Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Samantha Howell, 19, of Virginia Beach, Va., auditioned with “Take It on the Run” by REO Speedwagon. Samantha launched into an impressive country version of the rock classic, prompting a quick chair turn from Kelly Clarkson. Blake turned too, but as he suspected, was blocked by Kelly. Samantha also got a chair turn from Nick. Kelly notes that she used her only block on Samantha. Nick calls her phenomenal. Blake seemed rather frustrated that he couldn’t land the talented Samantha for his team. Samantha joined Team Kelly.

Here’s more about Samantha.

* She had been using the name Samantha Starr Howell. While she’s from Virginia Beach, she’s currently based in Nashville, saying she moved there shortly after graduating high school and has been playing music around town to make ends meet.

* She auditioned for Season 17 of American Idol and made it to Hollywood Week, earning three yeses from the judges. Her audition did not air, however.

* According to one bio, she started performing at age 8 and started writing her own music at age 13.

* She released a debut single called “Heavy Thoughts” as Samantha Starr Howell in the spring of 2018.

* Subsequent releases have comes under the shortened version of her name and include a four-song EP called “Aftermath” about the aftermath of a breakup, released in the fall of 2018 when she was still just 17. “Dear Future Me” from that collection is superb and you can check out the music video here.

* At the time, she called her music country with a pop influence, saying “some days I’m feeling a little more pop and some days I’m feeling a little more country. Why have to choose?” On the show, she says she considers herself a singer-songwriter.

* She released her latest single, “One Highway Away” in June, and you can check the accompanying music video below.

* And be sure to check out her more recent collaboration with Michael Mchale on an excellent contemporary folk song called “Angels.” Writes Samantha: ‘This song has been a year in the making and im so grateful that @mchalemusic found me and wanted me to be a part of it.”

* Samantha has lots of covers on her YouTube channel, reaching to 2014. Among them is a 2016 cover of “If I Die Young” dedicated to Christina Grimmie. “Christina Grimmie is the the person that inspired me to start Youtube and to just be myself,” Samantha wrote. “I’ve looked up to her since I was 8 years old. It seems unreal that this could happen to someone so loving and talented and caring.” She was referring, of course, to the shooting death of the former Voice finalist following a concert in Florida.

See also
Samantha Howell talks about her blind audition on The Voice

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