Interview: Broadway Alum Alisan Porter Talks Winning Season 10 of THE VOICE

Last week, Alisan Porter was crowned champion of NBC's Emmy Award-winning musical competition THE VOICE, earning the grand prize of a recording contract and being named as THE VOICE for season 10.

Porter is perhaps best known to movie fans as 'Curly Sue' the child star of the 1991 John Hughes romantic comedy-drama starring Jim Belushi and Kelly Lynch. Since that time, Porter appeared as Bebe Bensonheimer in the 2006 Broadway revival of A CHORUS LINE.

She also starred as Miriam in the smash The Ten Commandments: The Musical at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles alongside Val Kilmer and Adam Lambert and appeared as Urleen in the musical FOOTLOOSE. Her other film credits include "Parenthood " starring Steve Martin.

Today, Porter speaks exclusively to BWW about her experience on the NBC singing competition and shares what's on the horizon now that she is THE VOICE's newest champion!

Congratulations Alisan! What made you decide to audition for THE VOICE initially?

It was a total fluke! For some reason people had been coming out of the woodwork saying I should audition. Then one night at a gig my friend randomly said "btw, I gave your number to THE VOICE people!" I was like WHAT!? And the rest is history.

Can you describe those final moments before it was announced that you had been chosen as THE VOICE champion?

Uhhhh, torture! And so much anticipation! I really didn't think I was going to win. Seriously. I was prepared to walk off and be okay with making it as far as I did.

Your coach Christina Aguilera became the first female coach to win the show. Did that make the victory even more special?

It was so special to both of us! We had created such an amazing bond so to win it together meant way more than winning it any other way.

What was it like to work with Christina?

She was by my side every step of the way. Anything I needed or wanted she was there to make sure it happened. Especially when I wanted to sing 'Desperado' she made one phone call and boom I was able to sing it.

I understand you are close friends with Adam Lambert. What advice did he have for you throughout the competition?

He kept telling me to pull my hair off of my face more - he's my Jewish mother! As if I didn't have enough of those! He's incredible and was always there for me for whatever I needed.

Do you think your Broadway experience helped you with the live TV performances?

Absolutely, Broadway is such an amazing teacher for live performance! More than anything it teaches stamina and you definitely need that if you want to be on The Voice.

One of your most moving performances was last Monday's night's 'Somewhere' from West Side Story. Why did you decide to select a song that was perhaps unfamiliar to fans of THE VOICE at such a critical stage of the competition?

I got a God Shot about that song. It just came to me and I knew that was the last impression I wanted to leave the show with. Win or lose.

You write original music as well. Where does your inspiration come from?

I write from experiences or people who have influenced me. And sometimes just melody. I think telling stories is the most important thing to do through music. I can't wait to get in the studio and see what we create.

What's ahead for you now? Do you think that a return to Broadway may be in your future?

For sure the focus at the moment will be music but I would never say never to Broadway!

Below, watch Alisan Porter's performance of 'Somewhere' on THE VOICE Season Finale:

Photo credit: Trae Patton/Tyler Golden/NBC