5 Things You Should Know About Todd Tilghman, The Mississippi Pastor Who Just Won 'The Voice'
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5 Things You Should Know About Todd Tilghman, The Mississippi Pastor Who Just Won 'The Voice'
Even before he was crowned the champion on The Voice's highly-anticipated Season 18 finale on Tuesday night, Todd Tilghman was favored to win by critics and fans alike. Ever since his 4-chair turn stunned the judges during the Blind Auditions, Todd has been a standout with his memorable performances and undeniable sense of humor behind the scenes. He received stellar feedback from stars like James Taylor (this season's Mega Mentor) and Bebe Rexha, and impressed all four coaches throughout the season with his powerful renditions of songs like "I Can Only Imagine" and "Glory of Love."
Despite the fact that he ended up on the show's winningest team, Team Blake, Todd's win was nothing short of extraordinary. Just because fans may have had a feeling about his star power doesn't mean he's not an unexpected choice for the longtime reality singing competition. There's a lot to this brand new star that may surprise you. Here's what to know about the latest winner of The Voice:
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1) He's a pastor from Mississippi with barely any performing experience.
Since 2011, Todd has been the lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in his home town of Meridian, Mississippi, where he grew up. While Todd has sung in church in the past, he revealed on The Voice that he's never really performed professionally before making his debut on the show.
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2) He's married to his high school sweetheart.
Todd has been married to his high school sweetheart, Brooke, for 21 years.
Brooke recently opened up about their love story in a sweet Instagram post, writing, “And to think this all started because we were young and just stupid enough to believe we were meant to be together. 🤗We chose not to listen to most of the more logical folks 😉and go after some of the wildest things and guess what....they ALL came true.”
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3) He's the father of eight children.
After having three children together, Todd and his wife decided they wanted to expand their family by adopting. With support from friends and the community, the couple adopted a daughter from Seoul, South Korea. Less than a year later, they adopted their daughter's sister as well. Todd and Brooke went on to have three more children together, bringing the Tilghmans to a whopping total of 10 family members.
Todd shared some loving words about his family in a recent Instagram post, saying, "These are the ones. These are the people I fight for, and they’re the ones I’d do anything to protect. These relationships are the ones I will defend against any threat, and at any personal cost. This family is my muse, and my motivation. The best is ahead. #family #love."
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4) His son appeared on the NBC show 'Making It.'
The Tilghmans are no strangers to reality TV! Todd’s eldest child, Eagan, appeared on season 2 of NBC's Making It, where he impressed judges and fans with his set design skills. Todd said he and his wife noticed from a very early age that Eagan was
"gifted artistically and creatively, and that he was unique." - 6/6
5) Todd is the oldest contestant to ever win 'The Voice.'
Young talent tends to thrive on The Voice, but that didn't stop fans from voting Todd their Season 18 champion. At age 42, Todd made history with his victory, becoming the oldest contestant to ever win The Voice.
Todd's path to stardom is so unique!
