Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: MaKenzie Thomas, 20, of Wallingford, Ken., auditioned with Jessie J’s “Big White Room.” Her impressive vocal prompted Jennifer Hudson to turn around midway through the performance. She was the only one to do so, but Jennifer called her definite “JHUD material.”

Her background: MaKenzie auditioned in Season 14, but didn’t get a chair to turn and admits crying on the way home. Turns out her audition song was one of the first she listened to after that experience. MaKenzie said she still struggles with self-doubt about belonging on a stage like The Voice because she doesn’t look like someone you’d see on a magazine cover. She said she’s been singing in a group called “Elevated Praise” and practicing like crazy to make sure she was better prepared for her second chance at making the show.

On having Jennifer as her coach: “My heart wanted Jennifer. That’s who I really wanted to turn more than anybody else. So all day, for like three days I just kind of spoke that into existence. I was like, Jennifer’s going to turn. Jennifer’s going to turn. Jennifer’s who my heart was set on and so when she turned I was ecstatic.”

What the show didn’t show:

* Often bullied for her appearance, McKenzie aspires to use her music to spread a positive and encouraging message, according to her bio on The Voice website.

* She sang in the gospel choir at Morehead State University.

* She recently posted a video snippet on Facebook, covering Tamela Mann’s “Change Me.” It’s attracted 1.7 million views.

* Asked where she’d like The Voice to lead her musically, MaKenzie said: “Well, I’m a huge Tori Kelly fan and I’m a really big fan of gospel music as well. And she recently put out an album that is a gospel album; she did it with Kirk Franklin. Gospel music with a twist. Something a little bit more acoustic and I guess up my alley. But I mean mainly my goal is to be able to minister to people.”

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