Her audition: Caity Peters, 21, of Long Beach, Calif., audtioned with a stripped-down version of Nick Jonas’ “Jealous.” By the end of the first verse, Pharrell Williams and Christina Aguilera were facing in her direction. Near the end of the song, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine turned as well, giving Caity the first four-chair turn of Season 10. Pharrell praised the intensity in her performance. Caity decided to join Team Pharrell.
His background: She calls herself the “black sheep” of her family because she’s decided to pursue music as part of a family in which her father and brother are lawyers, one sister is a nurse and another sister is leaning toward the medical field. “My parents have always wanted me on the path of college and a career,” she says, “but I’ve always gravitated toward anything that was associated with music.” But by the end of high school, she says she convinced her parents to let her go to the Young Americans Performing Arts College. It’s a nonprofit foundation that inspires kids through music. That allowed her to travel the world performing for kids. She’s now studying to be a music teacher and serving as a church worship leader. But she’s still looking for a chance to be heard as a singer and says she prefers R&B and soulful music.
What the show didn’t show:
According to her bio on The Voice website, Caity started singing in middle school and excelled in her high school choir.
Her time with the Young Americans took her to Europe and Japan, where she took college classes and provided vocal lessons to students. She credits the organization with giving her the experience of performing on “thousands of stages throughout the world.”
She says she typically performs as part of a group, but has performed several gigs in the Long Beach area with a friend where “we just do a bunch of covers.” She was also part of a dinner show in Michigan, performing six nights a week for a summer. “And I was able to perform with a group in the Carnegie Hall, which was awesome,” Caity adds.
She says she’s written her own music, which she would describes as indie-pop. “All of my music is based off my experiences,” she says. “Although I have never really showed anyone my music except for a couple friends.”
Caity says she auditioned with “Jealous” because she knew it was a song she would be able to “put my full heart in. I believe that every time you sing, you should be able to connect with the song and sing from your heart … We all experience heartbreak in our own way. Whether that be with a relationship, job, anything. There was a time when I cared so much for someone and I didn’t feel it back. So this song was out of experience for me.”
As for why she chose Pharrell after all four coaches turned around? “I went with Pharrell because his talent and ability to make pure gold is undeniable, but his character is admirable. He is such a genuine and personal guy that I knew I wanted to work with him! He is incredible and I remember him saying ‘I know for a fact, I have nothing like you on my team.’ And I knew I had to go with him.”
On iTunes: Just her performance from The Voice.
Keeping up with Caity:
Twitter: @caitypeters_
Facebook
YouTube
“Resolution” (Matt Corby cover)
“Titanium” (David Guetta/Sia cover)
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