Jamaican Songstress Tessanne Chin Wins “The Voice”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The finals of Season 5 of NBC's The Voice are in progress – and Caribbean netizens are already glued to their television sets, smart phones close at hand, waiting to see if Jamaican vocal powerhouse #Tessanne Chin will win.  In the final face off on Monday night, social media users were practically live (micro)blogging the show, commenting on everything from song delivery to the stage presence of the three contenders.
Jamaica has naturally been supportive of Tessanne from the outset of the competition; with her constant progression to the finals, the country – like the rest of the regional blogosphere – is in the grip of Tessanne fever:
Night time in Kingston watching #tessannechin on #TheVoice. I can understand now why the whole of #jamaica is rooting for #tessannetowin
— Fiona Anderson (@fionaatweets) December 11, 2013
Her tribute to Whitney Houston on Monday night with a perfect rendition of I Have Nothing marked her attempt “to go out with a bang” – by the next morning, her version of the song was Number 1 on the iTunes singles chart.
Tonight, Tessanne sang a duet with Celine Dion, one of her idols, and Twitter has been going crazy in anticipation of the Jamaican singer's victory…
#thevoice #tessannechin #teamtess #jamaica #jamaican #celinedeon. Tessanne and Celine Deon. Boom.… http://t.co/VrCA9nc38c
— fyah_d (@dameonb1) December 18, 2013
Whoa! Go, @Tessanne! Holding your own with Celine Dion!!! #TeamTessanne
— Kellie Magnus (@kelliemagnus) December 18, 2013
but y'all watching #TheVoice rightnow ?! #TessanneChin just killed it . #jamaica is turnt rightnow
— Kodyann (@kodiikinz_x3) December 18, 2013
Sending good vibes to #TheVoice #TessanneChin What an amazing talent. #Jamaica in the house. Good luck tonight #Tessane.
— VACA (@VACAORG) December 18, 2013
The voice season finale tonight I'm so excited for Tessane I hope she wins #TheVoice #TessanneChin #Jamaica
— Karry F (@iSassy_Karetha) December 18, 2013
wow I jus realize tht #Jamaica has the #fastestman , the #fastestwoman an last but not least #TheVoice best ever performer #TessanneChin
— Venessa Baker (@fluffyvb) December 18, 2013
When tessane win Jamaica Is going to be one big parade. #jamaica #TheVoice #TheVoiceFinale #TessanneChin
— Shinelle (@S_dior) December 18, 2013
Tessanne herself stayed humble and gracious, tweeting just minutes after her performance with Dion:
Absolutely speechless Miss @celinedion thank you for making my dream Come true :) you are even more amazing in person!!! It was an honour:)
— Tessanne Chin (@Tessanne) December 18, 2013
Her natural affability has captivated netizens across the region:
.@Tessanne I love your spirt, your vibe and your humility. <3 #TeamTessanne #TeamAdam @adamlevine
— Robyn (@radrc) December 18, 2013
Many twitter users – including Jimmy Cliff, the internationally lauded Jamaican singer with whom Tessanne honed her skills as his backup singer, reminded #TeamTessanne fans to vote for her:
Please vote for Tessanne Chin! She can get it if you really want! #jamaica #TessanneChin #thevoice #finishline http://t.co/Ny7zxOLUZF
— Jimmy Cliff (@THEJIMMYCLIFF) December 17, 2013
Tamo-J lamented that it took a contest like The Voice to make Jamaicans appreciate their own:
Congrats @Tessanne, but I just wish it didn't take this for Jamaica(ns) to recognize their own talent! #Jamaica #TessanneChin #TheVoice
— Tamo-J (@OfficialTamoJ) December 17, 2013
Even Jamaican politicians were getting in on the action:
Tonight is your night @Tessanne. You are my winner and Jamaica's winner. You've made us all proud. #TeamTessanne AH
— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) December 18, 2013
The online discussion soon got to the point where several Twitter users announced that #TeamTessanne was trending:
#TeamTessanne IS TRENDING #1 WORLDWIDE !! WE DID IT!!!!Follow I am a Jamaican https://t.co/Hixh8aKS9Q http://t.co/JlblS1uxAV
— I AM A JAMAICAN (@IamaJamaican) December 18, 2013
TESSANNE IS NUMBER 1 TRENDING TOPIC #POW #TeamTessanne
— ♛Dj Duff♛ (@Venom_Unit) December 18, 2013
Another Caribbean-born talent who won the hearts and votes of US and Caribbean viewers by winning the last season of Project Runway, Anya Ayoung-Chee, tweeted:
I'm dying that I'm in LA and can't see @Tessanne win live!!!! #TeamTessanne you have won already in all our hearts! Simply AMAZING!!!
— Anya Ayoung-Chee (@AnyadeRogue) December 18, 2013
@outlishmagazine added:
Is anyone in the Caribbean not backing #TeamTessanne?
