The Caribbean Tweets for NBC’s The Voice Contestant Tessanne Chin · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Music and the Caribbean are practically synonymous, what with annual Carnival celebrations, dibs on the only surviving new musical instrument to be invented in the 20th century and giving the world some of the greatest musicians it has ever seen. No surprise then, that regional netizens have been faithfully tuning in to NBC's The Voice to support one of their own – vocal powerhouse Tessanne Chin, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, has toured with reggae legend Jimmy Cliff and according to her coach Adam Levine, “could easily win” the Season 5 competition.
This past Monday night was the first of the live shows – and it was a special one for Chin, who put her own spin on the iconic Jimmy Cliff song, Many Rivers to Cross.
The day before she took the stage, netizens were anticipating that she would bring down the house:
@Tessanne @adamlevine Well I hope dem have carpenter/ electrician pan standby cause Tes ago mash up di stage, dung di place.
— yaniefreck (@Yaniefreck) November 4, 2013
Chin, the last performer of the night, received a standing ovation from both her coach and the live audience; Twitter was also on its feet:
I'm so torn between wanting @Tessanne or @katrowbeeshow to win #NBCTheVoice … Tessanne KILLLLED it tonight @NBCTheVoice
— Killer Queen (@KillerrQueenn) November 5, 2013
After her performance, Chin tweeted a message of thanks to Jimmy Cliff:
@THEJIMMYCLIFF Sir Cliff I hope I made you proud !!!Thank you for giving me the honor to be able to learn from one of the best :)All my love
— Tessanne Chin (@Tessanne) November 5, 2013
Congratulatory messages were coming in from all over the Caribbean:
@Tessanne U R Amazing just wanted to say that….. U r an inspiration to many – Love From #StVincent #TheVoice
— Colin Hitman Graham (@HitmanGraham) November 5, 2013
Some Twitter users were moved by the choice of song:
@Tessanne u r so humble and awesome to close out the show with such a motional song #thevoice
— Huyen nguyen (@HuyenJet2003) November 5, 2013
Tessanne chin just completely distroyed the chains of slavery with that performance…my vote is in..Proud a u trust mi….PROUD
— keisha Quest (@niksky29) November 5, 2013
@OnstageTV @Tessanne that performance was an anthem for everyday people. A true heartfelt vocal with the ability to move you emotionally.
— Love Unlimited (@LoveUnlimited0) November 5, 2013
@Tessanne Tessanne Chin #LoveThatSong #SoManyRiversToCross and I do believe you crossed them all with your version of the #JimmyCliff song.
— Sydney Senhouse (@SenhouseDesigns) November 5, 2013
Others were already sold on Chin as a performer in her own right…
@Tessanne I'm ready to buy your album girl! @adamlevine @NBCTheVoice #VoiceTop20
— marlene_EOL (@marlene_EOL) November 5, 2013
…and many have been longtime fans:
Every week @Tessanne performs on #TheVoice and I'm so proud! I remember when she was luvin'up on @Kestheband in the “Loving You” video!
— BattyMamzelle (@BattyMamzelle) November 5, 2013
@Tessanne Always will be a huge fan of yours ever since your Blind Audition! Blew me away :) #yougotthis
— Felisha Lujan (@_TfKaay_) November 5, 2013
But support for Tessanne was understandably the most vocal from her homeland:
I bet you somewhere in Jamaica somebody said “Beg yuh ah call pon yuh phone nuh suh mi caan vote fi @Tessanne !” #TeamTessanne #TheVoice
— Jr. Nembhard (@JrNembhard) November 5, 2013
@Tessanne giiiirl…u badd! So deserve to win! U never disappoint. :*
— Ashleigh Elizabeth (@sassipinki) November 5, 2013
Naturally, many netizens were reminding people to do their part to help her win by voting for #TeamTessanne:
Can’t wait to hear @Tessanne on #TheVoice tonight. When it comes to #JamaicanMusic, she’s doing us proud! Rember to vote! #TeamTessane
— Mr Boombastic (@DiRealShaggy) November 4, 2013
By the next day, US mainstream media were also praising her performance:
Tessanne Chin Steals the show – according to People Magazine! #theVoice #TeamTessanne #Jamaica http://t.co/91GLRZdO6W
— Creative Industries (@jamprocreative) November 5, 2013
Jamaica's media, however, were way ahead of the game, doing their part to help secure votes:
Amazing this Tessanne Chin frenzy in Jamdown…radio shows are co-ordinating voting drives for her!
— anniepaul (@anniepaul) November 5, 2013
The media were not the only ones; in Jamaica, musicians – and fans – were happy to support their own:
One of the BEST things associated with @Tessanne performance on @NBCTheVoice : how many OTHER Jamaican artists tweet their support. #UNITY
— Junior Rodigan (@JuniorRodigan) November 5, 2013
Nokia! Startak! iPhone! Samsung! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! For @Tessanne !!! 877-553-3710. If you're in Jamaica buy the single on itunes..it counts!
— Yendi Phillipps (@IAMYENDI) November 5, 2013
In the end, though, it was really all about a strong and moving performance:
Saving the Tess for last #TeamTessanne
— Wayne Marshall (@Wayne_Marshall) November 5, 2013