'American Song Contest': Who is Josh Panda? Vermont singer thought invite from NBC was 'spam'
It's somewhat of a dream come true for Vermont's Josh Panda who will switch to rockstar mode during Week 5 of NBC's hit reality show, 'American Song Contest'. The man from Burlington took a step back from music to focus on family, but the passion and the skill paid off as he now preps for a shot at greatness by wowing the country with his four-octave vocal range.
Last week, Allen Stone from Washington made the semifinals for his 'A Bit of Both'. The contestants for Week 5 include — Tenelle (American Samoa), Sweet Taboo (California), Jason J (Guam), Andrew Sheppard (Idaho), Justin Jesso (Illinois), Sisqo (Maryland), HALIE (Missouri), Khalisol (New Mexico), John Morgan (North Carolina), and Ada LeAnn (Michigan).
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Who is Josh Panda?
It wasn't until he figured out that the producers from NBC were keen to have him perform that he got a lot more serious. Josh Panda from Vermont was as amused as he could be when he thought the mail was spam. “I was like, ‘Is this spam?’” Panda told the Burlington Free Press. He soon submitted his biography, his songs, and videos of his performances when he knew he was actually going to be on the show. He grew up on gospel music in North Carolina before switching to jam rock and also settling in Burlington.
His bio on the NBC official site reads, "Josh Panda is known for his passionate stage performances, booming four-octave vocal range and for playing in a wide range of musical styles, including pop, Americana, country, soul, blues, disco, and rock. Josh has released four albums, three studios and one live, and has toured throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Josh is thrilled to represent Vermont as he feels its people have always embraced him as he is, and he is proud to call the state home."
Panda is known for his booming voice and the outlet says he is headed in the same directions as Vermont imminents Grace Potter and Anais Mitchell. Over the years, he built a small, but loyal fanbase that he now hopes will become a rather large one after his performance on the show. "It’s the perfect time in my life. I’ve gained a lot of maturity,” said Panda, who’s 36 and a father of two. "Being a dad, gives you so much perspective, so much empathy, presence. I’m just so much more grounded." On the show, he just expects to be himself. “I just have to remember to be myself. I got there because of who I am.”
'American Song Contest' airs on Monday, at 8/7c on NBC. You can vote for your favorite performances on the NBC website, the NBC app, and TikTok. You can also stream your favorite artists' songs on your preferred music streaming app.