Idol Chatter & Voice Views

She’s a country singer living not in Nashville, but in the Philly suburbs.

And right now that arrangement is working out just fine, says Audra McLaughlin, a Season 6 standout on The Voice who just dropped her first single.

“Tennessee Cowboy”” hit iTunes about two weeks ago, and Audra told Voice Views the feedback has been “amazing,” including supportive tweets from several country artists, like former superstar Crystal Gayle.

The single is a catchy, fun, up-tempo tune, and Audra says she thinks that’s the reason it’s going over so well.

In fact, she says she picked it for a first single because “I felt like it showed my personality and my fun, energetic side.”

“Tennessee Cowboy” also happens to be one of the first songs she started writing upon returning from her very first trip to Nashville about two years ago. She visited the city with her parents for CMA Week and fell in love with the place, she says.

“I knew there was something catchy about the lyrics and melody so I sat down with a few of my co-writers and we finished the song.

“(It’s) about meeting someone that you are just head over heels for. You have a huge crush on him and you’re not afraid to show him,” she added.

Audra was 21 when she auditioned for The Voice and turned all four coaches’ chairs with her cover of “Angel from Montgomery.” Being an aspiring country singer, she joined Team Blake, of course. And she made it all the way to the Top 8 before being eliminated.

A year and a half later, she’s still a Pennsylvania resident, something that isn’t likely to change too soon. For one thing, living here allows her to be a full-time musician. For another, she says she has a strong and dedicated team supporting her here.

“If I were to move to Nashville now, I would have to get a day job and find a place to stay and (right now) all the money I make from shows goes back into my music career,” she explains.

“I would love to move to Nashville in the future, but as of right now my team lives here and I trust them and they believe in me and I know we will get to where we need to be. Nothing happens overnight. It takes a really strong team to build a strong foundation and platform for your career.”

In the meantime, Audra points out that her dad works for an airline, making it convenient for her to travel back and forth to Nashville when the need arises.

And that Philly-area address has led to high-profile appearances. In recent months, Audra has performed the national anthem for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Philadelphia Eagles. This week, she added a performance at a Philadelphia 76ers game to that list.

“Tennessee Cowboy” certainly won’t be the last music we hear from Audra. Manager Melissa Daley said another single is likely to be released later this winter. Audra says she’ll be heading back to Nashville before Christmas to record more originals, but adds that they haven’t decided which song will be the second single.

“We have some really strong material,” she says. “I can’t wait to share them with everyone.”

Since The Voice, Audra also has become a spokeswoman for anti-bullying efforts. If you recall her pre-audition interview, she shared the story of growing up with a learning disability, which led to her being bullied and feeling like she didn’t “fit in.”

She recently served as a celebrity ambassador for a nonprofit anti-bullying group called “Free 2 Luv” and performed at one of the organization’s events.

“It was very inspiring,” Audra says. “I enjoy bringing hope to all of these young people. I will always remain a part of anti-bullying events. I want to show people that they can accomplish anything if they just keep focusing on what they love.”

Of course, everything Audra is doing right now, from the single to the anti-bullying efforts, stems from her appearance on The Voice Season 6.

says her experience on the show made her a better performer and also taught her to ditch bad habits like over-singing and over-practicing so she can preserve her voice for when she needs it. And, of course, she says she cherished the opportunity to talk music with one of her favorite country stars, Blake Shelton.

“That was a priceless moment in my life for me that I won’t ever forget,” she says.

Editor’s note: You can keep up with Audra by following these links to her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and website.

Also see …
Albums and EPs released in 2015 by former contestants on The Voice
Singles released in 2015 by former contestants on The Voice

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