Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Damali listens to the coaches’ feedback following her live playoff performance on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

But when it came to auditioning for The Voice, the 16-year-old recalls arguing with her mom.

Damali was reluctant because of her stage fright.

“I did it, and look at how far that took me,” she writes, encouraging others to pursue their own aspirations.

Indeed, Damali turned a last-second blind audition chair turn from Kelly Clarkson into a live playoff berth with a string of impressive performances.

And even though she didn’t advance from the playoffs, she received praise for her cover of Lauren Daigle’s “You Say.”

Here’s what the young woman from Norwalk, Calif., told Voice Views about her experience on the show.

Voice Views: What do you consider your biggest takeaway / lesson learned from The Voice experience?

Damali: The biggest experience I learned was to never doubt myself and what I’m worth. I learned that I can really do anything I put my mind to with hard work and dedication. Most importantly I really learned to just believe in myself entirely.

Voice Views: Which was your favorite Voice performance and why?

Damali: My favorite Voice performance was “You Say” because It was my last performance and my last message on stage. It was me just having fun and praising God. It was a magical moment and was a very powerful song in my heart and it was very emotional for me. I had no worries on my mind, I was just relaxed and I let go to let God hear my praises.

Voice Views: What are you post-Voice plans musically? Where are you hoping this opportunity leads?

Damali: I’m hoping that I can just do bigger things in music or just keep performing in general. I’m addicted to the stage and I’m addicted to music. I want it to be in my life forever and I’m gonna keep singing till my lungs give out.

Voice Views: Do you plan to release new music anytime soon? If so, can you tell me about that — what you’re planning, what fans can expert in terms of sound and the timetable for doing?

Damali: I’m really hoping to release new music. I’m going to be writing a lot more song that I’m excited to share with people soon.

Voice Views: Is there anything else you’d like to add about The Voice experience?

Damali: I’m just so grateful I got to experience this. Being on The Voice was a taste of a dream come true. I feel so blessed being apart of this and being able to sing with and get to know new amazing people. It was just a magical moment that I’m forever going to miss. Seriously, probably the best experience of my teenage years.

See also …
Meet Damali
Damali talks about her blind audition