‘The Voice’: Pharrell’s Shocking Advice For Sawyer Fredericks — ‘Go Back Home’ To The Farm

Sawyer Fredericks gave Pharrell his first win as a coach on ‘The Voice’ on May 19, but what’s next?! The veteran singer told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY why he thinks Sawyer should head home to his small town, rather than stay in L.A., now that the show’s over. Wait, what?! Here’s why!

Step down, Blake Shelton — there’s a new champion in town! On The Voice‘s May 19 finale, Pharrell took the title from the four-time winner, thanks to his 16-year-old protege, Sawyer Fredericks. HollywoodLife.com caught up with Pharrell after the show and got the scoop on Sawyer’s future, the advice he’s given him and SO much more!

Pharrell’s Advice For Sawyer Fredericks After ‘The Voice’ — Head Home To The Farm

When the show started, Sawyer was just a small town teenager, living on a farm in Upstate New York, and Pharrell told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that he doesn’t want the singer to lose that now that he’s achieved something so big.

Read our full Q&A to find out why Pharrell thinks Sawyer should head back to the farm…and so much more!

Q: What is the advice for Sawyer now that he’s won?

You know, you have to think about the farm and the family that provided the incredible conditions that made the story so Sawyer! That’s great, man! You gotta go back home. It’s about family, and this is a family show.

Q: Will you work with him?

He’s going to be recording music, for sure, and I’ll be right there!

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Q: You were basically Sawyer’s age when you started your career. What do you see in him that reminds you of you during that time? Will you work with him on this album?

I’m totally going to support him on his album. When I was 16, I did not sound like that. He is an anomaly. He is something else!

Q: What was the most rewarding thing about being a coach this season?

Just watching these guys becoming themselves and being cool with wherever it landed. That was definitely the main thing that is super rewarding to me — to have him find out who he really is. You know, the farmer’s demographic…today was their day because they have somebody that really represents them! I mean, you can’t make this up. It’s real — he’s the real thing!

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Q: How does it feel to finally beat Blake?

I don’t know if it’s about beating Blake, necessarily, for me! In a nutshell, you have to think about who this guy [Sawyer] is, where he comes from, and what he represents and what he’s staying true to the entire time. The whole thing is just him saying, ‘This is what I want to do. These are the songs that I like and it never interfered.’ And I was just able to sit back and watch him do his thing and be himself. It was a pleasure to me not to change him because he’s incredible.

Q: What have you learned about dealing with the press and getting asked personal questions that you can share with Sawyer?

Don’t read the comments.

Q: What did you learn from Sawyer this season that you didn’t expect?

Stick to your guns. Be who you are and don’t change for anybody, because right when you think there is one thing that allows you to make it, or you have to be there and sing this kind of way or you sing a kind of song or dress a certain way, or you need to talk a kind of way, here’s a guy that possesses the ability to tap into something we all know that is bigger than all of us. And he’s humble! And he is proud to be a farmhand, and he’s named all of his animals. Straight up, it’s amazing, the life that he would not trade for anything. And he is the one that won and he got a car, and he loves Ray Lonantagne, and he gets to sing a medley with John Fogerty. It’s crazy!

Q: What did you tell Sawyer before the show?

We didn’t talk much before the show, but I told him to really dig deep when he gets nervous because it gets better. Because anytime you watch him in any re-runs or on YouTube, what you will notice, is that every time you get him louder is when he gets a little nervous and it’s amazing and it’s flawless and I’ve never seen anything like it. When I get nervous, it’s terrible. For him, it just sounds better! He’s more confident. I’ve never seen anything like that before. Has anyone? And he won, right?!

Sawyer Fredericks’ Plans For Winning ‘The Voice’ — Will He Leave The Farm For L.A.?

Q: Will you be coming back next season, or taking a break?

I love the show. To be honest with you, I don’t know if there’s another show that gets you this amount of diversity. I mean, Sawyer was 15 when he came onto the show, and he sang with John Fogerty tonight! Show me another show that does that, and finds value in all that! Show me another show that does that! I love this place. We get to do all kinds of things. We’re doing things very unconventional, and they allow the artists and the coaches to be coaches. It’s like this growing thing that I can’t do unless I’m involved. I love it here!

HollywoodLifers, do you think Pharrell has good advice for Sawyer?!

— Alyssa Norwin