Meet 'The Voice' Artist Whose Second Chance Took Her From Zero to a Four-Chair Turn

When Camryn Brooks first auditioned for The Voice back in Season 21 for coaches Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Ariana Grande and Blake Shelton, not one of them turned their chair for her.

“It was just the most gut-wrenching feeling ever,” Camryn recalled. She was sad, but she figured she would get on with her life. She was 21 and had her whole life before her. Sure, she needed to finish school before she focused full-time on her music career, but then life threw her a huge curveball and she was diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart disease.

“It was really scary because I couldn't get out more than three words at a time,” she said. “I couldn't even really talk without gasping for air. The first thought that came to my mind was: ‘Am I going to be able to sing again?’ In that moment, you just think, ‘Am I going to die? I'm too young to have this happen.’”

Now 24, Camryn has worked nonstop with her doctors on her heart health, and she is well enough to return to The Voice stage for a second chance.

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“I think going through something as scary as that really puts into perspective what matters,” she continued. “You realize you need to fight for what you want. Now three years later I can finish a song, and I can dance a little. I'm just so blessed to even be [back on The Voice].”

And back she is full tilt. This time around Camryn got all four coaches—Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé—to turn for her performance of Maggie Rogers’ “Light On.”

Seeing the results, Camryn told the coaches, “I’m actually crying right now because this is absolutely unreal. I was a contestant on Season 21, and I didn't get any chair to turn.”

“That is so dope,” Snoop said.

And Reba added, “We tell so many contestants if they don't get a chair turn to please come back.”

Camryn added, “I mean, hello, this literal opportunity is so scary, being back for a second time and knowing you're singing in front of the four most amazing musical influences of my lifetime.”

“I’m so glad you're here with us,” Reba reassured her. “That was a wonderful job. You sing so beautifully.”

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“I was the last to turn around,” Michael said, jumping in. “I watched them all go. I have such bad FOMO. I just thought, ‘I'm going to miss out on this.’ Weirdly, my favorite part of your performance was you losing it because that to me is such a human thing.”

“Your voice, your tone, your composure, your stage presence, all that's very important and then to find out that you were here before and you came back,” Snoop said. “We say it all the time when we try to say the right words to make people feel comfortable with coming back, you're the perfect example of that.”

Then he asked Camryn, “When did singing become everything for you?”

“My first-ever gig, I was in the second grade and I came home one day and I was like, ‘I want to learn the national anthem,’” Camryn shared.

That set Michael into a rant about how he wanted to sing the national anthem at hockey games when he was younger, but, of course, he has a different national anthem, “O Canada.” He sang a few bars when Snoop interrupted with lyrics from the U.S. national anthem, “Oh, say can you see,” but Michael continued for a minute, then stopped and said, “Welcome to the big show, Camryn.”

That inspired Camryn to share with him: “While I was at my performing arts school, the only song that I ever sang in order to win money and win competitions was ‘Feeling Good,’ your rendition.”

Michael asked, “So are you saying, it’s me?”

Camryn replied, “I will listen to everybody else, but I had to throw it out there.”

A crestfallen Michael said, “Oh, my God. You’re going to tease me like that? I thought that was the end.”

“She’s a teaser. You’re a teaser,” Gwen said, joining the conversation. “I feel it. I just want to talk to you for a minute. There are so many singers that are good, but there's certain ones that just touch you because of their tone, or just little taste things that they do, or they might remind you of the ‘70s and the singer/songwriters you grew up with, and that's what I was feeling from you. I would listen to that voice on a record. It's round, it's soothing, and it would be really fun to work with you because I feel like we can pick some really cool songs and define who you are. I'd love to have you on Team Gwen.”

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Michael was so impressed with Gwen’s pitch, he said, “I want to be on Team Gwen. You just talked me into it.”

And Snoop agreed, saying, “I'm on Team Gwen. After she said what she said, I'm mad I didn't say it.”

“I just want to work with people that I think I can help at this point, so that's it,” Gwen continued. “But thanks, you guys. I love you guys.”

So who does Camryn pick as her coach?

“I didn't ever envision I was going to get a four-chair turn, so this is literally a dream come true,” she said, “but I think today I'm going to go to Team Gwen.”

A thrilled Gwen said, “I love that Camryn has a singer-songwriter emotional voice. I can hear her on so many of my favorite records.”

The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Streams next day on Peacock.

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