Levi Watkins is a Southern gentleman. Or, at age 14, he might be called a Southern gent-in-training.
Watkins is polite and articulate. He’s respectful of his elders, and listens closely to what they say. He peppers his conversations with, “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir.”
His family is important to him. His faith is, too.
And when he talks to his coach on “The Voice,” Watkins always makes sure to call Blake Shelton “Mr. Blake.”
Watkins’ Southern roots -- and, as grandma might say, his good raising -- were on display when the Birmingham native made his debut on the NBC reality series on Feb. 25.
Those qualities are evident again, during a phone interview with AL.com, as Watkins reflects on his TV debut and anticipates an episode that showcases his next challenge in the competition. (Early episodes of “The Voice” are filmed in advance.)
Watkins -- who aced the show’s blind auditions and impressed Shelton with his cover of Train’s "Hey, Soul Sister” -- will move into the battle rounds on today’s 7 p.m. program. He’s the youngest singer on Season 18, and one of the youngest male contestants to ever make it onto the show.
Ask Watkins for his thoughts on that accomplishment, and he responds with serious humility.
“I always have to keep it in perspective,” Watkins says. “It’s such an opportunity. I’m so happy to have this chance, so excited. But I don’t think that it’s just me. I can’t get prideful in this. It’s not my gift; it’s the gift the Lord has given me.”
Watkins will bring that humble attitude into the battle rounds, as he performs a duet with another member of Shelton’s team. This phase of “The Voice” requires Watkins to mesh his talents with those of another singer, but also gives him an opportunity to stand out as he and the other contestant duel for Shelton’s approval.
“I’m in it to win it,” Watkins says, describing his overall approach to “The Voice.” “I’m going to do my best and work my hardest.”
Watkins can’t talk about the song he’ll perform tonight or reveal the outcome of the battle, but he offers some high praise for Shelton’s coaching skills.
“He’s a great coach,” Watkins says. “He’s a cool guy. He knows so much about music, more than I can ever dream to know. There’s so much I can learn from a person like that. And he’s a nice guy.”
Watkins isn’t aiming for a career as a country artist. (“I’m a diabetic,” he says, “so I feel like, endocrinology ... I like science of the body and I enjoy math so I think I’ll pursue that.”)
Still, he sounds happy to be on Team Blake, guided by the savvy, laid-back coach with the most wins in “Voice” history.
“I want to use ‘The Voice’ as a platform to bring music to other people,” Watkins says. “Music brings me a lot of joy, and I want others to find joy in that. I’d like to release music that others can relate to and enjoy -- not as a job, but something I can do to help others.”
Watkins says his musical tastes and inspirations are wide-ranging, and he ticks off names that range from classic rock (Journey) to contemporary throwback (Greta Van Fleet).
“I like a lot of music for listening and learning,” he says. “I love rap. I love country. I love pop. I love classical. But I would say I mostly gravitate to acoustic vibes, working with a lot of strings and piano. For singing, though, mostly I’ll gravitate toward soul and pop."
Watkins, the son of Jim and Amy Watkins of Vestavia Hills, is a homeschooled freshman who participates in co-op classes at The Church at Brook Hills in Shelby County. The guitar is his primary instrument -- he takes guitar lessons with Allen Barlow at Homewood School of Music -- but Watkins says he learned to play mandolin specifically for his “Voice” audition. He recently picked up the banjo, as well, when he father brought one home from a pawnshop.
“The guitar has helped me with my instrument range,” Watkins says. “Don’t get me wrong; banjo is pretty hard. But already playing an instrument has aided me in learning the banjo.”
His blind audition on “The Voice” was a big step for Watkins, and although the teen appeared calm and confident on stage, he says that impression was misleading.
“I was jumping up and down in nerves. I was crazy,” Watkins says. “Going up on stage, even, my legs were shaking so hard. I was crazy breathing, doing all the calming techniques I know. I was head-over-heels nervous. I really blanked out about halfway through the song. I think it was just, holy cow, it was a crazy moment.”
Watkins’ singing voice hasn’t fully matured and all four of the show’s coaches -- Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Nick Jonas -- initially thought the unseen contestant was female. When their chairs turned around and Watkins was revealed on stage, the celebs were surprised and delighted.
“I took that as a compliment, because it’s a compliment to my range,” Watkins says. “They couldn’t see me, so I could understand that. I wasn’t mad or anything.”
Watkins’ journey on “The Voice” seems destined to come with a tagline -- “He’s only 14!” -- that’s familiar to anyone who watches reality singing competitions. Watkins says he’s perfectly fine with that.
“I think (youth) is an advantage, as long as I keep a sound in my voice that shows poise and maturity,” he says. “I think that is a big factor, as a young artist, that can make you stand out.”
Watkins says he watched his “Voice” debut with a bunch of supportive friends, but in the age of coronavirus, another watch party is unlikely to happen anytime soon. He’s been practicing social distancing: riding his bike, running, walking his dogs and playing music when he’s not doing the homeschool thing.
What would he like to say to folks in Alabama who’ll tune in tonight for his battle round?
“I would just say, I’m so grateful for all the support and them watching,” Watkins says. “And I hope they stay safe through all the crazy times right now.”
If you watch: “The Voice” airs on Mondays at 7 p.m. CT on NBC. Most of Season 18 has been filmed in advance. The network hasn’t announced how it will handle the remaining shows, which typically air as live broadcasts with a studio audience.