenon has only become more common since, so we can't exactly call Roberts out without calling out everyone else that has been on both shows. But since Roberts made it to the top seven during Season 13 of "Idol," even touring as part of 2014's "American Idols LIVE!" show, we can understand why some felt he had an unfair advantage.

Then again, very few contestants who appear on either reality singing competition show actually score widespread fame, so who can fault the man for trying to get more exposure? Roberts auditioned for "The Voice" in 2019, singing Randy Houser's "Like a Cowboy" for his Season 16 audition. He masterfully turned all four judges' chairs and made it all the way to the finale as part of the top four — which is not surprising considering he is a talented male country singer and was on Team Blake, which both bolster the chances of going far on "The Voice." 

Roberts came in third place, and his performance of "Here Without You" hit No. 23 on the Billboard chart for Country Digital Song Sales.

Mark Andrew has only 1,500 or so Instagram followers, as of this writing, but he's still making music as part of his own band, Mark Andrew Band. It's probably not on the level Andrew was hoping for when he first tried out for "The Voice" back in 2013, as part of the show's fourth season. He tackled Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" for his blind audition — which was the first song he ever learned to play on guitar, according to an interview he did with Southwest News Media. Both Adam Levine and Shakira turned their chairs for Andrew, but his run on "The Voice" was short. Shakira chose his opponent as the winner of their "Battle," sending Andrew home well before the live shows.

Since "The Voice" contestants were not allowed to audition with instruments in early seasons, Andrew did not play his guitar on the show. But that guitar was front and center when Andrew auditioned for "American Idol's" Season 14, where all judges voted him through after he sang two songs. "The cameras don't make you as nervous, and you aren't as intimidated by the famous people in the room," Andrew told the Star Tribune of his second chance on reality TV in 2015. And perhaps that was true for the singer, since he did far better on "American Idol" than he did on "The Voice," making it all the way to the top 16 before getting the boot (from America, this time).

According to a 2021 interview she did with Seventy-Eight magazine, singer Shelbie Zora James Panter first auditioned for "American Idol" at age 16, but she failed to make it onto the show. She continued to audition and eventually landed a ticket to Hollywood in Season 15, but not before first getting some exposure on "The Voice." Panter auditioned for the first five seasons of "The Voice," and on her fifth shot, made it onto the show using the stage name Shelbie Z. She sang Gretchen Wilson's "Here for the Party," turning three chairs — she chose Black Shelton, in the obvious move — and won both her "Battle" and "Knockout." Unfortunately, Panter was cut during week one of the live rounds, which is similar to her "American Idol" trajectory.

On "Idol," Panter auditioned with Carrie Underwood's "Last Name," and she stuck to her country roots throughout much of her time on the show. She made it to the top 24 but was cut after performing Gretchen Wilson's "Work Hard, Play Harder" and a duet of "Bohemian Rhapsody," which the judges maligned. Panter doesn't seem to have any hard feelings, though. 

"When you're in front of a really big crowd, it's a rush you can't explain. ... It's one of those things where you're in the moment and you come off stage and want to do it again," she said in the Seventy-Eight interview, adding, "It was a very big growing experience in my life and I got to meet so many amazing people."

Jon Peter Lewis first came to our attention when he appeared on Season 3 of "American Idol," both because he sang well and also because he was nicknamed "the pen salesman" based upon his straight-laced, business wardrobe. The singer was originally eliminated during the top 32 but was voted into the top 12 after being chosen for (and winning the public vote in) the "Wildcard" round. His "Wildcard" performance of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" was one of his standouts, alongside his takes on Elton John's "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer." Lewis was booted the next time he tackled Presley, however, with his version of "Jailhouse Rock" sending him home in eighth place.

Season 3 of "American Idol" aired in early 2004, and JPL did not return to reality television for nearly a decade. When he did roll around in 2013, we were shocked to see him on "The Voice," as part of a duo called Midas Whale alongside Ryan Hayes. "I was having minor panic attacks in the beginning of the song," Lewis told The Hollywood Reporter. "We made it through the entire first verse without anybody turning around. I started to feel flush in the face and kind of panicky and starting to dread the moment." 

His nerves were premature, because the duo's performance of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" ended up turning all four chairs (they went with Team Adam). Sadly, Midas Whale wasn't chosen as the winner of their "Knockout," so they never made the live shows.

Sundance Head is one of "The Voice's" nearly two-dozen winners, having taken the crown during the show's 11th season in 2016. Head auditioned for the show with Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," causing both Blake Shelton and Adam Levine to turn their chairs. After choosing Team Blake, Head quickly became a frontrunner and sailed through the competition with relative ease. It certainly could not have hurt that he had done the reality singing competition thing before, albeit less successfully, and Head clearly felt he had something to prove the second time around.

