Her audition: Shawna P., 45, of Orange Beach, Ala., auditioned with The Black Crowes’ “She Talks to Angels” and enticed Adam Levine and Shakira to spin their chairs. Though Adam compared her rasp to Janis Joplin, Shawna decided to join Team Shakira.
Battle Round: Defeated Brandon Roush of the Dirty Grindstones. They performed Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.”
Knockout Round: She performed “Maybe I’m Amazed,” but lost to Sasha Allen, who performed “At Last.”
Her background: Shawna said she decided she wanted to pursue music at age 8 when her parents took her to see Elvis Presley perform. She wound up moving to Nashville and performing as part of the Muzic Mafia, which helped break Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich in as country music stars. Eventually, “we all went our separate ways. That just completely threw me off balance,” Shawna told The Voice. She said she auditioned for the show in part to demonstrate that “it’s never too late to do what you’re passionate about.”
On picking Shakira: “I am an artist, so rarely do I kick into a logical mindset,” she said during a conference call interview. “But for some reason on that stage, logic kicked in for me and I just started thinking, Shakira has sold more albums worldwide than any other coach on the panel. And she’s international and, for me in the American market, I have come up against certain, you know, roadblocks because of my age. And I just feel that she could really help me to go farther and expose me to such a larger audience.”
What the show didn’t show: Shawna P. is short for Shawna Pierce. She describes her music as funk rock and released an impressive 12-track album, “EarthFunk Muzik” as Shawna P and The EarthFunk Tribe in 2011. Two tracks are embedded below, and be sure to check out the seductive “Slave 2 the Dance.” In a conference call interview, she described Muzik Mafia as “a fantastic platform” but explained that it dissolved “before I got the opportunity to shine as a solo artist.” About the same time, her mom became terminally ill and she returned home to be with her. Before The Voice, she was performing regularly at venues around Orange Beach, Ala.
Quote: “She (Shakira) has won a lot of hearts already, and she may possibly steal the show this season. She’s very endearing and charming. And enchanting, as we know from her videos.”
On iTunes: Her audition song “She Talks to Angels,” plus a 12-track 2011 album, EarthFunk Muzik by Shawna P and The Earthfunk Tribe
Keeping up with Shawna P.
Twitter: @shawnapsings
Facebook
YouTube channel
Website
“Alabama Tears” (from the 2011 album)
“Dig Deep” (from the 2011 album)
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6 Comments
Shawna P , Heard about you from J Henry , watched your interview . Had to listen to “Dig Deep” & it is by far the BEST original song I have heard in a very long time . Very good , also very commercially appealing . It’s uncommon to have commercial appeal & to also have the soul & heartfelt emotions come across. That feeling comes across because you have Lived it . ~Many Blessings ~ frances in Tuscaloosa ( deafsinger)
To add … I listened to your song ” Dig Deep” after reading J. Henry’s blog post about you & going to your link a few months ago . I have been sharing that song for others to hear what you are made of. I Hope you will sing Dig Deep on the Voice . yes , it’s a risk . A huge risk to do an original . But with that song … with that funky guitar those wonderful lyrics , your vocals & this crazy world we’re living in we need a positive message … you gotta do it !
ShawnaP is a passionate, soulful artist and entertainer who is long overdue for the oppty to share her talent beyond our local market. She inspires, touches and moves her audiences across her diverse original works as well as any music she infuses with her own style. This woman sings from her soul and has the special ability to connect with a broad array of audiences…keep doing what you do ShawnaP and enjoy the ride!