Q&A: Voice Winner Gina Miles Discusses New Cover, Niall Horan, & Overcoming Stage Fright
☆ BY Joanna Giano ☆
GINA MILES, THE 19-YEAR-OLD VICTOR OF NBC’S THE VOICE, reflects on her nervous thoughts as a contestant on the show through Zoom. The performance is now watched by over a million on YouTube with countless likes. Previously, before her latest release, Gina introduced the world to her musical prowess with Who Are You in 2022, a 22-minute album of soul-infused pop with Label records. The Illinois native and Sacramento-based singer has recently released a cover "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak, accompanied by a stunning video that has amassed a substantial number of viewers. Gina Miles is diving headfirst into the industry, poised to make her mark.
The burgeoning artist, now signed to Republic Records and boasting an emerging, adoring fan base, is ready to share her story of bravery and her deep love for her craft. A natural-born musician, she gravitated towards music as a child, developing a profound bond with it substantially due to her exposure around the medium. She stayed by her father's side as a professional wedding performer and eventually started taking center stage herself, singing at a local mall. Gina practiced her craft, picking up the guitar and piano. Her talent fostered the skill we now see showcased on national television.
Now, the charmingly professional singer took the time to sit with Luna to discuss her journey, hopes for her career, and the choices behind her music.
LUNA: Congratulations on winning Season 23 of The Voice! That's truly exciting. How has life changed for you since winning the competition? I'm sure it's been quite a journey.
GINA: It’s been very different, but it’s been an amazing journey since then. Being on the show was like something I never imagined I could do. And then after the show, it’s been a lot of growing, learning, and adjusting to the industry and everything. So it’s been really busy, really exciting, and definitely a lot different than my life has been before.
LUNA: I'm sure it has been incredibly hectic, thrilling, and enjoyable. What inspired you to audition for The Voice? What made you feel like this was the right show for you to pursue?
GINA: Coming from a very small town, there weren't many opportunities for me to pursue what i wanted to do, As lovely as it is. Shows like The Voice sometimes carry a stigma, but I believe they're incredible for providing opportunities that might not otherwise exist in such a tough industry. I just wanted my shot—a chance to get my foot in the door. The Voice stands out because it's artist-focused and genuinely cares about its contestants, showcasing a diverse range of talents. So, I thought, 'Why not give it a shot?' And I did! it was really really fun.
LUNA: How was the audition process for getting on the show?
GINA: It was surprisingly smooth for me. Since it was during the tail end of the COVID situation, I auditioned online. Eventually, I got to attend the actual audition, which was insane. I was so nervous—I mean, it was one of the scariest things I've ever done. There were moments when I questioned whether I should even go through with it. I wanted to be on the show so badly, but the whole audition process felt incredibly daunting. I remember thinking, "Maybe I shouldn't do this. Am I really cut out for it?" But despite the nerves, it turned out to be really fun, and I'm so happy I did it. Looking back, it was absolutely worth it, even though I was just really nervous throughout.
LUNA: Why did you decide to sing "The One That Got Away" by Katy Perry? What drew you to that song?
GINA: Oh my gosh, I love this question! It's been a while since I've thought about it. I think it's been about a year now. I've been singing and doing gigs since I was 14, and "The One That Got Away" has been a staple. So, when it came to choosing the first song to perform on national television, I wanted it to be something I truly loved and felt comfortable with. And that happened to be that song. I remember asking, "Can I sing this?" and they were like, "Absolutely." So I did, and it was really beautiful. I was so happy they let me sing it because it's one of my favorite songs.
LUNA: That's a fantastic song choice! And you performed it exceptionally well!
GINA: Oh my goodness, my audition was so bad! I can't even bring myself to watch it.
LUNA: Well, everyone who saw it on YouTube loved it!
GINA: I can't bring myself to read the comments because I'm so scared.
LUNA: Yeah, I imagine it's quite a challenge transitioning from playing small venues to having your performance projected online where millions of people can see it and leave comments. But from what I've seen, everyone seems to be loving it so far.
GINA: It's definitely weird to have people commenting about you, your life, and even how you look. That's probably one of the craziest things I've had to adjust to. Before trying to become an artist, I didn't have social media, so it was really bizarre and overwhelming to suddenly have all this attention. I found myself asking, "Why do so many people know everything about me?" The biggest lesson I've learned is that you need to believe in the lovely comments as much as you believe in the hate comments.
LUNA: That's very true! It's something I've noticed as well—a trend among artists to focus more on the negative comments rather than the love and support they receive, even though there's usually a balance or even more positive feedback. It's understandable though; negative comments tend to stick out more and can have a bigger impact.
