A year after appearing on The Voice, Max Cooper III is showing his hometown what’s next at Crossroads Music Fest

Singer-songwriter Max Cooper III has been playing piano nearly all his life—since he was three years old, to be exact. “Piano was my first love, my home base,” he says. “Every show I play, I rarely move away from the piano. It’s an extension of my voice.”

But when the artist, who is originally from Olathe, competed on season 28 of The Voice last fall, the experience pulled him out of his comfort zone. 

“I’ve always liked singing, but really, I wanted a way to get my lyrics out,” Cooper says. “After The Voice, I started to take my vocals more seriously.”

Cooper began his run on the TV show by captivating each judge, earning a four-chair turn with his cover of Mike Posner’s 2010 hit “Cooler Than Me.” Ultimately, under the mentorship of Michael Bublé, he advanced to the knockout round, the third stage of the competition. “It was a blast—one of the coolest, most unique experiences of my life,” Cooper says. “Being around amazing musicians and songwriters for months, it really helped me open up as a singer.” 

Now, nearly a year after the season first aired, Cooper is ready to show his hometown what he’s been working on since. On September 12, he’ll headline KKFI’s Crossroads Music Festival.

Performing alongside his quartet, which features bassist Justin Neely, guitarist Ross Galler and drummer Blue Noyes, the set will include tracks from Cooper’s debut EP The Overthinker, covers he performed on The Voice and some unreleased songs, too. But Cooper says even the familiar songs will offer listeners something new and unexpected, hinting at the fresh, jazz-inspired arrangements he’s been working on for the festival.

Cooper released The Overthinker just months before appearing on The Voice. The versatile project showcases the artist’s ability to move between intimate, stripped-back tracks and more heavily orchestrated numbers. On “Check the Time,” he pours his heart out with just his voice, the piano and sparse harmonies. “Sadie,” meanwhile, highlights the arranging skills he honed while earning a degree in music composition at KU.

And although Cooper may fit the broader category of singer-songwriter, his music doesn’t necessarily sound like what that label brings to mind. You won’t hear him accompany himself with simple, monotonous rhythms. His playing, which is largely informed by his love of jazz (especially pianist Art Tatum), is complex without being too busy—and undoubtedly funky. He says he’s more interested in writing and performing “things you wouldn’t normally hear in pop music.”

That sentiment shines through in his next chapter. Now, at Crossroads Music Fest, Cooper is ready to show his hometown how far he’s come since appearing on The Voice.

GO: Max Cooper III at Crossroads Music Festival. September 12. 4:15 pm. Lemonade Park.

Meme Maestro

Beyond his more heartfelt music, Cooper shows off his compositional skills on his popular Instagram account. With instrumental parodies like unexpected mashups, spooky reimaginings of pop songs and new takes on television theme songs, he’s amassed more than 300,000 followers and millions of views. Check it out for yourself at @mrpianoman. 

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