'The Voice' 2016 New Contestant Brian Nhira Sings 'Jesus Loves Me' a Cappella In Blind Auditions

Mar 07, 2016 09:27 PM EST

Monday evening's blind auditions of the new, tenth season of "The Voice" singing competition included a spontaneous rendition of "Jesus Loves Me" from contestant Brian Nhira when one of the show's coaches, Pharrell Williams, asked the singer how he got started in music. Nhira's parents were traveling missionaries from Zimbabwe, Africa, who moved to the United States in 1988. He explained he had been singing for the past 16 years, and that was his first song.

Nhira, 23, told the coaches he was participating in the show "to fulfill dream and honor his parents."

For the blind audition, Nhira sang Williams' "Happy." Most people thought Williams was a shoe-in, however another coach, Blake Shelton, also turned his chair. It turns out Nhira is from Tulsa, Okla., and Shelton made his best case about how Okies have to stick together.

However, Williams won the nod as his coach selection.  


On Nhira's Facebook page, friends speak to him about the tongues of angels and the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Julie Boyd Patuto told Nhira she will cheering for him. "You are so talented and anointed by God, and I know you will go far!!!"

Nhira released an album, Hope's Stand, prior to competing on the show. He was attending at Oral Roberts University when he made the album.

Music is what Nhira lives, not just something he does. "My heart's desire is not fame. My only aspiration is for the message God has placed in me, through the medium of music, to be heard by everyone that might benefit from it," Nhira recently said.

Nhira's goal, in his professional music career, is for the messenger to never overshadow the message. He recently made the telling statement, "With every lyric I write and note I sing I want to, first and foremost, be a catalyst for hope, healing and restoration."