Thursday, March 20, 2014
By John Benson
To say Danielle Bradbery was a long shot to win season 4 of “The Voice” is an understatement.
This shy teenage singer, without any vocal lessons or stage experience, not only turned the chairs of judges Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Usher last spring but also wowed audiences. Despite feeling overwhelmed at first, there was a moment when this Texas native discovered self-confidence and never looked back.
“I was so scared. I went into it not really knowing at all what was going to happen,” said Bradbery, calling from Nashville. “I was just waiting for something to happen. It was amazing. I think throughout the whole thing there were big steps every time I stepped on ‘The Voice’ stage.
“The live shows were kind of when I started to see a lot of difference in myself. A lot of things I did I thought I couldn’t do. I learned a lot about myself at that point. The things that I could do were really surprising.”
Invariably, the last year for Bradbery has been one surprise after another. Not only was she the youngest person ever to win “The Voice,” but her self-titled debut album featured the top-15 lead single “The Heart of Dixie,” which has sold more than 380,000 downloads.
She also toured last summer with Shelton followed by a winter run with Brad Paisley. Now the 17-year-old artist is joining Hunter Hayes’ “We’re Not Invisible Tour,” which comes to Youngstown for a Saturday show at Covelli Centre.
“It’s going to be so exciting,” Bradbery said. “People know I performed with him on ‘The Voice’ during the live shows. That was so much fun. I’m really curious to see this audience.”
Bradbery has seen plenty of high-profile audiences of late. Not only did she get to sing the National Anthem at the Houston Rodeo, but she recently met Carrie Underwood. The latter experience still inspires her. And no, she didn’t cry.
“I wanted to,” Bradbery said, laughing. “I got emotional, but I didn’t let out any tears. I was more excited than anything just thinking to myself I finally got to be face to face with her knowing how much I look up to her. It was a great moment.”
When it’s pointed out that Bradbery’s recent success now means there are thousands of girls who look at her as a role model just as she looks up to Underwood, she admitted it’s an amazing feeling. She’s also thankful to have had such an impact on young girls.
Looking ahead, Bradbery knows sustained success isn’t guaranteed and fame can be fleeting. Considering how far she’s come in such a short while, she seems up for the task. Even more importantly, Bradbery is saying all the right things.
“Nothing is always going to be easy,” Bradbery said. “You have to work hard to get something you want, and you’ll have bumps along the road. For me, I just need to stay true to who I am, and just have friends and family around me to keep me grounded. As long as I have that, I’ll be OK through it all.”