‘I was hysterical’: When Chance The Rapper picked Dallas-Fort Worth woman on ‘The Voice’

North Texas native Bri Fletcher has been auditioning for “The Voice” since she was 16-years-old.

Year after year, to the tune of over a dozen auditions, Fletcher has dreamed of advancing on the NBC singing competition show. After over a decade, she finally got her moment under Hollywood’s bright lights this week.

Fletcher, 29, is a contestant on “The Voice.”

“It’s something that I’ve had on my vision board since I was 16,” Fletcher told the Star-Telegram. “That’s 13 years of just hoping and praying for something.”

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“The Voice,” which has been on television since 2011, follows four famous musicians searching for the best new voices in the country. Each musician builds their own team of artists to compete against one another all season. Before that, the show is setup where each musician has their back to the singer as to hear their voice first before turning their chair around to see how they appear.

Currently on its 25th season, the musicians this go-around include Reba McEntire, Dan + Shay, Chance The Rapper and John Legend.

Fletcher, who is from Haslet, appeared on the fourth episode of the current season on Tuesday, where she sang a cover of Avril Lavigne’s “I’m with You.” The experience was nerve-wracking for Fletcher, who wasn’t sure which musician, if any, would flip their chair around.

With just a few bars left, Chance The Rapper turned around. Fletcher made it.

“I looked like a deer in headlights because I truly didn’t think anybody was gonna turn,” Fletcher said. “I was in complete shock, I didn’t even move.”

Growing up a little pop-and-country in North Texas

Growing up in Haslet, Fletcher said she spent plenty of time around Fort Worth soaking up the music scene.

Music was all around, whether that be gospel songs at church or Texas country on the radio. But finding Rascal Flatts and the band’s meshing of pop and country was huge.

At only 14 years old, Fletcher began writing songs. Not long after, she started auditioning for “The Voice.” She recalls her first ever audition, where she brought her mom with her since she was a minor.

Both Fletcher and her mother auditioned for the show, but sang different songs.

“I think she sang a Beyonce song and I think [mine] was a Demi Lovato song,” Fletcher said with a laugh. “Whatever was popular 12 years ago.”

Over the years, Fletcher would vacillate between working on her own music and auditioning for “The Voice.”

She remembers traveling to wherever the show was hosting auditions, whether that be Houston and Nashville or even Utah. In total, Fletcher tried out for the show between 12 to 15 times.

Fletcher likens some of the auditions to “cattle calls,” as mass groups of singers were brought in to perform. There was a few times where Fletcher would make it to the next round of the auditioning process, but that’s as far as she went.

In recent years, “The Voice” auditions have been held virtually and Fletcher advanced past the initial rounds this time.

“I’m just always a very nervous person when it comes to competitions,” Fletcher said. “I don’t think I was ready until this time.”

Competing on ‘The Voice’ on Chance The Rapper’s team

This time around it was different, she said.

First she flew out to Los Angeles last summer to perform at the show’s stage at Universal Studios Hollywood. Then next was choosing a song with which to wow the coaches. The show gives singers a list of pre-selected songs but they can also request to add others, which Fletcher did with “I’m with You.”

“I probably sang that song like 1,000 times,” Fletcher said. “It’s such a special song.”

The experience goes beyond what it looks like in the broadcast — singers walking from backstage seemingly ready to perform. There’s a lot more that goes into it. Fletcher recalls going through wardrobe, doing interviews and rehearsing with the band prior to performing for the coaches. The “whole little Hollywood experience” was cool but added to the long day, she said.

Finally, when it was Fletcher’s turn to perform on the main stage she wasn’t totally nervous. But once she stepped on her mark, the butterflies in her stomach went into overdrive. Her emotions fluttered.

“I don’t even think I was breathing,” Fletcher said. “It’s probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in my entire life.”

Nevertheless, Fletcher sang and eventually Chance The Rapper’s chair spun around.

Fletcher said she would have been happy with any coach selecting her, but was ecstatic about the “All We Got” singer. After the initial interaction, Chance The Rapper went over and spoke to Fletcher’s family, who were gathered nearby.

“I was hysterical,” Fletcher said. “I don’t even remember what I said to him. I think I hugged him like four times and said, ‘Sorry’.”

More music on the way for this North Texas native

While Fletcher has made it passed the blind audition stage of “The Voice,” she’s keeping mum about her journey on the show. It was enough to keep her family and friends at bay in the months leading up to this week’s episode.

“My phone was blowing up,” Fletcher said. “My family and friends have been extremely supportive and sharing that YouTube clip like nobody’s business.”

Fletcher moved from North Texas to Nashville in 2019 and has been pursuing music full-time ever since.

She released her debut album, “Chapter One,” in 2022, and has dropped a pair of singles this year including her cover of “I’m with You.” Fletcher plans to continue performing around Nashville and hopes to have an EP ready to go by year’s end.

In the meantime, she’s enjoying her success on “The Voice” and teases that the rest of the season will be a must-watch.

“I would just say it’s going to be super exciting,” Fletcher said. “I’m very excited for y’all to see what’s next.”