Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Lexi Davila, 17, of Lorain, Ohio, performed Selena’s “Dreaming of You.” And while her nerves showed early in the performance, she displayed a nice tone that prompted Adam Levine and Blake Shelton to turn their chairs. Both complimented her potential as a singer. Lexi joined Team Adam.

Her background: Lexi’s grandfather was a singer in a nightclub. Musical talent “skipped me,” her dad jokes, “but went to her.” Lexi said she tends to be shy, but comes alive when she’s on stage. She’s always dreamed of being a singer and said her favorite part of school is choir. She also won a vocal competition singing a song in Spanish that she sang to her granddad shortly before he died. On YouTube, there’s a video of her singing “Tanto Para Darte,” so that’s likely the tune she’s referring to.

What the show didn’t show: In her Voice video, Lexi says she’s been singing since a young age, often with her sisters (see video below) and her mother, “so it’s kind of in the family.” Lexi says her uncle suggested she audition for The Voice, but she admits to being reluctant at first because “I didn’t know if I wanted to put myself out there that much.” Back home, Lexi is a junior at Marion L. Steele High School. The Chronicle-Telegram interviewed the school’s choir director, Mark Skaldan, who said Lexi has performed solos and played piano at the school’s annual spring pop show. She is also a member of the concert choir and madrigals. And she sings in her church choir. “She’ll practice sometimes in one of our practice rooms during study hall, and I’ll stand outside the door and listen. It’s like listening to someone on the radio. She’s wonderful,” Skaldan told the newspaper.

On picking Adam: Lexi told The Morning Journal she went into the blind audition with her heart set on Christina, then Pharrell. “But neither of them turned, so it was Blake and Adam. I hadn’t prepared for that. I had to choose on the spot. Adam, he gives constructive criticism. He tells you what you need to work on. That’s what I need. That can ultimately lead me to be a better artist.”

On iTunes: Just her audition song.

Update: She was matched against Bren’nae DeBarge in a battle round that was part of a montage package. They performed “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. Adam declared Lexi the winner; Bren’nae was eliminated. In the knockout round, she squared off against Joshua Davis. She performed Ellie Goulding’s “Anything Can Happen,” impressing all the judges. When Joshua was declared the winner, Lexi wound up being stolen by Christina, with the very last steal of Season 8.

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“Strong Enough” (cover)

“La Oracion” (The Prayer)