"I really feel like I squandered the opportunities that I had on 'American Idol.' I was unprepared. I definitely was not ready for what went down," Head told Mjsbigblog. "I think that they spent a lot of time trying to help me out and trying to guide me in the right direction. At the same note, I was a little bit naïve about the whole process and I should've paid more attention to what the show was trying to advise me to do." Head appeared on "American Idol" in 2007 during the show's sixth season. He made it to the semifinal rounds but was cut when he reached the top 16 after an underwhelming performance of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy." 

But even after coming back to TV a decade later and winning "The Voice," Head struggled to find his footing — getting dropped from his initial contract with Republic Records and ultimately taking three years to release a post-show album.

Agina Alvarez may not have a lot of luck getting to the semifinals on reality television singing competitions, but she is certainly no stranger to getting a foot in the door. She first auditioned for "The Voice" in 2012, singing Vicki Sue Robinson's "Turn the Beat Around," but failed to make a big enough impression to turn any chairs. Alvarez also had a close call with "American Idol" that same year, though she did considerably better by making it past the first audition and all the way to Hollywood for the show's 11th season. She was cut during Hollywood Week, but did not let that end her dreams, and we have can't help but admire someone who just does not give up in the face of failure.

Alvarez returned to "The Voice" the following year for Season 4, this time tackling "Beautiful Liar," a song by Beyoncé and Shakira. And not only did Adam Levine turn his chair for her, but he also said he should have turned the previous season (which might have been a little annoying for Alvarez, actually). Levine didn't choose Alvarez as the winner of her "Battle," however, and her time on the show was short-lived. Still, it must have been nice to have made it onto the show during her second try, and Alvarez got enough exposure that she was able to amass a small following on social media. She put out original music in 2022 and previously appeared on Fox's "I Can See Your Voice."

Jamar Rogers has been especially candid about his experience with reality television, both as it pertains to his singing as well as his personal story. Rogers has said that he shared details about his past drug use when a contestant on "American Idol," but that the show was not receptive to featuring his personal narrative. This was presumably when Rogers auditioned alongside friend Danny Gokey, whose own story was heavily featured as he made it to the finals during Season 8. Since Rogers did not do as well as Gokey, he auditioned again the next year — then dropped out (he also auditioned during Season 3). "And the reason I dropped out is when I was going through the audition rounds again, for the third time, I knew the executive producers, we were on a first-name basis, and they were still just saying things that made me feel really crappy about myself," he told Yahoo! Entertainment's Reality Rocks.

After "Idol," Rogers tried his hand at "The Voice," appearing as a contestant on Season 2 in 2012. He was eliminated in the semifinals, and in a 2021 interview he did with TVBrittanyF.com, said he did not have good memories from that time. "I was depressed for years. I took my loss very personally. Not only did I feel rejected by America, but rejected by my idol, [CeeLo Green]," he told the blog. Rogers did, however, get to share his personal narrative on "The Voice," including his recovery from meth addiction and his HIV diagnosis.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Keith Semple first appeared on American reality television when his audition was shown during Season 9 of "American Idol" back in 2010. Though Semple was listed as being from Hanover Park, Illinois, he actually hails from Northern Ireland, and the singer was forced to leave the competition before Hollywood Week (he got the golden ticket) because of issues with his visa and residency status. But even before this, Semple had been on reality TV — just not stateside. He appeared in "Popstars: The Rivals," making it all the way to the end and becoming a member of the boy band the show helped form, One True Voice. That was eight years before "Idol," and Semple had long moved past the short-lived group by the time he met Simon Cowell and crew.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Semple moved to Chicago after One True Voice's breakup, where he served as the lead singer for the band 7th Heaven (the band recruited him after listening to his pipes via the internet). He stayed with 7th Heaven after his near-miss with "American Idol," and only left the group in 2012 when he decided to form his own band, called SEMPLE. Three years later, Semple tried out for Season 9 of "The Voice," where he sang Bon Jovi's "I'll Be There for You." Both Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani turned their chairs for the rocker, who ultimately went with Team Adam. Semple made it through the "Battle" and "Knockout" rounds but was eliminated in the first week of live shows.

Luke Edgemon appeared on "The Voice" during the same season as Jon Peter Lewis, who is also on this list. Like Lewis, Edgemon had previously been on "American Idol," though not at the same time and not with the same level of success. "I didn't know much about myself musically as an artist," he told Billboard of his time on the show during Season 9. Edgemon was cut during Hollywood Week but went on to score a gig on "Glee," appearing as a Dalton Academy Warbler after initially singing background for the Fox series. Not content with being in the background, he decided to try his hand at a reality singing show one more time in 2013.

Edgemon sang Bonnie Raitt's haunting "I Can't Make You Love Me" for his blind audition on Season 4 of "The Voice," prompting both Usher and Shakira to turn for him (the other teams were full). When Shakira cut him during the "Battle" round — which many felt was a mistake, including Billboard, who called him "the obvious vocal victor" — Edgemon had multiple coaches wanting to steal him. He lasted only one more round (on Team Blake), and soon went back to his previous career singing backup, most notably for Lady Gaga at the Super Bowl. 

