Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Kara Tenae, 33, Riverside, Calif., performed “”Boo’d Up” by Ella Mai. Kara’s high-energy performance earned a quick chair turn from Gwen Stefani. Niall Horan and Reba McEntire later followed. Gwen called her performance “so beautiful” and also liked her personality and style. Kara opted to join Team Gwen.

Here’s more about Kara.

* She’s an R&B-based singer-songwriter who grew up in Riverside, Calif., and now lives in Atlanta.

* Kara started singing at a young age and her parents, impressed by her musical talent, placed her in piano lessons.

* Her musical influences include Michael Jackson, Beyonce, SWV, Missy Elliot, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder.

* From 2010 to 2013, she was part of a girl group trio that landed a recording contract at one point.

* After the group disbanded, Kara drove for UBER for a while and would always sing for her customers.

* She wound up being featured in a commercial as a singing UBER driver showing off her talent alongside Julia Michaels. That commercial aired during the 60th Grammy Awards in early 2018.

* Kara has also released solo music, including a 2018 single called “Body Heat” and a 2022 four-song EP called “Faith Over Fear.”

* She explained that title in an interview with Canvas Rebel, saying: “As talented as I am, I still would let fear paralyze my movement towards ultimate success because of past experiences in the music industry that I had to face. When I finally decided to really invest in myself and put out music, that’s when things would start to open up for me. I had to lean on my faith opposed to leaning on fear. ”

* That philosophy apparently paid off. As the EP was about to be released, Kara wrote on Facebook: “The vocals for my debut EP “F.O.F” are done and I’m so excited! The Most High has been guiding each step. It’s been such a flowing, unforced, and healthy process that just FEELS RIGHT. ”

* Kara also released music videos for two of the songs on the EP — “Undecided” and “Outside.” Check out the latter below. In an interview earlier this year prior to a performance in London, Kara called “Outside” her favorite song on the EP because “it just has an energy to it that embodies who I am as a young woman.”

* Kara’s also been posting covers to her YouTube channel consistently for the past seven years and has more than 1,200 followers on her TikTok.

Kara on social media
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TikTok
Facebook
YouTube