Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Chari, 31, Atlanta, Ga., “Get Here” by Oleta Adams: Chari showed off a big, rich voice and it sparked a quick flurry of chair turns, with Adam Levine leading the way. Chari had all four chairs facing her way before hitting the chorus. Chari completed an impressive performance, with a nice little frill at the end. Riley Green called her performance “amazing” and “flawless.” Adam remained standing, saying it would be “disrespectful” to sit after her vocal. And he couldn’t resist reminding Chari that he won Season 29 with a female R&B singer. Queen Latifah liked the way Chari made the song her own. Chari opted to join Team Latifah. (Watch her blind audition below)

Here’s more about Chari:

* She’s a singer in her early 30s from L.A., but who is now based in Atlanta, where she’s been performing for about 15 years.

* She has used the stage name Char and Chari and released music as Chari Lakey. Whatever name she uses, the result is the same: powerhouse vocals.

* Chari describes her music as a mix of R&B and soul with a classical twist and says her influences include the tone of Brandy, the story–telling of Jill Scott, the sultry-ness of Lalah Hathaway and the power of Whitney Houston.

* She move from L.A. to Atlanta to attend the Pebblebrook High School Performing Arts Program where she studied classical music and opera.

* Her released music includes a five-song project called “Now or Never: The Live EP,” released with saxophonist Olivia Lewis. It’s no longer available on streaming sites, so you’ll have to head to YouTube to check out those tracks.

* Then in 2022, she released a seven-song album called “In the Beginning,” featuring a mix of originals and covers, including “Killing Me Softly” and “Best Part.”

* Judging from Chari’s Instagram post announcing the release, those songs had been sitting in a vault for three years before “I decided to get out of my own way … instead of doubting myself and overthinking every possible outcome.”

* Chari has already recorded music as a featured vocalist on tracks released by other artists. In fact, those are the releases you’ll find featuring her on streaming sites today. They include a couple of recordings with the Atlanta Women’s Chorus.

* As a soloist, Char performed her first show with SoFar Atlanta in September 2025.

* Her full-time occupation: working as a surgical technician. When the doctor says, “Pass the scalpel,” Chari told The Voice she’s the one passing the scalpel.

Chari on social media:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
YouTube