Reagan Strange advances to Top 10 in ‘The Voice’
Reagan Strange advanced to the Top 10 of “The Voice” and was announced as the most streamed contestant two weeks in a row Tuesday.
She performed the night before to an audience in Los Angeles, and all across the United States as viewers tuned in to NBC. Monday’s episode was “Fan Week.” The show featured fans of the show, and viewers suggested songs for the 14-year-old to sing.
Two viewers from Memphis were featured before Reagan’s performance as well as students from Briarcrest Christian School, where she previously attended and sang in the choir.
Reagan, the third artist to perform Monday, sang “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne, which her coach Adam Levine said is a song that is tough vocally.
“It requires serious chops, and it’s deceptively hard,” Levine said. “Avril was about the same age when she released this song so I think it’s perfect.”
Reagan said the song was different from previous performances.
“It was a little bit of a break from my big songs,” she said. “I was able to have fun on stage and interact with the crowd.”
Reagan wore her hair in a ponytail and a metallic gold jacket that shimmered in the stage’s white and red lights.
Reagan smiled from ear to ear throughout her song. Levine nodded and smiled in approval throughout her performance.
Many viewers at Brookhaven Pub & Grill stood and cheered during the breaks in her performance and let out yells and whistles.
Levine and Kelly Clarkson gave Reagan a standing ovation in Los Angeles.
“It’s fan week, and I am honestly such a fan of yours,” Blake Shelton said to Reagan after her performance. “I have been since day one, since the blind auditions ... There’s a ton of charisma when you step on that stage. Everyone can see it. You sing perfectly.”
Levine added his praise after Shelton’s remarks.
“I wish I had a half hour to talk about you because I absolutely adore you,” Levine said. “I truly, genuinely believe not only can you win this thing, but you can be such a tremendous star.”
Reagan said she felt “amazing” after Levine’s remarks.
“I’m going to work hard, keep my voice healthy and do my best,” Reagan said.
Reagan’s grandmother, Billie Payne, also thinks she could win the show.
“I think (Levine)’s seen that in her since day one,” Payne said. “As she’s journeyed through each week, I’ve seen him instill more confidence in her.”
Reagan’s brother, Brock Strange, is 15 months younger than the rising star. He was at the fan party in Memphis and said he misses his sister, but knows she is pursuing something she has craved since the show’s first season.
“This has been her dream,” he said. “I knew she had the capability, so I wasn’t really stunned.”
Brock said he looked up Avril Lavigne’s song before his sister’s performance Monday, since he had not heard it. He said he was not thrilled with the song choice, but his mind changed when his sister took the stage.
“When she performed it, it was really good to me,” the 13-year-old said.
Her 5-year-old brother Brody Kucinski was in Los Angeles for her performance with Reagan’s mom and stepfather.
“I could see him out in the crowd, and it was so good to see,” she said of her youngest sibling.
Reagan has been in Los Angeles for nearly four weeks for her live performances. She said the last few weeks have been “hectic” with production, Apple Music recordings, interviews and rehearsals.
She said each step is still slightly surreal.
“I wouldn’t trade this for anything,” she said. “I had no idea a year ago I would be here or that I would make it this far.”
While the end of “The Voice” is less than three weeks away, the 14-year-old said she is focusing on one week at a time. Although she knows when the journey is over, music will be a bigger part of her life than it was before.
“I’m really excited to keep creating music,” she said.
Reagan and nine other finalists will perform in the Top 10 on Monday.