Audra McLaughlin turned all four coaches’ chairs during The Voice‘s blind auditions with her performance of “Angel from Montgomery,” and the country powerhouse singer thrived on Team Blake, making it to the Top 8.
Though she went home this week, McLaughlin is confident her music career has just begun. She told Parade.com about how it felt to land in the bottom four, Blake’s advice after the elimination, and why she calls her fans her ‘Angels.’
How are you doing after Tuesday’s show?
“I am doing okay… still in shock. I am still trying to process everything because it happened so fast. But this was an amazing experience, something that I will never forget for the rest of my life. I have met so many amazing friends through this experience that they’ll be my best friends forever. I am so happy for the remaining five people still standing because they truly belong there and I love them so much. The Voice has opened up so many doors for me that I would have never been able to do without the show. I am truly grateful to The Voice for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. Not many people get to experience something as great as being on The Voice. I am going to miss it so much but I am happy to say that The Voice will always be my family and I love everyone who works for the show. They truly are amazing people. They have made my dreams come true and I will never forget what they all have done for me.”
Were you surprised to end up in the bottom four?
“I was not surprised because I was up looking at iTunes all Monday night and saw that I was lower on the charts compared to the rest of the contestants. I kind of prepared myself for it… but I was prepared to sing my heart out to remain in the competition if I was in the bottom four. But I was just grateful to be on the show and just because I didn’t win, I already feel like a winner because of how far I made it. I am so happy for Kat for being saved again because she is such an amazing person and singer. My journey on The Voice may have come to an end last night, but this is just the beginning of my career.”
Did Blake have any words of encouragement or advice after the elimination?
“Blake said many amazing things; he told me that I am a world-class country singer, which was the most amazing compliment anyone can give you, especially coming from one of the biggest country music stars in the industry. Blake said to never stop singing and to promise him that I will keep in touch with him… I won’t break my promise.”
What was your favorite thing about Blake as a coach?
“Blake helped me to just be myself. I remember during blind auditions, I was so afraid to open up to the world, but seeing Blake just be himself and so open made me be more like that. He is so genuine and such a good person. He truly cares about all of his artists. Blake gave me the confidence each week to go out there and sing my heart out. Knowing he believed in me made me more comfortable on stage. He is so funny and always made me laugh! He has made me believe in myself and I’ll never forget all of the nice compliments he has said about my voice. He truly is one of a kind and I was so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him. I know that Blake and I will stay in touch.”
What have you been hearing from your fans since the elimination?
“They have been extremely supportive through all of this. I have been reading all of my social media networks and a lot of them are disappointed by the outcome, but I reminded them that this is not the end of my career; it is only the beginning. They also have been sending me their love and support. I love all of my supporters so much! They are the most amazing people ever. I call them my Angels because they have been such a blessing and they have been voting and buying all of my iTunes songs and making me posters, videos, and just so many things! I just think it’s so sweet that they take the time out of their day to write such sweet things about me and to help me. Your supporters and your fans are the people who get you to the places you want to be because they are the people who buy tickets to your concerts, buy your albums, and they do everything for you. And that’s why I will always be grateful to them. They mean the world to me.”
Looking at the top five now, who do you think are some of the top contenders?
“They are five of the most amazing singers I have ever heard, and they are all friends of mine, so they are all my favorites. I think that any one of them deserves to win. They are all humble and gracious people. I wish nothing but the best for all of them and I am so proud and happy for them!”
What’s next for you?
“I want to get back into songwriting and get together with some songwriters in Nashville and start writing some hit country songs and record my debut album. My goal is to get a record deal and go on tour, open up for artists, and collaborate with different country artists. Some people keep saying, ‘Why you don’t take a little time to regroup and rest?’ But I am the type of person that doesn’t give up; I don’t care how tired I am because I love singing so much and I don’t give up. I work really hard at what I do because I want to be the best at it and I always want to learn and improve at my craft. Life is all about learning and my goal is to learn something new every day. When one door closes another one opens and I won’t ever top chasing this dream because The Voice opened all of these doors for me and I won’t let them shut without going through them. I never imagined in my life that I would be on The Voice, so that goes to show you that anything is possible if you just believe.”