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Cover Story
Pictured are, from left, Corey Ward and Ryleigh Modig in the “Knockout Reality” episode of “The Voice.” TRAE PATTON/NBC
Modig
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In the show’s “Knockout” round broadcast on April 19, Modig and Corey Ward had head-to-head performances as members of Team Kelly. Under the show’s sometimes rather complex rules, Kelly Clarkson had to choose which one of the singers to continue with. Ward sang Clarkson’s song “Already Gone” while Modig performed “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon. Both renditions were emotional and powerful with plenty of vocal range on the notes
Clarkson, saying it was a very close call, chose Ward, putting Modig in danger of elimination.
But that was when judges/ coaches John Legend, Nick Jonas and Blake Shelton all hit their buttons to “steal” Modig, as the rules allowed. Now it was Modig’s turn to choose. She became a member of Team Legend. Legend sang to her “Welcome to Team Legend.”
On the first week of the live performances last week, Modig found herself having to sing for the one wildcard spot available to take her to the final nine. Pete Mroz, Jose Figueroa Jr. and, once again, Corey Ward were the other singers.
Modig sang a notably heartfelt but subtle rendition of “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars.
The TV audience had five minutes to vote via “The Voice” app, but Ward won out.
Still, “That (’It Will Rain’) was probably one of my best performances,” Modig said. “I really put my heart into it, so I was happy I had that one last performance on the show.”
She had tweeted after the May 11 show, “the best is yet to come,” and it looks like that could be in the cards (one of Modig’s pastimes is tarot cards).
Jonas had said of her voice, “You have the kind of voice that speaks to my soul.” Clarkson applauded how Modig gets “lost in it (the song). I do that all the time.” Technically speaking, Legend noted, “the power of your vibrato. That’s your secret weapon.”
“I just got back last night and already have a few gigs and things lined up. There’s some pretty exciting things going on,” Modig said last week.
She said she was not allowed to get into details at this point, but she will be leaving Massachusetts again shortly. “I do have some very exciting things coming up … So keep a look out.”
She knows there will be plenty of people following her.
“I have received so many letters. I gained 18,000 followers on Instagram. I’m so pleased with young people sharing messages with me. That’s what I wanted, young queer people to reach out to me and and share their stories,” she said.
While talking to Clarkson, Jonas, Legend and Shelton following her performance on her “Blind Audition” on “The Voice” March 8, she had proudly proclaimed that she is gay.
But she said her following doesn’t just have to be LGBT people. “I want to represent the young misunderstood people, that if you believe in yourself something good will come out
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of it.”
Modig turned 19 during her time on “The Voice,” but the show was not her first vocal competition.
She was a 14-year-old when she won Worcester’s WCCA TV “New Voices Awards” show first broadcast in January 2017. “It turned out really well,” she has said of that contest.
Modig was facing some challenges around that time, but she would set a sort of precedent for emerging stronger than ever.
She recalled in an earlier interview that she has been singing for as long as she can remember. She said she was inspired to get into music by her father, Wayne Modig, who plays in a band. She grew up with a quirky sense of style, but sadly was relentlessly bullied throughout school.
After switching to homeschooling her junior year of high school, she felt free to focus on her music and finally be herself.
By homeschooling she said she graduated early with her GED, “and I think that was the best thing I did for myself.”
Meanwhile, “I came out to my parents (Wayne and Kristin Modig) when I was 16. I think they had their suspicions,” she said. “They’ve been so supportive and they just want me to be happy.”
Modig was visiting an aunt in Baltimore when she heard about open call auditions for “The Voice.” Fortuitously, “the open call auditions were just down the street.”
From that would come an invitation to the “Blind Auditions” in Los Angeles, so called because Clarkson, Jonas, Legend and Shelton have their backs to the singers when they first start performing. If the coaches/judges rotate to face them, that means they want them on their team.
Not long after Modig had begun “When the Party’s Over” by Billie Eilish, Clarkson quickly rotated her chair to face Modig. Jonas turned his chair as Modig was a little further into the song, while Legend and Shelton later offered words of encouragement.
