By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Four episodes of "The Voice" in and four folks with metro Atlanta ties are already past the first round. The latest: Jessica Crosbie.
The British native who now lives in Marietta chose British superstar group Coldplay "Viva La Vida."
Before she even reached the chorus, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams last night almost simultaneously turned their chairs. She said the early turn made her more confident.
The judges were more instructive than ebullient once she finished her song.
"There is stuff inside of you we haven't heard," Christina said. "I would definitely push you to sing higher."
Adam said he noticed some breath and control issues after he turned the chair.
Although she came in preferring Adam, she chose Pharrell, joining Nick Hagelin .
She said when Pharrell turned around, she made eye contact and felt this "instant kindred spirit with him." So she changed her mind.
Four years ago, she put together a cover of "Viva La Vida" on YouTube and was able to do the song for the show. "I wanted to take this pop rock song and make it more of a ballad," she said. "I thought the judges would appreciate me putting my own stamp on it. I'm so glad I did."
Crosbie said she moved to metro Atlanta to stay with her aunt during her "gap year" after high school and two years of junior college before going back to the U.K. to go to college to be a midwife. But instead, she stayed in Atlanta and found the local music scene nurturing. She even got to hang with Ed Roland of Collective Soul and other local musicians.
"Because of their humility," she said, "they made my experience in Atlanta so wonderful when it could have been very different."
Over four years, she has also traveled to foreign countries such as Kenya, Cambodia and Borneo doing community development projects.
"I always wanted to give music my full focus but until I took this opportunity, I never had," Crosbie said. "I was working as a nanny and doing music on the side. This is a whole new world to me."
She admires the likes of Billy Joel, Stevie Nicks and Adele. She wants to choose songs in which she can dig into the lyrics and tell a story.
Marietta's Angie Keilhauer and Kennesaw's Peyton Parker are part of Team Blake. She said she didn't know either of the women before joining the show.
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