Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Mary Kate Connor, 18, of Ashburn, Va., auditioned with “Stars” by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. A big note from Mary Kate prompted near simultaneous chair turns from Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton. Kelly loved how beautiful and tender Mary Kate’s version was. Blake Shelton called her voice “angelic.” Mary Kate joined Team Blake.

Here’s more about Mary Kate:

* She was 17 at the time of her audition and is a senior at Stone Bridge High School. In fact, there’s a great video on her Instagram of Mary Kate’s reaction to an in-school announcement regarding her upcoming appearance on the show.

* Mary Kate said she’s been watching The Voice since she was little. In fact, the first time she heard the song “Stars” was while watching The Voice.

* Of her chance to appear on Season 23, Mary Kate writes: “3 years. That’s how long it’s taken me to get to this point. 3 years of triumphs and battles. To be able to make this post with The Voice across the page is a dream come true.”

* Her love of music comes naturally. Her dad played in a worship band at their church.

* During her bio segment, Mary Kate recalls begging her dad to let her have a turn with the mic while they were rehearsing in the basement. “I was just so bad (as a singer), but it was so fun,” she recalled.

* When she was just 8, Mary Kate landed the role of young Cosette in a high school production of “Les Misérables.”

* The show wound up being nominated for a national theater award, so the cast got to perform at the Kennedy Center in D.C.

* “I remember running with my little broom across the stage, sweeping. I had like the smallest little part,” said Mary Kate.

* She has continued with music theater and won a
National Youth Arts Award for best lead actress for the role of Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”

* But according to her Voice bio, she’s now more interested in becoming a singer-songwriter than appearing on Broadway.

* Said Mary Kate about performing on The Voice: “I am just so incredibly excited to go out and just be myself and not have this whole script and this whole character already planned. I just get to be me.”

Mary Kate on social media:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook