With McHenry County ties, 'The Voice' singer Keith Semple reflects on success so far

Whether the ultimate “Voice” or not, Keith Semple is a voice McHenry County knows well.

Heading up his band, Semple, which has performed throughout the Chicago area for the past year, he’s also known for his days fronting 7th Heaven. As 7th Heaven’s lead singer for six years beginning in 2006, Semple performed more than 200 shows a year, including many at McHenry County festivals and venues.

He sang and contributed as a writer to 7th Heaven’s hits “Better This Way” in 2011 and “Sing” in 2012, both of which charted nationally on Billboard.

And so area fans have followed NBC’s “The Voice” closely this season, as Semple advanced from a two-chair turn-around in the blind auditions to Adam Levine’s team to Monday night’s live show as a Top 20 finalist.

Forming “Team Keith Semple” on Facebook, fans have campaigned for votes and iTunes purchases of Semple’s “To Be With You” – originally released by Mr. Big in 1991. Semple performed the rock hit Monday night in the hopes to hear during Wednesday night’s live episode he’d gained enough votes to continue on in the competition.

In a phone interview from Los Angeles, days before the live shows and a more hectic schedule began this week, he talked about how much he appreciated his Chicago-area fans.

“You’ve all seen me perform pretty much at this point, whether it was at the Lake in the Hills fest, shows in McHenry… there’s been millions of places I’ve played,” said the 34-year-old. “I just hope you can get behind me.”

Gearing up for the live shows, he said, he looked forward to the faster pace, which didn’t give him time to “go mad thinking of what to do.” He intended to hone in on older rock hits from the ’80s that tend to show off his singing ability.

“It’s always going to be somewhat rock,” he said. “Anybody that’s seen me up around there, they know I sing everything from Justin Timberlake to AC/DC.”

Semple, who lives in Naperville with his wife, Lanette, and 2-year-old (“going on 15”) daughter, Rowan – the couple’s expecting a second daughter in February – has a bit of experience with singing competitions.

Originally from Northern Ireland – before 7th Heaven drew him to Chicago – Semple was a 2002 winner in the British reality television show, “Popstars: The Rivals,” and gained a spot in the boy band One True Voice created as a result of the competition. In 2010, he successfully auditioned in Chicago for the ninth season of “American Idol” and was given a golden ticket to advance in the competition, but was told after the broadcast he couldn’t continue on the show because his green card wasn’t finalized.

“Each one has been this massive springboard,” he said of his various television show experiences. “Being on the biggest one of all time, which is this one, is probably going to be the biggest. … Even that tiny bit of time [on ‘American Idol’] helped my band at the time.”

That band – 7th Heaven, which he left in 2012 – and his current band, Semple, have been supporting him in his latest endeavor, he said.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen right now, so we’re trying to keep an open mind and see where it goes,” Semple said.

“Everybody that knows me already knows how much I love my band. My perfect scenario is I will get far enough in, whether winning it or doing well enough, to get a good record deal and I can bring my band with me and continue on with my band.”

Meanwhile, he’s befriended his roommate since March and fellow contestant, Viiktor Király, a Hungarian pop singer who won the Hungarian music competition, “Megasztár,” in 2008.

The two have bonded over their similarities, even having sang the same song on the final night of each of their separate singing competitions long ago.

“Me and him are like brothers at this point, and we’re also the only two foreigners at this point,” Semple said.

Though Semple sees Király, part of Team Gwen, as stiff competition, probably “the biggest threat,” he said they aren’t really competitive.

“We’re both a lot older than most of the contestants,” he said. “We’re a little bit cynical so we kind of get how the world really works. We understand we could go at any point. We’re just lucky we’ve made it this far. … [Király] is incredibly talented, and he deserves it because he’s worked very hard. If anybody other than me wins it, I hope it’s Viktor.”

The two have worked together on their songs, along with their coaches.

Going into the competition, Semple wanted to make either Adam or Pharell’s team.

“But I didn’t think about it much,” he said. “When I was actually in the moment, I didn’t care as long as I got a chair to turn. … I’ve been up against two people who had four-chair turns. I only had two, and I’m still in it. At the end of the day, it’s just a question of who’s given the best performance.”

A bit “on guard” on live camera, Semple said, “Working with Adam is the only time where I get to kind of be myself.

“I’m kind of a liberal guy and outgoing. I’ve been in bands my whole life so I say things I really shouldn’t. Whenever we’re off camera, I can be myself. I don’t have to worry about a swear word slipping out.”

Having supported his family with his singing career so far, Semple’s ultimate goal is to ensure their future.

“I don’t know what else I can do. There’s a difference between providing for your family and actually being a real success,” he said. “I watched Justin Timberlake at the CMAs [Country Music Association Awards]. That’s the sort of level I’d like to reach. I know I can do it. It’s just a question of whether all the things align to get me there.”