Miles College alumna Alexia Jayy (real name Bri Jackson), a mother of three from Irvington, Alabama, has made history as the first Black woman to win NBC’s “The Voice.” Jayy secured the Season 29 title on April 14, marking a historic moment in the show’s 15-year run, according to HBCU Game Day.
Her winning performances included powerful renditions of “Lady Marmalade” and Adele’s “One and Only,” allowing her to best fellow finalists Liv Ciara (second place), Lucas West (third), and Mikenley Brown (fourth).
Following her victory with her rendition of Adele’s “One and Only,” Jayy returned to her hometown of Irvington just days later. There, she was greeted by family, friends, and other community members.
Having begun her musical journey by singing in church as a child, her victory on The Voice represented a full-circle moment, cheered on in the same place where she started.
Reflecting on the moment, Jayy said, according to Prime Timer, “These are all the singers in my family, and they’re celebrating because I won ‘The Voice.”‘ She said, “I sang my first solo when I was two years old, in church.”
By age 9, she was already performing on major stages, including the famous Apollo Theater. During her years at Miles College, she performed in the Miles College Choir, which helped her hone her singing ability.
Her former choir director, Valerie Harris, said Jayy was unique.
“Consistency, strength, character — those are the things we try to instill,” Harris said, as reported by HBCU Gameday. “To see where she is now is special.”
Sharing a stage with Lauryn Hill stands out as one of her favorite memories. As Jayy recounted, “For Miss Lauryn Hill to want me to be a part of something that she has going is probably the most amazing thing in the world.”
Her uncle, Leodis Payne, remarked, “To perfect what you’re doing, you need to stay with it to be great. She stayed with it, and I don’t have to tell you she’s great, she’s great.”
Following her win, Jayy shared with Swoon how instrumental her family was in her journey. She highlighted that her longtime boyfriend, David Rembert, and her three children were her “number one” support system.
“My kids, they know that I love music and they love music just as much as I do,” she shared. “In their mind, we’re going to go off and get this big ol’ castle and live happily ever after. They’re super supportive. They want to be rich!”
She credited her partner, who “supported me through this whole thing”, for providing unwavering support throughout her journey.
“It means the world to me because you don’t find that in a partner too often. It’s somebody who supports what you do, especially what I do, because it’s a lot of travel, a lot of me being gone, a lot of not talking every day, but he still supports me, and I love that.”
Before The Voice season 29 finale, David shared a heartfelt message on Instagram to support his partner. “Win or Lose bae, I’m so proud of you,” he wrote. “Your passion for this and loyalty has brought you to this point, and not just to this point you going farther than this…I love you, bae, and the whole city behind you.”
Jayy’s performance of Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” led to a three-chair turn during The Voice premiere. She chose Adam Levine as her coach because of her elder son.
“I went in not really knowing what I was going to do, and my son sealed the deal,” Jayy told Swoon. “We listen to Maroon 5 all the time and to know that he loves Adam just as much as I did, and Adam got up there and said what he said … I was convinced. My son said what he said, and I was like, ‘OK, well that’s it, that’s the one.’ The kids know!”
Hinting at her plans, Jayy said, “I’m going to keep getting on those big stages, keep working because this is only the beginning.”
After winning The Voice, Jayy sang her song “Rent Free” on the Today Show. She plans to continue appearing on many significant stages like this one.
