A local singer has made waves over the last few weeks as the community tuned in each week to watch his performances on NBC’s “The Voice.”

Unfortunately, Eli Ward’s time on the show has come to an end, and while his time on one of the most popular reality TV shows was relatively short-lived, he spoke quite positively about his experience and what he’s gained now that it’s over.

As previously reported, Ward is a Waterloo resident who credits his family with sparking an early musical interest.

Though he previously had little experience with live performances and gigs, he found himself trying out for “The Voice” in January after playing guitar for a friend’s audition.

Ward would later find himself on stage for his blind audition – he noted that his was on the fifth day of auditions – with many in the community eagerly waiting to see which coach would ask him to be on their team.

When it came time for his audition, it was two judges who turned their chairs for Ward: Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani.

Ward explained he ultimately chose Stefani for a number of reasons. For one, she seemed to be sympathetic and understanding of his nerves which became evident as his performance hit a slight hitch when the first celebrity judge turned her chair.

He also said Stefani seemed to better understand his style, and Ward felt he would be able to stand out and compete better among his peers on her team rather than the strong country contestants with McEntire.

Having already spent quite some time with his fellow contestants – getting to know them prior to his blind audition – Ward was well aware of the exceptional talent from every contestant.

“I knew that there were a lot of country people on Reba’s team that I definitely did not have a chance at beating, and I knew there were some people on Gwen’s that didn’t sound like me,” Ward said. “I think I was very unique on Team Gwen, so I figured logically it was definitely a better shot to go with Gwen. But I also thought that she kind of knew where my performance came from.”

Ward also gave a good idea of what the day-to-day process was like for him in California.

He commended the TV show for being incredibly well-organized, with each contestant having an individualized schedule.

“You could have a day where you have interviews, you have to meet with a stylist, you have to figure out your wardrobe, but at the same time you have to work with your coach, and then you also have other vocal coaches,” Ward said. “There’s so many people being put in place to help you. And when you don’t have anything, you’re in a hotel with those other 86 people, and it’s incredible. There’s so many super talented musicians. Either on the schedule or off the schedule, you’re doing something music.”

Ward grew quite fond of his peers on “The Voice” and spoke highly of them in general. He previously described how he felt under-prepared for the show upon hearing other contestants sing, though being surrounded by such talent and skill, he said, greatly helped him develop his own singing abilities.

He spoke especially fondly of Jason Arcilla, another member of Team Stefani who competed against Ward in the battle round that ultimately sent the Waterloo native home.

One of the few issues Ward said he ran into on the show was his lack of familiarity with in-floor monitors – speakers installed in the stage which allow the performer to hear their own voice above the crowd.

The very slight delay, Ward said, managed to throw him off his first few performances, and Arcilla was willing to try and help him get more used to hearing his own voice amid a performance.

“He actually has a producer in Los Angeles that he drove to and picked up a speaker and brought it to the hotel so that we could practice with in-floor monitors, which just honestly goes to show more of Jason’s character, because even in a battle where only one of us is gonna get through, he was doing everything he could to help me,” Ward said.

Ward emphasized his development over the course of his time on the show, both his growing familiarity with live performances as well as the overall improvement in his singing voice.

“I have never grown more, especially in a three-month span, than being in Los Angeles,” Ward said. “Vocally, I definitely improved 10-fold. I wasn’t really a vocalist before that. I’ve always sang, I’ve always loved to sing, but these last couple years before ‘The Voice,’ I hadn’t really sang at all.”

Now out of L.A., Ward has been keeping busy, though he’s still deciding his future plans.

He’s already worked a number of gigs, getting at least one performance in Nashville thanks to the connections he was able to make while on the show.

Having stepped away from his education at the University of Iowa to participate in the TV show, Ward is currently debating whether to finish his education online while in Nashville or stay at the school and finish his final semester – though he’s generally interested in focusing on music and seeing where his art can take him.

Ward offered some words of advice for those looking to try out for something like “The Voice” as well as other artists simply looking to pursue a creative passion.

“I think the biggest thing is just don’t wait until tomorrow,” Ward said. “Every single day, there’s gonna be things that make you delay or put something off, but if you can just get after something and really go do it and be confident about it, you’d be shocked at what you’re able to do.”