After making it to the top 40 on The Voice, Kason Lester is back, ready to roll with new music, tons of inspiration and a forever heart for his Wilson County roots. The Lebanon native who made it to the third round of eliminations on American Idol 2019, impressing judge Katie Perry, decided to give it another go this year with a new opportunity on The Voice where he made it on Blake Shelton’s final team. He may be back from his second trip to Hollywood, but the experience Lester has gained has prompted what he calls some of the most authentic music he’s ever released.
You impressed the judges on American Idol in 2019, and now you’ve made it to the top 40 on The Voice. What have those experiences been like and what led you on the reality music show route?
American Idol and The Voice have a lot of similarities; lots of producers, interviews, and all of that stuff that goes into a TV show. For American Idol I showed up at the big audition lines with thousands of people, and for The Voice that was all online. I would say that I saw fun opportunities and took the chance to be a part of them, that’s what it’s about for me. I never set out to do a show or expected a show to make my career. Getting to do something surrounded by tons of talented people, singing with a world class band, and just experiencing something new is what I wanted to do. With something like a tv show, you can’t go in with expectations because so much of it is completely out of your control, you just have to have fun with it.
We have to ask, what's Blake like?
He was funny, personable, and witty; I think that’s what people love about him. It was a honor to be on his last season.
You represent Lebanon and your family farm wearing your strawberry shirt in social media photos as you gain more followers daily. How did growing up on a farm so close to music city shape you?
I just love my hometown of Lebanon and Wilson County in general. It’s a special place, full of great people. Growing up in a supportive community prepares you to be able to take risks and not be afraid to dream. It gives you a foundation to build on. My family is from here and still lives here, and it’s where I love to be. The strawberry farm [Lester Farms] has been a great way to get to spend time with my brother and my parents, and a way to get to interact with the community as well.