"It's easy to get pigeonholed into only doing that one thing — background vocals," Edgemon told Idol Chatter upon the 2017 release of his first EP. "... I guess I felt like I couldn't wait anymore. Time to make some diamonds of my own."

Sure, Midas Whale was good on Season 4 of "The Voice," but we weren't surprised they didn't go further in the competition, merely because there was an arguably even better duo with much more steam and an even more compelling narrative, with that whole brother thing. This duo, The Swon Brothers, turned three chairs when they auditioned with Tom Petty's "American Girl," and since they are country, you won't be shocked to learn that they chose Blake Shelton as their coach. Duos have not traditionally done super well on "The Voice," but The Swon Brothers broke that trend when they made it all the way to the finale, coming in third place — partially based on talent and partially because Shelton can mobilize voters like no other.

Brothers Colton and Zach Swon dazzled America together in 2013, but Colton attempted to do it all on his own years before when he auditioned for "American Idol's" seventh season. He made it to Hollywood Week, where he was cut in the top 48, and his singing wasn't heavily featured beyond that initial audition. Not only did Colton do better on "The Voice," but he has another reason to favor his second reality go-round: his wife. In 2018, Swon married fellow singer Caroline Glaser, whom he met when they both appeared on the same season (Glaser was cut in the first week of the live shows). But family life has not slowed Colton down, and he and his brother, Zach, have already put out multiple singles in 2023 alone.

A lot has been made of Adam Lasher's connection to the legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, who just so happens to be his uncle. His type 1 diabetes has also been a part of his public story, after the "American Idol" judges asked about a black case attached to his guitar. His narrative sometimes overshadows his singing, but Lasher is actually quite a strong vocalist. He also plays a mean guitar, which is no shocker because — well, Santana. Lasher first auditioned for "American Idol" in 2015 for the show's 14th season, performing a self-written song called "These Shoes." He made it to Hollywood, where he was eventually cut and denied the chance to sing in the live rounds.

Lasher returned to "American Idol" the following season, and with something to prove. "I've learned a lot, including to never give up and that every opportunity is a learning experience," he told the Danville San Ramon upon making the top 24. Sadly, the "Idol" road ended there for Lasher, but that is still miles above how he did on "The Voice." In fact, when the handsome musician appeared on "The Voice" in Season 2 — singing Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" — he failed to turn a single chair. 

Unsurprisingly, while "American Idol" has its own tab on Lasher's personal website, there are no mentions of "The Voice" to be found anywhere. Meanwhile, his Instagram makes no mention of either show, so he very much appears to have moved on (but not from music itself).

Adanna Duru has a larger online following than the vast majority of people who have ever appeared on a reality television singing competition show, including many winners. It's a huge accomplishment, given that Duru didn't even crack the top 10 on "American Idol" or get anywhere close on "The Voice." Duru first came to national attention when she auditioned for the latter's third season, and though she turned a chair (Adam Levine's) with her performance of Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory," she was given only 20 seconds of screentime for her audition and critique. She was then eliminated in the "Battle" rounds. "After being on 'The Voice,' I just got so many more connections. So many more people are asking me to do things for them. So many more gigs," she told Join the Synergy in 2013, a few months after the season's end.

Two years later, we were excited to see the talented Duru pop up on "Idol," auditioning with "Yoü and I" in Season 14. Though she didn't make it to the finale, Duru had a much more successful time on "Idol," making it to the top 11 before being cut in a double elimination. But with 1.7 million followers on TikTok and over 327,000 on Instagram, Duru is definitely getting the last laugh — thanks in large part to her "music @ white clubs be like" series (one video alone has 75+ million views). Duru's TikTok success has helped garner attention for her first EP "Nappy Hour," released in March 2023.

Coming especially close to the top 14 on "American Idol" has to sting, but we cannot imagine then seeing history repeat itself by finishing just outside the top 13 on "The Voice" two years later. That is what happened to Raquel Trinidad, a talented singer who appeared on both programs and who made the top 20 on each before being eliminated in exactly the same place. She first appeared on "American Idol," during the show's 17th season in 2019. Her audition did not make the air, but she was featured during Hollywood Week, and her showcase performance of Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl" helped her score a spot in the top 20 round, where she was ultimately cut alongside five others.

Trinidad released a Christmas album a year after appearing on "American Idol," before returning to TV a year after that when she auditioned for Season 21 of "The Voice." She performed a funky version of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" for her blind audition, turning three chairs in the process. She won both her "Battle" and "Knockout" on Team Ariana, which advanced her to the top live shows as a top 20 contestant. And, once again, it was at the top 20 where Trinidad peaked, failing to earn either the public vote or coach Ariana Grande's vote (or even a "Wildcard" spot to compete for the 13th slot). 

Trinidad didn't let the eerily similar repeat elimination deter her, however, and she released a pop album called "All is Well" in 2022.