Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Parijita Bastola, 17 of Severna Park, Md., auditioned with “Jealous” by Labrinth. Her soulful vocals were rewarded with quick chair turns from John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Camila Cabello. Near the end of the performance, Blake Shelton turned as well. Camila called Parijita’s audition one of her favorites and loved her version of the song. John called her voice transcendent. With some encouragement from her family, Parijita opted to join Team Legend

Here’s more about Parijita.

* She’s a 17-year-old musician from Severna Park, Md., who has already appeared in an international music showcase.

* That would be the 2022 International Blues Challenge, held in Memphis. Parijita and the band she sings lead for — Bastola — were selected to perform at the festival.

* In an article in the Severna Park Voice about that honor, Parijita says she grew up around music because of an entertainment company her father used to own.

* He’s from Nepal and moved to the U.S. because of political unrest there. Parijita is the first member of her family to be born in the U.S.

* Says Parijita: “Bands from Nepal would come to the United States and do USA tours and he (her father) would always have musicians over and they’re singing all night and they always encouraged me to.”

* She gave her first school performance in seventh grade and a fellow student asked her if she’d be interested in joining a blues band.

* Parijita has been singing in a band with other students ever since. Previously called Soul, the band adopted her last name as its name in 2020.

* The band lineup that participated in the International Blues Challenge also included bassist Jack Slote, guitarists Jesse Kegley and Bennettt Terhune and drummer Dylan Hood.

* Parijita told the newspaper the band covers artists such as Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse and Rhianna — singers with a bluesy, soulful sound.

* She also performs solo on occasion, like in April when she sang the national anthem and covered Adele’s “All I Ask” at the Nepal American Community Center in Fairfax, Va., to celebrate Nepali New Year. You can check out her cover of “All I Ask” — with a Nepal twist — below.

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