The Voice 2012 contestant Jamar Rogers made it all the way to the semi-finals on one of television’s most popular singing reality TV shows. For Rogers, however, showcasing his talent isn’t just about finding a path to fame and fortune. Jamar Rogers also wants to use his voice to help others.
Before appearing on The Voice 2012, Jamar Rogers auditioned twice for American Idol in seasons eight and nine. While he did talk to American Idol producers about his addiction issues, he was not ready to talk about being HIV positive. It was not until he auditioned for The Voice 2012 that he finally felt comfortable enough with himself to reveal he was HIV positive.
Throughout his time on The Voice 2012, Jamar Rogers was open about both his HIV status and his struggles with crystal meth addiction. Finally revealing he was HIV positive was part of an overall decision Jamar Rogers made in his life “to live for something greater than himself.”
In an interview in the July/August issue of Postively Aware, The Voice 2012 contestant Jamar Rogers said just competing to be “famous for the same of being famous wasn’t enough.” Coming out about his HIV status and addiction problems was part of Rogers’ decision that he wanted “to make an ipmact on the world” and wanting to “really help people.”
Jamar Rogers hopes the name recognition brought on by becoming a semi-finalist on The Voice 2012 will help him be a postivie representative for those living with HIV and battling with drug addictions. However, he does hope that his music will move people enough in the future that he “won’t be the HIV guy… I’ll just be this amazing artist who happens to have HIV.”
Read or watch the full interview with The Voice 2012 contestant Jamar Rogers at www.positivelyaware.com/jamar. Rogers will also be appearing at the upcoming XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. from July 22 to 27.
