Much loved contestant from the second season of The Voice Phillip Arnold, better known as Pip, is finally releasing his first full-length album, No Formalities. The long awaited EP has been a project in the making since Pip appeared on The Voice, but his passion for singing and performing started long before then.
His sister, who had been involved with musical theater, inspired him, but he was also introduced to the industry the way most of us are: by watching television. “When I was 7 or 8, I remember vividly watching the Grammy’s and loving every minute of it,” he says.
Once he heard about the voice, Pip knew he had to audition, and his journey was a lot longer that what you may have seen on the show.
“I auditioned in GA in a preliminary audition because you have to make it past that to make it to L.A. and the blind auditions. When you get to L.A., you’re there for like a month before you go see the judges. It’s really a 1 in a million chance,” he says.
When he finally got to perform before the judges, all 4 turned around, which Pip says made him more nervous than he already was. Pip chose judge Adam Levine, who “sold himself,” the best, Pip recalls. Looking back, he’s glad he made this decision.
“Adam’s really a down to business kind of guy–it’s really easy to bounce your ideas off him. You know, when I first started I didn’t know who I was and I didn’t really have a musical identity. Adam really helped me find that,” he says.
The young singer was a fan favorite, but his run was cut short when his coach eliminated him during the quarterfinals.
His EP, No Formalities is a culmination of everything he’s learned on The Voice and since then. He worked with writer and producer Louis Dubuck and Noah Shane, and is excited about the way it turned out.
“My sound was kind of pop-y at first, but I think now I’d call it funk-pop. It’s awesome. Very often after you come off a reality show, that first album really lacks quality. But I’m really lucky to have found these people to help me put something awesome together,” he says.
In addition to music, Pip does a lot of humanitarian work. When his best friend’s father–a man dedicated to mission work–passed away from cancer, Pip knew he had to continue his efforts.
“When I made it onto “The Voice” I knew God had a reason. He had given me a talent and had made me visible to millions of people. I needed to find a way to use these gifts to encourage others to serve the Lord and his people. That’s why I decided to start Youth in Mission, or YiM. We sell wristbands and take donations, and the profit goes to help young people who are genuinely interested in serving on a mission trip, but do not have financial means to do so,” he explained.
You can support Pip’s involvement in Youth in Mission on his site http://pipmusic.com/yim/. His EP comes out soon so be sure to check it out!
