Nicole Hansen
Raine Stern is a distinctive guitarist, with the ability to play (and fluidly mix) various styles, and a superb vocalist.
Madison-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Raine Stern is the kind of performer who immediately grabs your attention any time she's on stage. The world will now get a chance to learn what regional music audiences already know, as Stern has made it through the first round of the new season of The Voice.
The music competition and pop culture phenomenon kicked off its 20th season on March 1 (and also celebrated its 10th anniversary on NBC) with the "Blind Auditions" round, in which the four coaches select team members based just on how they sound. Following a fiery vocal and guitar performance by Stern of the MGMT song "Electric Feel," coaches Nick Jonas, John Legend and Blake Shelton all wanted to select Stern for their team.
“You are a rare find and you are about to have your moment in the music industry and you deserve it,” Shelton said. Jonas made a follow-up pitch: “I’m going to fight for you because you are one of the most unique performers and creatives that we’ve seen on this show.” Stern went with "Team Nick."
It's the second consecutive season performers with Wisconsin connections made it into competition on The Voice; Season 19 featured Madeline Consoer (of Eagle River, now living in Nashville), John Holiday (a professor at Lawrence University, and a Texas native) and Aaron Scott (of Tomah). Consoer made it through the playoffs round, and Holiday all the way to the finals.
Stern is a distinctive guitarist, with the ability to play (and fluidly mix) various styles, and has the vocal skills to match. She's also a standout performer, either solo or leading a full band. I suspect we will have another Wisconsinite in the finals for this season of The Voice.
Isthmus contributor Holly Marley-Henschen checked in with Stern in September 2019 to learn more about her music and history. Find the story here.
