Last updated on November 10, 2023
Crazy cool.
That’s how Dallas College graduate Azan Hysn described her experience on NBC’s hit singing show, “The Voice” Season 24. After all, Hysn’s original coach on the show was John Legend and then she was part of the team coached by One Direction’s Niall Horan.
Hysn was “stolen” by Horan on an episode during the “battle round” before her journey ended during the “knockout round.” Still, it ranked among the most memorable experiences Hysn could have envisioned as she finally landed a coveted spot on a team after the third time auditioning for the show.
“This has been a dream come true,” Hysn said.
Going off the coach’s feedback, Hysn left a favorable impression throughout the show. Reba McEntire, the Queen of Country, offered high praise during an episode following a “battle round” between Hysn and Taylor Dennen. The duo sang “Do It” by Chloe x Halle.
“Your stage presence, your voice, you’ve got the total package to be a superstar,” McEntire said.
Added Horan: “Azan, the stage presence you’ve got is spectacular. You grabbed that song today, you made it your own, commanded the crowd. It felt like the real, real, real deal.”
For Hysn, receiving positive feedback from music’s biggest names is still surreal.
“These are top legends who have heard a trillion people,” she said. “To hear somebody look at me and tell me I’m potentially a superstar, it’s like, ‘What?!’”
Groomed at Cedar Valley
Hysn’s journey on ”The Voice” may not have happened without Dallas College. She reflected on her time at the college, taking classes on the Cedar Valley Campus and describing it as a pivotal moment in her musical career.
“It was probably the moment that I felt kind of projected me to the next level as an artist, as a performer,” she said. “I’d say it was where I really learned more of the professional side of performing — what to say if there is a technical difficulty or how to introduce band members. I learned so much, and my time was amazing.”
Hysn still considers one of her instructors at the time, Andrea Wallace, as one of the more influential people in her life to date. She also loves to keep in touch with the classmates who were on the Jazz Ensemble with her.
One of her more memorable performances during her time was singing Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love.”
“Anita Baker has always been one of my favorite celebrity performers,” she said. “To be able to take a chance of signing someone with that big of a voice … that’s really when I started learning my voice.”
Message to Students
Hysn has become another success story out of Dallas College. She showcased her perseverance by auditioning for “The Voice” three times before making the show and is quickly became a fan favorite.
Her rendition of Jill Scott’s “Golden” during the blind auditions has generated more than 500,000 views on Facebook. Hysn described her style as a blend between Jill Scott, Anita Baker and Beyonce with “a little bit of Ariana Grande.”
“This may sound simple, but truly never give up on yourself,” she said. “That is the biggest advice I’d give anybody. I never gave up on myself and feel I am a true example of what it means — no matter how much time may pass, this is what could happen if you don’t give up on yourself.”
Finally, Hysn became the latest to dismiss the notion there is a “stigma” attached to community colleges compared to four-year schools. She would not have had the success on “The Voice” had it not been for her days at Cedar Valley.
“I feel like people are so asleep on the community colleges,” she said. “I just loved the closeness of it all. It’s not so big to where you get lost in everybody. You find your niche. You find your group of people really fast, and it’s not just one group. Like, I had my science family. I had my music family. I had my theater family.
“There are so many great things about community college, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I think that’s exactly how my life was supposed to go. I’m so grateful for my time at Dallas College.”
This story and others like it can be found in the Student Newsletter. Check your Dallas College email to see the latest edition.