Kyla Jade, former area church choir singer, goes to ‘The Voice’ finals

Following this week’s semi-final performances, America chose its top three The Voice artists to send through to the finale next week, and they are all girls: Spensha Baker (Team Blake), Brynn Cartelli (Team Kelly) and Kyla Jade (Team Blake).

The next three top vote-getters – Pryor Baird (Team Blake), Kaleb Lee (Team Kelly) and Britton Buchanan (Team Alicia) – were then forced into a sing-off to determine who would be the fourth finalist.

“I’m actually a little bit taken aback, shocked, to see you even in this position,” Blake Shelton told Pryor, shaking his head.

America apparently disagreed, and Buchannan was “Instantly Saved” into the finals, sending Baird and Lee home, along with the remaining two of the top eight, Rayshun LaMarr (Team Adam) and Jackie Foster (Team Alicia).

Baird was consistently popular on iTunes, so his absence from the finals was somewhat of a surprise. He charted at No. 7 this week. Spensha Baker charted at No. 10, Kyla Jade – this week’s highest charter – at No. 2, Buchannan at No. 3 and Cartelli at No. 4.

Jade, a Topeka native, says her love of music came from her church and her mom.

“I’m a church baby. Our house was filled with music, my mom woke us up to music, we washed the dishes to music,” Jade said. “There were songs for going to school, everything, everything in my life. Most people learn the ABCs, everything in my life has a song, being a pedestrian, we have a song for that.”

After college Jade got her first big break when she joined the Nashville Super Choir on “Bobby Jones Gospel,” the longest running gospel show on BET. After nine years of traveling with the show, Jade took some time off to care for mom who was ill. Jade feared it would be difficult to get back into the music scene until a friend asked her to audition as a background vocalist for Jennifer Hudson.

She got the job. Today, Hudson supports Jade, pushes her and has been a huge motivator for Jade to audition for The Voice.

After performing several weeks ago, and before picking Jade to advance to the next round, Blake Shelton raved about how she’s grown from a backup singer to a superstar. “Kyla, I feel like you’re beginning to own the front of the stage. I think it probably has to do with what this song means to you at this moment in time.” Blake later added, “In this moment I really feel like Kyla made us feel what she was singing and that’s why she won the knockout.”

Jade currently lives in Nashville but says she will always have Kansas in her heart.

“To anyone who has a desire to do anything, sometimes you have to leave home,” Jade said. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t forget your roots, doesn’t mean you don’t take your family with you, doesn’t mean you don’t find a way to get back.”

But now it’s up to America to get this Team Blake member and Kansas girl to the winner’s circle.

The Voice will be back Monday, May 21 at 7 p.m. on NBC, where the Top 4 will perform in the season finale.

Topeka Block Party for Kyla Jade

A community Block Party will be held on the front steps of the Topeka Performing Arts Center on May 27th, welcoming hometown hero Kyla Jade back to Topeka. Jade has been making Topeka proud as a top contestant on The Voice this season, and now as a finalist. She will be celebrated by the city and the community at this event.

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