From The Valley to The Voice: Rigby Native Owen Uffens on his journey to the national spotlight
RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) - An 18-year-old from Rigby is getting a taste of the national spotlight after taking the stage on NBC’s The Voice. For Owen Uffens, stepping onto The Voice stage wasn't just another performance: It was a moment he had dreamed about long before he ever knew it could become a reality.
Owen Uffens, currently a freshman at BYU-Idaho, grew up watching the singing competition with his family in his Rigby living room —and says being on the show was once something he could only imagine.
During an interview with Local News 8, Uffens recalled dreaming about performing on The Voice long before he ever stepped onto the stage.
“When I was little, I would dream of myself on stage all the time,” Uffens said. “I distinctly remember I woke up; I was in the middle of the stage… it was The Voice.”
The dream became a reality when Uffens stepped onto the Blind Auditions stage in front of one of America's most-watched primetime shows. Connected to the show's producers through local SOS group leader and The Voice alum Ali Wilde, Uffens began initial rounds of auditions earlier this year. It wasn't until later this spring that Uffens got the call that he'd miss his high school graduation for a chance to sing on one of TV's biggest stages.
During his Blind Audition, Uffens chose to perform Harry Nilsson's 1969 acoustic hit “Everybody’s Talkin’” — a song he says he chose because he had recently fallen in love with it and wanted to step outside his comfort zone.
That step beyond his comfort zone quickly led him to two of The Voice's most iconic coaches: Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson. Both music industry megastars were hooked on the young Rigby singer's smooth vocals, and turned their chairs before Uffens even made it to the song's first chorus.
Uffens ultimately chose Levine as his competition coach.
For Uffens, seeing Levine turn his chair first was especially meaningful and full-circle for the Rigby native who recalls the pop singer being a constant North Star on the competition show.
“I don’t remember a whole lot [during my performance],” Uffens said, describing how nervous he was. “But then… when I did see him… instant relief. One of my favorite people ever is recognizing my talents.”
But while the national spotlight may be new, Uffens says he's still figuring out exactly what kind of artist he wants to become.
He isn't limiting himself to one genre. Instead, he wants to explore different sounds and prove he can grow into a versatile artist.
“I’m a really nervous performer,” Uffens vulnerably said. “I’m not a very flamboyant performer… something I hope to work on during the competition.”
Despite those nerves, Uffens says his experience on The Voice has been more welcoming than he expected — and it's given him deep friendships and memories he expects to carry with him long after the competition.
Back home, his Eastern Idaho community has been following along, too.
Uffens says he's received messages from businesses and people throughout Rigby congratulating him and telling him, “Way to represent.”
“It’s awesome to be kind of like a hometown hero,” he said. “There’s been a lot of community response I'm so thankful for.”
That support has even reached local schools and libraries. Uffens says librarians at The Rigby Library have created an “Owen Uffens” section — something he calls truly heartwarming.
Ultimately, for Uffens, as someone who grew up dreaming about performing and The Voice Stage, it's a full-circle moment.
And while Uffens is a freshman studying marketing at BYU-Idaho, his music-making and career-building are just getting started. He says learning how to market himself could eventually help him turn his music into a business.
As for what comes next on The Voice, Uffens can't quite give away what happens in the Battles.
But he can say he's nervous—and even more excited.
And whatever happens next, he says he doesn't want to put a ceiling on his dreams.
Uffens imagines a future that could involve traveling the country, making music on the road, and having the creative freedom to build a career on his own terms.
His advice to other young people in Rigby and across eastern Idaho is rooted in the same kind of dreaming that once put him on The Voice stage in the first place.
“If you have a dream, dude… that’s what keeps me going,” Uffens reflected. “Life’s really boring if you just don’t have aspirations or crazy big dreams.”
His overall message of encouragement?
Dream bigger.
“The bigger the dream, the bigger the possibility that something could happen,” he said. “Don’t keep those aspirations and dreams small.”
For 18-year-old Uffens, one of those once-impossible dreams has already become reality.
And now, eastern Idaho is watching to see where that dream takes him next.
You can catch Uffens' journey on the 30th season of The Voice every Monday night at 6 PM MST on NBC or streaming on Peacock.
