Secaucus' Sydney Millevoi Continues To Stun On NBC's 'The Voice'

SECAUCUS, NJ — A young woman who very well could become the next Kelly Clarkson or Whitney Houston is living right here in Secaucus.

Sydney "Syd" Millevoi, 23, continues to knock 'em dead as a contestant on "The Voice." The show is about halfway through its current season and Millevoi, who grew up in Secaucus and still lives here today, is a contestant on the team; she is coached by John Legend.

Millevoi has lived in Secaucus with her mother, siblings and grandparents since she was 10. Her mother, Gina Millevoi, is a trained classical opera singer, and Sydney says it's her mom who trained her and gave her the stunning, powerhouse voice she has today. (Hear her sing:

And at her 2024 graduation from New Jersey City University (NJCU), where she sang the "National Anthem" at the Red Bulls soccer arena. Her performance went viral: https://www.tiktok.com/@syd.millevoi/video/7370196838412078378.

"Growing up, we always had music playing in the house. Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keyes, and I would just mimic how they sounded," she said. "And I would sing 'The Little Mermaid' into my little pink microphone constantly. One day my mom said, OK I'm going to teach you. She started training me at a very young age in classical singing techniques and opera. Once you know how to sing opera, you can sing anything ... I would not be where I am today without my mom teaching me. I would say it's 50 percent technique and 50 percent admiring powerhouse vocalists."

Her mother is also the music supervisor for Jersey City public schools.

Sydney attended Secaucus public schools and she chose to go to High Tech High School because of its outstanding musical theater program. But she continued to play Secaucus High School sports. In 2019, her senior year, she was part of the girls' varsity soccer team that won the championship for the first time in Secaucus town history.

"I played varsity soccer for Secaucus High School and varsity volleyball," she said. "I grew up with the same group of girls since we were all 5. I love all those girls and I'm still friends with them today. They gave me a community that I really needed at that time. Growing up in Secaucus was a joy. It's a small town; everybody knows everybody."

Millevoi's family is very involved in town: Her grandmother is on the Secaucus Library Board, her uncle is a teacher at Huber Street Elementary and also the junior varsity boys' basketball coach at Secaucus High School. Her younger brother also coaches basketball.

"I know when I got past the Blind Auditions on 'The Voice,' everyone at the Rec Center was on their phones, texting me that they saw me," she said. "And everybody and their mother is calling my grandparents."

She said she is very appreciative to have the community support of Secaucus.

What's her dream for her life? What does Sydney's future hold?

"I write music (she particularly likes to write pop and R&B), so in my heart of hearts, I want to tour and do shows with my music. That would be my ideal path: To tour around the world and sing my songs."

Millevoi is currently studying for her master's degree in vocal performance at NJCU. And she's very busy playing the lead role of Bella in NJCU's spring musical production of “Jagged Little Pill," the Alanis Morrissette musical, now in its final weekend (March 28/29).

You can watch her compete this season every Monday night at 9 p.m. on "The Voice."

When she's not competing on national TV, you can find her hanging out at the Dunkin' Donuts in the center of town.

"I was just there yesterday," she said. "I'm there all the time. It's the best Dunkin' Donuts on the planet."

First article: More Photos Of Secaucus' Sydney Millevoi On 'The Voice' (March 10)