He had chosen Sia’s “Alive” for the two singers, with a spot in the knockout round on the line.
“The range in ‘Alive’ is so broad and when I heard Sia belting out those high notes, I was nervous,” Dana told Voice Views. “Finding the confidence to sing those high notes was my biggest challenge. Blake wanted to see how far I could stretch my range and this song definitely showed that.”
When the singing ended and after the other coaches had their say, Blake chose Dana as the winner, meaning she’s one of the eight contestants remaining on his team.
Tarra was eliminated in the battle match that was montaged, meaning viewers got to see just a tiny snippet of what occurred on stage.
Dana said their battle “ended up being awesome. Tarra and myself worked so much on the song. It helped that we were roomies. I listened to the song in my sleep and thought of every way possible to make it my own. My strategy was to trust in myself and trust that Blake would guide me in the best direction for my voice.”
Dana said she got positive feedback from all four coaches, “which was nice to hear after the challenges I faced during rehearsals.”
What turned the tide in her favor?
“I think both of us did a great job,” Dana said. “I think maybe the fact that I was able to show off a great portion of my range in this performance could have been one of the reasons I won the battle.”
Dana said she’s also appreciative of the confidence Blake has shown in her.
“Blake has 100 percent embraced Dana Harper the artist, my tone and sound,” she said. “He celebrates my individuality, style, and encourages me to step out of what is comfortable for me. He pushes me to not be afraid of trying something new and giving that ‘something’ all I’ve got.”
The daughter of retired NBA star Derek Harper, Dana was 25 when she auditioned for The Voice with “Jealous” by Nick Jonas and turned two chairs. You can find out more about her here.
As for Tarra, she wound up being montaged in both of her Voice performances. But don’t let that keep you from checking out her superb pre-show music. You can listen to a little and learn more by heading here.
Oh, and even though the performance was montaged, the studio version of their version of “Alive” — embedded above — is available on iTunes.
Tarra Layne and Dana Harper during rehearsals for their battle round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)
Dana Harper and Tarra Layne perform during the battle round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)
Dana Harper performs during the battle round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)
Tarra Layne performs during the battle round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)
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