Tyler Robinson, a self-described "gay Mormon," did something sort of unusual on national television on Tuesday night.
He came out to his father. On national television. On NBC's "The Voice."
"Growing up Mormon was difficult for someone like me," said Robinson, 20, from Folsom, Calif. " I'm gay. Doesn't define me, but that's what I am."
He said his mother is "definitely OK with it," and she accompanied him to "The Voice" audition. "She taught me how to sing and pushed me to be who I want to be."
But it's a different story with his father.
"My dad and I don't have the best relationship. He hasn't been supportive of my music," Robinson said. "Also, my father does not know that I'm gay. I haven't actually told him yet. I guess he knows now."
Ya think?
His performance of Train's "Hey Soul Sister" wasn't great, but it was good enough for judge/mentor Blake Shelton to pick him for his team on the singing competition.
"I think you have a solid, full voice," said Shelton, who also added a Utahn to his team.
Dia Frampton, 23, of St. George sang Colby Caillat's "Bubbly," and both Shelton and judge/mentor Cee Lo wanted her on their teams. Frampton chose to go with the country-music star.
"When I heard your voice, I started to smile," he said.
Frampton and her sister formed "Meg & Dia" in 2004 as a duo and have since added three members to the band. They self-released a couple of CDs, then released one after being signed by Warner Bros. Records. After being dropped by the label, they self-released a couple more CDs.
The blind auditions concluded on Tuesday; the "battle rounds" of "The Voice" begin on Tuesday, May 10, at 9 p.m. on Ch. 5.