— Outlish.com (Karel) (@outlishmagazine) December 18, 2013
As the moment for the announcement of the winner drew closer, the tweets became more anticipatory – and humourous:
RT @thecocomag: On the edge of our seats! #TheVoice #TeamTessanne #TeamAdam #TessanneChin #Jamaica #Caribbean #TheCOCOMAG
— Renee Melissa (@COCOLadyNay) December 18, 2013
JA we have this!!!! #TheVoice #Jamaica #TessanneChin
— ♕ CℂℙP ♕ ♥ (@CarlaPolishh) December 18, 2013
Portia a raise tax tomorrow if tessanne lose #TeamTessanne #theVoices
— Trill Nigga Tyrese™ (@Chroniq_DT) December 18, 2013
Some netizens were getting impatient:
RFT "@ShaaDeaanie_: Can they just announce the damn winner already #TeamTessanne #TheVoiceFinale"
— Real Yawdie (@Kisharia_Ja) December 18, 2013
Way too much fluff. Release #TeamTessanne
— Jason McKenzie (@macobee) December 18, 2013
Others – including Tessanne's husband Michael Cuffie – were sidetracked by the car giveaway segment and Tessanne's comment about Jamaica's bad roads:
No… Tessanne never jus loud up we road dem pon international TV lol I love it #TeamTessanne
— Michael A Cuffe (@CuffeStuff) December 18, 2013
Tess just ago mek the world know bout we moon crater pothole #TheVoice #TeamTessanne
— Reneé Johnson (@RenzJ_) December 18, 2013
If dat "we have the worst roads" comment nuh mek dem shame and fix de road dem well I doan know what will #TeamTessanne
— Badshah (@mhowian1972) December 18, 2013
Tessanne won the car and I'm sure she thought "how di hell me gonna clear dat ah wharf inna Jamaica" #teamtessanne
— Garfene Grandison (@GARFENE) December 18, 2013
The energy on Twitter was palpable; Jamaican netizens were itching to celebrate:
Twitter tun right up man #TeamTessanne
— Shellz (@Sheldon2121) December 18, 2013
I hope everyone at half way tree hav dem dutchie ready #TeamTessanne
— Alisa Brooks (@leeyen007) December 18, 2013
Just say tessanne and start d party. #TEAMTESSANNE
— Junior the GREAT!!! (@dukeofhellshire) December 18, 2013
Some felt though, that win, lose or draw, Tessanne was already on another level:
All wa gwan tessane is already a winner!! Her career nuh normal again! #TeamTessanne
— I Am Jordan (@Dalyricist21) December 18, 2013
After Tessanne and her team sang Hold On, I'm Comin’, the comments kept coming:
And Tessanne also had the best 'bring back' performance. Insaneeeee. #TeamTessanne
— Mar (@marjsams) December 18, 2013
Everybody betta hold on… Chinita Goodaz is coming, and she coming large #TeamTessanne #TEAMADAM @NBCTheVoice
— Destiny (@KENZIIREBEL) December 18, 2013
When the announcement of Tessanne's win finally came, mere minutes to 11 p.m. Jamaica time, Twitter exploded:
And the people have spoken! Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! Congrats @Tessanne, #TeamTessanne, we made it happen! Dreams come true!
— Judith Williams (@judith_williams) December 18, 2013
Lawd mi heart a run over wid pride….#ProudJamaican #TeamTessanne
— Samantha Waugh (@waughsam) December 18, 2013
Thank you for an early Christmas gift @Tessanne #TeamTessanne CONGRATS!!!
— D.J. Shaw (@TheMrImage) December 18, 2013
.@Tessanne, you are Jamaica's darling. You have displayed true talent, and you have made us ALL proud! #TeamTessanne #TeamJamaica
— Kevin-Sean Hamilton (@k_seanDjPowa) December 18, 2013
@Kevin2woKrayzee remarked that:
When you have an entire country behind you there is no way you can lose. #TeamTessanne
— Kevin2wokrayzee (@Kevin2woKrayzee) December 18, 2013
Trinidadian diaspora blogger Afrobella noted that it wasn't only Jamaica that supported Tessanne, it was the entire region:
Caribbean people! We do it big. Proud of Tessanne right now like I know her. And I know I'm not the only one feeling that way! #TeamTessanne
— afrobella (@afrobella) December 18, 2013
One Twitter user made the observation that Tessanne's cause drew more people than usual onto social media platforms:
Seeing some people I haven't seen on twitter for years lol #TeamTessanne
— KimmiSomm (@Cassy_Kimz) December 18, 2013
Another went back to Tessanne's coach Adam Levine's prediction when he first heard her sing at the show's blind auditions:
Congratulations Tessanne…like Adam said from the beginning "you can easily win the voice, there's not a doubt in my mind" #TeamTessanne
— Karen R (@kbdimples107) December 18, 2013
@WorldReggaeBlog quipped:
It's pandemonium around the world for @Tessanne #TeamTessanne #ChinWinsIt!
— ReggaeAroundtheWorld (@WorldReggaeBlog) December 18, 2013
The congratulatory tweets kept coming, but @tsahay summed up the feeling quite succinctly:
I am elated. So happy for @Tessanne @Tessanne_Chin. Proud of her and proud to be Jamaican. We small but we Tallowah! #TeamTessanne
— Tsahay (@tsahay) December 18, 2013