Javier Colon achieves success with a new album after winning talent show’s first season.

Five years ago, when he was a struggling musician living from hand to mouth, Javier Colon wrote a song for his wife which never saw the light of day.

So, it is appropriate that when he made a breakthrough, the title of his new debut album on a major label is called Come Through For You, in homage to the woman who stuck by him through tough times.

Winning the inaugural season of American television show The Voice last year has reignited Colon’s career, along with bagging him a cash prize of US$100,000 (RM300,550) and a record deal with Universal Republic.

The 33-year-old musician says: “The show was everything. Without it, I would not have had a second chance, I would not have a resurgence, I would not have this opportunity.”

He had been on the brink of giving up his dream of becoming a successful artiste to find a job that would pay the bills and support his wife and two young daughters.

“Right before the auditions for the show, it was one of the lowest points for me, the future was not looking so good,” says Colon, whose three previous releases – Javier (2003), Left Of Center (2006) and The Truth-Acoustic-EP (2010) – never attained mainstream success.

On The Voice, he was one of the few gems. All four of the show’s judges and mentors – Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton – vied for the chance to work with him. He eventually picked Levine, frontman of pop-rock band Maroon 5, as his coach.

After the competition, he put out his major label debut, Come Through For You, which he says is inspired by the tough times trying to make it big and a tribute to his wife Maureen.

“Come Through For You is based on a song that I wrote for my wife five years ago, when times were tough and I didn’t know how this music thing was going to turn out. I was asking her to hang on there because hopefully, one day, I would come through for her and this album is what I meant by that,” he says.

The album – a mix of his stripped-down acoustic side that viewers got to see on The Voice and pop and R&B – features collaborations with artistes such as Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield.

Some critics have said the album lacks sincerity and sounds too much like “packaged pop”, but Colon takes the negativity in his stride.

He says: “People have different tastes. The album is a good mixture of pop, rock and R&B ... there are distinct flavours. I know you can’t please everybody but I do feel that viewers of the show will get some of the acoustic elements that they saw.”

With a modicum of success and a busy touring schedule to promote his new album comes the usual work-life conundrum many working fathers face.

He says: “It’s definitely hard on the family at times, when I want to see my daughters and wife and I have to work. It’s something they are aware of and if I can, I try to take them along with me on tour.”

At least he is living out his dream of being a musician without having to worry about putting food on the table for his family.

“I know I want to be around for a long time, I want to have a long career and I want to be remembered for my songs and for my vocal ability.” – The Straits Times Singapore/Asia News Network

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