Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Emily Keener performs Lilac Wine earlier this week on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

But the 17-year-old sounded anything but dejected during a Wednesday afternoon conference call with the media.

Even if she was a little surprised to be heading back home to Wakeman, Ohio, so soon.

After all, her cover of “Lilac Wine” cracked the Top 30 on iTunes — third best of the 12 songs from Monday’s performance show — and soared to number two on the site’s alternative singles chart.

“I was shocked, honestly,” she said. “After that performance, I really thought I’d be hanging around for couple of more weeks. But now that it’s over and done with, I’m kind of at peace with it.

“I’m just so glad I was able to go out on a positive note. Everything I did on the show was exactly what I wanted to do. That’s a lot more than I think a lot of people can say. I’m thankful for that.”

That philosophy even carried over to Tuesday’s results show. Faced with a chance to perform for the instant save, Emily opted to perform “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” even though she admits something much more current might have been “a better strategy in the long run if continuing on the show was my ultimate goal.

“Really, my ultimate goal on the show was to show people who I am and to stick to my guns,” she explained.

“I chose that song because it has a very special place in my heart. My dad played it a lot for me when I was little. Actually, the guitar that I was playing it on last night is my dad’s guitar. To be able to go out on that note was really poignant. It was a good feeling.”

And it isn’t as though she doesn’t have a bright musical future. This is a young lady who had already released three EPs and an album prior to the show. Those included a superb eight-track EP called “East of the Sun” in 2015. You can check out a couple of tracks below.

Have no doubt, more music is coming.

“Honestly, as soon as I get home I’m back to the grindstone, writing songs, recording as much as I can. I’m planning to have a really intense new record out very, very soon,” she said.

She’s planning shows too and says she leaves The Voice a much more confident live performer. Singing for millions of people each week will do that, she added.

She also praised the “unwavering” support of her Voice coach Pharrell Williams and said she was amazed “at how genuine and how kind he is.”

And it all happened because, in Emily’s words, “the opportunity (to audition) and I kind of just kind of stumbled upon each other.

“I never watched the show before I was approached and asked to audition,” she said. “It was definitely a kind of spur of the moment decision. I had always told myself I would never do anything like this.

“I didn’t feel like it was me. Or that it would be beneficial. But I was definitely proved wrong by this entire experience. There’s been nothing but positive things that I’ve gained.”