Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Damali, 16, of Norwalk, Calif., performed “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish. The Voice seemed to cut off the beginning of her performance. But we heard Damali deliver a couple of big glory notes. That was enough to provoke a last-second button push from Kelly Clarkson. Kelly said the last-second chair turn was strategy, so she wouldn’t have to fight to land Damali.

* She’s 16-year-old singer-songwriter named Damali Gutierrez, living in the Los Angeles area. She’s performed as Damali G. and simply Damali, the stage name she’s using on The Voice.

* According to her Voice bio, she began writing songs when she was just 7. And when she was in third grade, she gave a concert in the schoolyard, charging 25 cents per ticket.

* Damali told Voice Views that “growing up, it (music) became an absolute necessity for me. I needed to be listening to music or singing. Eventually it became an outlet for me whenever I was going through a hard time.”

* She said it was a car accident that she was involved in that convinced her she needed to seriously pursue music. “I realized that it was what I wanted my life to have forever, and I took that life-changing moment to heart and as a reminder that you can never be too young to follow your dreams and follow your heart. You can never be too young to figure out what is meant for you and what you want to do for the rest of your life.”

* Damali attends a military high school. Her parents enrolled her there because the public schools where she lives “aren’t that great. There’s a lot of drugs, gang, bad influences. My parents didn’t want me to grow up like that.”

* She told The Voice she wasn’t thrilled with the idea at first because the school doesn’t have a music program. But she’s kept music in her life by going to open mics and she has a mini recording studio at her home.

* Damali was chosen to sing the national anthem for her high school’s 2019 graduation ceremony. She’s now a senior, but doesn’t plan to join the military.

* She hasn’t released music, but has posted several Damali originals to her YouTube channel. “Mistakes” and “Soul Tears” are standouts. Check out “Mistakes” below.

* Damali recently posted a cover of “Adios Amor” by Christian Nodal and promised more covers in Spanish soon. While she doesn’t consider herself bilingual, she said “I do enjoy the music and I have a lot of fun singing it.”

* She also has original music on Soundcloud. “I would love to release more and keep working on songs that speak to the heart to hopefully share my message with the world and help anybody who needs to hear my words,” she told Voice Views.

* Her father runs Hollywood Stars Tattoos in L.A.

See also …
Damali talks about her blind audition experience

On social media:
Instagram
Twitter: @damali
Facebook
YouTube