GINA: I don't receive a lot of hate, I'm not saying that. I genuinely believe my audience and fans are so lovely. However, dealing with online comments in general can be challenging. Sometimes, you just have to learn to let go, and occasionally, have someone else read through the comments for you.
LUNA: That's valid! I completely understand what you mean. Having someone else read through the comments can be a helpful strategy for maintaining your peace of mind.
I've always been a huge fan of One Direction, and it's amazing that you got to be on Niall Horan's team. I also heard Kelly Clarkson turned around for you, which is incredible! What made you pick Niall?
GINA: This is so interesting and funny because I loved every single one of the coaches, but I was specifically such a Kelly Clarkson fangirl. I loved her so much then, and I still do, and I think she's one of the loveliest, most talented women out there. When she turned around first, and the second she turned around, I choked because I was like I cannot believe this woman is here in front of me.
The second that Niall turned around, it seemed like we were immediate pals. He was so calming, and I wasn't nervous to speak to him. When Kelly was talking, I couldn't breathe. Niall did have amazing points and fought for me. It felt like Niall and I had a good energy between us where we could have a good working relationship. If I was on Kelly's team, I would've been too starstruck.
LUNA: That's understandable! What's the best piece of advice Niall gave you throughout the whole process?
GINA: Practice is the most important thing for a nervous performer. I am the most nervous performer, and he would always ask, "How many times have you practiced it?" He would reassure me, saying, "If you've practiced a lot, you'll be fine because muscle memory will always kick in when you're nervous and trying to talk yourself out of it. You can't talk your body out of not remembering something because it will remember." It was the one thing I took with me to the end, and even now when I'm like, "OMG, I'm so nervous," I think, "I practiced this a thousand times; I will be fine." He would ask me, "Why are you so nervous?" and I would reply, "I don't know; I'm just so scared." Then he would say, "You've done it a million times; I've heard you practice it a million times; you are fine," and I would think, "I am fine; you are so right."
LUNA: Switching gears to your cover of "Wicked Game. I've always been a big fan of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game." What made you choose that song to cover?
GINA: It's definitely a song that's grown with me through many stages before, during, and after the show. Firstly, it's just a beautiful and amazing song. I performed it during Season 23 of the show, and I absolutely loved it. The response from fans was incredible—everyone was asking for it to be available on Spotify or Apple Music. So, for my first release, I felt it was important to choose this song.
While I loved how I performed it on the show, I wanted to take the opportunity to work on it further, to produce it differently from my other songs. It holds significance for both me and my fans, and I had the most fun working on it and being able to finally put it out ther
LUNA: I noticed you added your own twist to the song by incorporating beach imagery. What inspired you to make that connection with the song? Are there any deeper stories behind it?
GINA: I worked with a team on it, directed by Alexa. It was a mutual collaboration in terms of how we wanted it to feel and look. I believe that even though it's simple, there's a lot of power in the imagery and everything. So, I prefer to leave those aspects open to interpretation because it's more enjoyable that way. I also don't think it's for me to decide, as I like when people make it their own. But it's definitely beautiful, and I had an amazing time working on it.
LUNA: Where do you see your career going after this? Are you planning to continue focusing on the pop genre and the moody tones that you've been gravitating towards?
GINA: I think there's a balance between the two that I want to fit into. I want to be able to perform moving ballads, as well as bigger pop songs or stripped-down acoustic tracks. It's important for me to strike that balance without spreading myself too thin. I want to ensure that I'm clear in my direction while still expressing myself authentically through my music.
LUNA: Is there anyone you wish you could collaborate with in the future?
GINA: There are so many artists I admire, but I hesitate to mention them because I feel they might be out of my reach at this point. However, I'd also love to collaborate with friends or maybe even Niall someday—I think that would be amazing.
LUNA: Where do you find inspiration for your performances, your songwriting, or your song choices?
GINA: I think a lot of it, and this might sound silly, but I draw inspiration from my dreams—I have really vivid ones. Sometimes, I'll dream about a certain song or how I envision a performance, and that becomes a driving force for me. But I also find inspiration through collaboration, especially when it comes to performances.
As for songwriting, it's a different process. I usually start by jotting down everything that comes to mind—literally everything. Then, I go back through and sift through the ideas. Some I find intriguing, others I might hate and discard, and some I might revisit later and incorporate into a new song. So, for me, it's all about writing everything down; it's my number one approach to songwriting.
LUNA: What is your ritual or routine to prepare? How do you deal with the nerves?
GINA: The biggest thing is shower which is boring but I have a lot of coffee. I need as much caffeine as possible especially when you are working on a show where you have a performance. It's not just a performance you have to be really be on all day. So I have so many coffees but I also think it's having people around that you love and can make it a relaxing environment before and after the performance. That’s a different part of my routine being able to be regular and do regular things with my family or team.
