– One of the current contestants on NBC’s “The Voice” has a West Virginia connection. She says she draws inspiration from the soul of the mountain state as well as from her grandfather who is a Summers County native.
Lauren-Michael Sellers doesn’t just have a head turning voice, it’s turning chairs as well on “The Voice” with all four judges making a vie for her to join their teams after hearing her rendition of “Oceans” by Samuel Harness.
Sellers eventually decided on the queen of county, Reba McEntire, to be her coach.
“I had my sights on her in the very beginning. I knew because of my background and because of my faith and because I‘m in Nashville writing county music basically I knew that was the coach I wanted. I knew that she would be the best plus I’ red-headed,” said Sellers.
Sellers resides in Nashville, Tennessee and sites her hometown as Birmingham, Alabama but West Virginia also plays a role in her journey as her grandfather is a Summers County native and currently lives in Hinton.
“Its one of those places that I love to visit because it’s just so stunning. Its super real and it goes back to the roots of where my family is from. And honestly too it kind of reminds me of where I get my musical inspiration because a lot of that lonesome mountain sound is what drives the undercurrent of my sound,” said Sellers.
“I just like the music. My family was bluegrass always. In the mountains, into mountain music. We would always get together and listen. It‘s just a family thing,” said Sellers’ grandfather John Edward Bragg
A family thing indeed, Seller’s grandfather bought her her first guitar at the age of eleven and instilled in her a love of music.
“When he was about my age he went to Nashville to make his dream come true of becoming a recording artists and he told me that it just didn’t work out. So I think for me its a full circle moment. I hope that I can make him proud and make our dream come true,” said Sellers.
“She always wanted to be recognized as a singer as a young person. I hope she persuses her music and is a success.. She’s already started,” said Bragg.
To see where the journey Sellers has started takes her we will have to keeping tuning into “The Voice” to see her journey as she joins team Reba.
The show airs here on WVVA Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm.
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