Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Anna Catherine DeHart and Kristi Hoopes review battle round strategy with Blake Shelton on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Viewers of The Voice saw only a tiny snippet of the montaged battle round match between Anna Catherine DeHart and Kristi Hoopes.

But Kristi, the self-dubbed hippie chick with twang, told Voice Views she was thrilled with the way her Team Blake Shelton battle turned out, even if she wasn’t declared the winner.

“With a song like ‘Independence Day’ (by Martina McBride), you know it’s going to be epic,” she said. “Not to mention her and I rocked the stage. The audience was really into it since it’s such a country classic.

“Blake certainly had a difficult decision to make and I know it could have gone either way. Had her and I battled earlier, I know one of us would have gotten stolen. When I was hugging the judges on the way out, Adam (Levine) told me that he would have stolen me. I would have loved to have gone further, but I couldn’t be more proud of the performance I gave.”

Kristi, 19, from Parker, Colo., made it onto the show with a performance of Trisha Yearwood’s “Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love” so impressive that she turned three chairs.

And she’s certainly not resting on her laurels. She’s branded her YouTube channel KHKountry and, in the past week, posted a snazzy welcome video and even a cooking video. Venison chili, if you’re wondering or if you’re hungry.

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Here’s what Kristi told Voice Views about her time on the show.

Voice Views: I know the battles were filmed a while back. What have you been doing musically since then?

Kristi: “After the show, I went back to Nashville and started writing new music with some great writers in town. I’ve always believed that your work is never really done, and I wanted to dive right back into my projects. In addition, I’ve started my sophomore year of college at MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University), though I had to switch everything online due to my participation on the show.

Kristi Hoopes listens to the coaches’ feedback during the blind auditions on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Voice Views: Where do you see The Voice experience taking you musically?

Kristi: “I think The Voice has given me leverage as an artist and songwriter. In a place like Nashville, everyone is trying to find some way to stand out and get their foot in the door. Working with Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts is definitely a feather in my cap! My hope is that the show will give me a little bit of playing power and show the country music gatekeepers that I’m someone they want to keep their eyes on.

Voice Views: You’ve released a couple of singles in the past. Do you expect to release more original music anything soon? If so, what can folks expect in terms of style / genre?

Kristi: Absolutely. Since my return to Nashville, I’ve been getting ready to start creating my first fully produced demo. There are definitely a lot of moving parts, but I’m lucky to have such a wonderful team to help me get it done.

Ideally, I’d like the demo to be a crowdfunded project so that my fans can really be part of the creation process. They are the reason why I even have this career and I think it would be a wonderful way to show them how much their support and love means to me.

In terms of genre, it’s still going to be country. That’s never going to change. However, my style has definitely changed since I recorded “At Least It’s Something” and “In My Own Sweet Time.” I was 16 when I dropped those singles. These past 3 years have given me the opportunity to grow and fully realize the kind of artist I want to be. Fans can expect a record that is very country, classic, and full of ’70s sounds.

Voice Views: Other than the friends you met and made while participating in the show and the hometown support, what do you think will stick with you about The Voice experience?

Kristi: I think the experience made me depend upon myself more than I ever have before. It made me realize that I have all the passion, drive, and charisma to make it in this industry. It pushed me to my limits and made me fight back.

About a week before the battles, I came down with strep throat. The day after my diagnosis, we had to do our iTunes recordings for the blinds and battles. My throat was killing me and I was swigging mouthwash every chance I could just to make it through a take. But I persevered. I gave it everything I had in the recording booth and on the stage, and I think I did pretty darn well. Overall, this experience taught me that there is no challenge I cannot overcome.

Voice Views: Do you think you grew as an artist? If so, in what way?

Kristi: I think The Voice helped me fully understand my brand and embrace my style. When you’re presenting yourself to all of America, you have to know exactly who you are, what you’re about, and what your music has to say. I’m just grateful that millions of Voice Viewers know all about this hippie chick with twang, and I hope they stick around for the rest of the ride!

Here are Kristi’s social links:

Instagram
Twitter: @KristiHoopes
Website
YouTube
Facebook