Those watching Season 11 of The Voice in the coming months may recognize one of the contestants: Billy Gilman revealed on Monday (Aug. 22) that he auditioned for the new season of the TV singing competition.

"It's official, and I can FINALLY LET IT OUT! One of the most EXCITING and crazy things I've ever had the honor of doing," Gilman writes on Facebook. "Its been a long, long, hard journey to prove I am more than a child star, and with this amazing opportunity, it helps me stake my claim."

Gilman skyrocketed to stardom following the release of "One Voice," his debut single, in 2000; he was 11 years old at the time, making him the youngest country artist to ever earn a Top 40 hit. Gilman's album of the same name earned double-platinum status, but his following singles and albums did not achieve the same level of success. In November of 2014, Gilman revealed that he is gay — and called out the country music industry to support LGBTQ artists.

“In recent years, when I did come back to Nashville, there were rumors, you know, is he or isn’t he? And for many that know Nashville … being a gay male country artist is not the best thing,” Gilman said at the time. “If people don’t like your music that’s one thing … I knew something was wrong when no major label wanted to sit down and have a meeting and listen to the new stuff."

The Voice Season 11 begins on Sept. 19 on NBC. Gilman cannot reveal how far he made it on the show, but in his Facebook post, he says, "I AM SO READY FOR YOU TO LOVE THIS JOURNEY AND TO VOTE!"

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