Seeing Clarkson turn, “It felt absolutely amazing,” Modig told a reporter a few days later. “(I thought) This is so exciting. The moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life. I felt so blessed to be able to sing in front of those people and I was just overjoyed and overcome with emotion.” Modig opted to be a member of Team Kelly.
Local singers have made themselves heard on “The Voice.” Worcester native Alisan Porter was the winner in 2016, and Ricky Duran, who grew up in Grafton, was the runner-up on the 17th season at the end of 2019. Sam James of Sturbridge appeared on the show in 2012.
Modig’s next challenge on “The Voice” was the “Battle” round broadcast March 28. She and Gean Garcia, both members of Team Kelly, were paired to sing Ariana Grande’s ballad “pov.”
Clarkson was briefly sick, and recruited country pop singer Kelsea Ballerini to keep her seat warm — and choose the winner. Ballerini chose Modig.
Then came the “Knockout” round and the triple steal with Modig joining Team Legend, but things did not go so well with the “Top 17 Live Performances.”
The live performance rounds of the competition began May 10 with 17 performers each singing a song.
Modig sang “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo. Legend said Modig’s rendition had “so much heart and soul and sadness and beauty.”
Voters via “The Voice” app then had the opportunity to participate in deciding which nine of the 17 would make it
Ryleigh Modig performs during the “Live Top 17 Performances”
episode. TRAE PATTON/NBC
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through the next round.
The singers were in four teams, and after the May 10 broadcast, voters chose the top singers from each team, leaving the coaches, under the rules, with the decision of which one other member of their team to keep. Also in Team Legend were Pia Renee, Victor Solomon and Zania Alaké.
Before the announcement of the audience vote, Modig said one of the things she would take away from the whole “Voice” experience was Legend stealing her.
“It was such a pull to you. I had to choose you,” she said.
The audience voted for Solomon. Legend then was faced with a choice, and opted to keep Renee.
But all was not lost for Modig. The remaining artists with the most audience votes in each team made it to an elimination round for a wildcard spot.
Modig had more votes than Alaké, and chose to sing “It Will Rain.” Legend said afterward, “I’m swooning.”
How did it feel with all those ups and downs including not being chosen by your team coach or the voters?
“Honestly, it’s not the best feeling,” Modig said of losing, but then immediately added, “It was an honor to lose to such talented people. Honestly, it was just an honor to be eliminated against them.”
Regarding working with Clarkson and Legend, “They were different in their styles of coaching but at the end of the day they just wanted me to succeed and they still do,” Modig said.
“I had a conversation with John Legend after my elimination, he was really sweet.”
There was also tremendous mutual support among the contestants and likely lifelong friendships were made, Modig said.
“I formed really great friendships with the other contestants. We were able to lean on each other when things got really stressful,” she said.
No sense of competitiveness among the competing?
“I don’t think any of us at any point felt it was a competition at all. We were just putting on a performance. I feel I’ve made friends for a lifetime. Everyone who’s still there I consider one of my close friends. Whoever takes that spot, that will make me very happy,” Modig said.
“I am so grateful for my time there and I think the universe has a plan for what comes next.”
Back home in Spencer with her parents (her family also includes her older sister, Jordan Modig), “They were so supportive. I could not have asked for a better support system. I think they were worried I was going to be sad (about being eliminated). I know they’re proud I just did it. I could not have asked for a better family and friends.”
As Modig goes out in style from “The Voice” and looks to the future, college is not part of the 19-year-old’s plans.
“I’ve thought about it here and there. I personally think that for some people wisdom and life experience can go a lot further for people than college. That is my take on college. As of right now I feel I have so much to learn in the real world. I want to continue down that path.”
Modig has made no secret of her hopes to become a professional singer and a “life purpose” to pursue music.
She also writes songs. “Every day I’m still writing music. I plan to be working in a studio and getting my own original music out very soon,” she said.
“This is only the beginning for me. I want to create a platform for people to believe in themselves and see that in me.” she said.
“It can only go up from here. It’s sad to leave people from the show, but I think my platform can only grow from here and there’s more opportunity in the world for me.”
