As its title suggests, The Voice is really about one thing: whether someone can sing.
The competition show’s famous blind audition process, in which potential contestants demonstrate their vocal chops before judges can see who they are or what they look like, was especially appealing for trans teen Sasha Allen.
“I do have a special connection to the concept of a blind audition, where the only thing that matters is the art and who the person is inside,” Allen said ahead of his groundbreaking appearance on the popular NBC series this week.
Prior to wowing the judges with a duet of John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane” performed alongside his father, Allen revealed to audiences at home that he is trans.
“I was born female, and I never felt comfortable, and it ate away at me the more I grew up,” the 19-year-old said in an introductory clip.
Allen went on to recall struggles that undoubtedly rang true for many trans viewers. “I remember at night just laying in bed and thinking, if I could just wake up as a completely different person, I would do it,” he said. “I would give up everything I have to be able to live in peace and live comfortably without being tormented internally.”
The night marked a major triumph for Allen and his father Jim, a music teacher who began teaching Allen from a young age. Coaches Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande both mashed the red button to swivel their chairs around, signaling that they each wanted to take the duo under their wing. But the Allens ultimately said, “Thank you, next” to Clarkson and went with Grande.
“It was really beautiful. It was really refreshing,” Grande said of their performance. “I don’t know that we have anyone on the show that sounds like them.”
Allen’s selection continues the relatively brief history of trans representation on The Voice, which began airing in 2011. In 2018, singer Angel Bonilla became the first openly trans contestant on the show following a blind audition performance of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down.” The following year, trans singer Dane joined John Legend’s team after performing “Angela” by The Lumineers.
On Instagram earlier this year, Allen shared a message to commemorate Trans Day of Visibility addressing young people who may be struggling: “One day [you] will look back and wonder why [you] were ever so worried,” he wrote. “Life is so worth living and being trans is unique and beautiful.”
It’s been a big week for historic queer debuts on song-and-dance reality TV. On Monday night, JoJo Siwa was part of the first same-sex pair to take the floor on the American edition of Dancing With the Stars. “What I love to do is make truly being who you are easier for kids,” Siwa said.
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