Voice finalist CammWess recalls Winthrop, Rock Hill influences on road to success
Cameron Wesley was in his senior year at Winthrop University in Rock Hill when he auditioned for NBC’s talent show “The Voice.”
“I decided to put the whole school thing on hold and see how far I could take this thing,” he said.
Going by CammWess, the 22-year-old was nearly cut from the show twice but was saved by Kelly Clarkson and later John Legend.
“I was honored to take part of every step of the way,” CammWess said. “To find myself in the finale is unbelievable.”
CammWess finished the season in fourth place with coach John Legend, who he describes as his “favorite living artist.”
“To have an opportunity to work with him is a dream come true,” CammWess said. “It’s one of those things you always want but never think it will actually happen for you. So to have that moment was incredible.”
CammWess said both coaches taught him invaluable lessons.
“Working with two titans in the field, I kind of got more than I bargained for in that aspect,” he said. “I got to learn from two different perspectives.”
A native of Hopkins and resident of Blythewood, CammWess got his start in music by singing in a choir. CammWess grew up in an athletic-focused household, but turned to music after an injury in high school ended his NBA dreams, according to his “Voice” biography.
CammWess studied music education and participated in choir at Winthrop.
“Singing in choir in general and in college is a great way to prepare yourself and your voice, your instrument, for a lot of singing,” he said.
CammWess said his Winthrop professors -- choral director Jeremy Mims, music professor Katherine Kinsey and voice professor Todd Geer -- taught him how to place notes while singing and how to use different parts of his voice. He also learned at Winthrop how to rest his voice and when to be powerful when performing.
“I’m just taking all that I learned and applying that in every song that you hear,” CammWess said. “To learn from people like that ... that was a big bonus and feather in my cap.”
“Winthrop is full of so many talented people. Being around that caliber of talent will push you to be better,” he said. “Winthrop has been a huge influence on me.”
CammWess plans to one day graduate from Winthrop.
“I know for a fact I want to finish, get that piece of paper,” he said. “I worked hard for it and I don’t see any reason to stop working for it now.”
CammWess has sung in churches and played shows in venues near his home, in Rock Hill and in other states. He said performing locally helped him hone his ability.
“While The Voice isn’t the first thing I’ve done, this is the thing that has united my local backing behind me,” CammWess said. “There is nothing like coming home and knowing no matter what happens, these people have your back.”
Like his fellow contestants, CammWess had to navigate filming a national network show from his home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Being at home, you’re very comfortable. So now you have to find a way to dig deep and bring that same passion, fire and energy to a live audience, but you have to do that into a camera lens,” he said. “Having the support and backing of everybody, that made me want to fight as hard as I could and perform with as much passion as I could.”
CammWess said “The Voice” producers provided contestants with what they needed at each step. The producers and coaches planned performances via virtual meetings.
CammWess next plans to produce new music and play future live shows. In the “Voice” finale, the artist debuted an original song, “Save It for Tomorrow.”
“I want to say thank you. I know Rock Hill is a big part of my success and how far I made it on the show. I know I had a lot of support from my Winthrop community because I could see it every day when I opened my social media feeds,” CammWess said. “I’m very appreciative.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Voice finalist CammWess recalls Winthrop, Rock Hill influences on road to success."
