News

Lee University alumnus Jordan Smith has made it to the finals of the NBC all-live music competition series, “American Song Contest,” hosted by Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson. Smith, along with the other nine finalists, will perform on The Live Grand Final, which will air Monday, May 9, at 8 p.m. ET.

Based on the worldwide phenomenon “Eurovision Song Contest,” the “American Song Contest” is an eight-week live entertainment event where 56 artists, representing their state, territory, or district, compete to win the country’s vote for the best hit song. Monday’s Grand Final will feature the top 10 artists performing one last time for their chance to win America’s vote. The results from the jury and America’s votes will be revealed in real time to determine the winner.

Smith is a singer/songwriter best known for winning season nine of NBC’s hit reality television series “The Voice,” a title he won while attending Lee. The Kentucky native holds the record as the highest-selling artist in “The Voice” history, dethroning Adele’s “Hello” at #1 on the iTunes charts three times during his run on the show and becoming the first artist ever to replace himself at #1 on the Christian Billboard chart.

Smith has since released four albums and toured extensively around the world, sharing the stage with artists such as Patti LaBelle, Jordin Sparks, and Lionel Richie. He also wrote the song “Ashes,” performed by Celine Dion for the movie “Deadpool 2.”

During his time at Lee, Smith studied music business and was a member of Lee Singers and the LeeU Tech Crew. Smith has returned to the university for several concerts and special occasions, such as Homecoming, a gala for the university’s Chancellor Dr. Charles Paul Conn, and to record a music video with the Lee Singers. Smith currently resides in Corbin, Kentucky, with his wife Kristen.

The other finalists Smith will face during Monday’s Live Grand Final include AleXa, Michael Bolton, Tyler Braden, Ni/Co, Chloe Fredericks, Grant Knoche, Ryker Lynch, Allen Stone, and Tenelle.

To learn more about these artists, visit artists/season-1.

To view past performances, visit americansongcontest.

Fans at home can vote for their favorite performances on asc.vote.nbc.com, the NBC App, and on TikTok. Voting for the Grand Final will open on Sunday, May 8, at 5 p.m. ET and will close moments after the last performance.

For more information, visit nbc.com/american-song-contest.