Virginia Belle Advances on ‘The Voice’ After Shimmering Performance

March 4, 2025
Candid portrait of Simone Marijic performing as a Virginia Belle.

Simone Marijic says performing as a Virginia Belle provided the perfect preparation for her successful performance on “The Voice.” (Photo courtesy of NBC)

University of Virginia student Simone Marijic’s rendition of Olivia Rodrigo’s song, “favorite crime,” inspired two celebrity coaches on “The Voice,” NBC’s singing competition show, to try and persuade her to join their teams.

In an episode that aired Monday night, Marijic wasn’t even 10 seconds into her blind audition performance on an NBC stage in Hollywood when coach Kelsea Ballerini pressed her button. A smile spread across the face of the famous country singer when her chair spun around and she first laid eyes on the third-year student, who is a member of the Virginia Belles, an a cappella group founded for women in 1977.

Crooner Michael Bublé later followed suit as she was finishing the song.

After singing, Marijic told the coaches, who also include John Legend and Adam Levine, that she was born and raised in Los Angeles. Pointing at Marijic’s cowboy boots, Ballerini said, “You have boots on, so that threw me.”

“I go to school in Virginia. University of Virginia,” Marijic, the William G. Pannill Jefferson Scholar, said.

“I think that was a very ambitious song to pick,” Ballerini said as she began to make her pitch that the Virginia Belle join her team. “I think you nailed it.

“I am craving on my team a voice that is pure. But I don’t have that yet. And you opened your beautiful angel mouth and I was like, ‘There she is!’”

The sales pitch worked. Marijic joined the country singer’s team of 12. 

The show now transitions to the “battle round.” The morning after her performance, she explained to UVA Today how that works.

Excellence Here Goes Everywhere, To Be Great and Good In All We Do
Excellence Here Goes Everywhere, To Be Great and Good In All We Do

“The battle round is pretty much where you get paired up with another member on your team and then you sing a duet of the same song,” she explained. “So, you’re basically competing against another member of your team, and then you’re getting coached by Kelsea.” The coach must then choose which team member advances. That phase of the show will take several weeks as members of each of the four teams compete.

‘Pink House’ Was Rocking Monday Night

At UVA, the Virginia Belles live in “Pink House” on 14th Street, right off the Corner. The main floor was filled with friends Monday night to cheer on Marijic. The room erupted in cheers when Marijic announced on the show that she chose Team Ballerini.

Marijic, majoring in history and music and minoring in public policy, said she’s heard from old friends, teachers and others since the show.

“It’s been just overwhelming and I’ve never felt this much support and love in my entire life. It’s just been an outpouring of love,” she said. “I have two midterms today, so I’m trying to focus, but it’s very hard.”

Viewers can follow Marijic’s path on “The Voice” this month to learn her fate in the battle round. Survivors will go on to the two final phases, a new knockout round and live performance shows that air in April and May.

Media Contact

Jane Kelly

University News Senior Associate Office of University Communications

Article Information

April 4, 2025

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