Who will perform at iHeart’s Jingle Ball Village, get mentored by Grammy Winners and Win $10,000? You decide!
Audra McLaughlin
Must be in the top 10 in their group to advance to the next round.
Voting for this round ends on November 1, 2026 at 10:00 PM EST
About Audra McLaughlin
Nashville-based country-soul artist Audra McLaughlin earned a 4-chair turn and Top 6 finish on NBC’s The Voice. A 2025 Josie Award winner, Audra blends powerhouse vocals, grit and soul into music rooted in real stories and connection.
Performances & Content from Audra McLaughlin
Hate Being Me
Black Velvet
Angel From Montgomery
A Broken Wing
I can’t stand the rain
Learn More About Audra McLaughlin
What makes you the Next Music Star?
I’ve spent my life chasing music because it’s the one thing I’ve never been able to walk away from. From earning a four-chair turn and making the Top 6 on Season 6 of The Voice to building a career as an independent artist in Nashville, I’ve experienced the highs, the setbacks, and everything in between. Every chapter has made me a stronger artist and songwriter. My music comes from real life, and I’m not afraid to be vulnerable, soulful, or a little rough around the edges. I believe the next music star isn’t just someone with a great voice—it’s someone people can see themselves in. I want people to hear my music and feel understood, less alone, and maybe a little stronger than they did before.
What do you love about music and performing?
Music has always been the place where I feel most like myself. There’s nothing like stepping onstage, singing something from the heart, and watching a room full of strangers connect to it. For a few minutes, whatever everyone is carrying disappears and we’re all experiencing the same thing together. That connection is what I love most. I’ve performed on huge stages and in small rooms, and I’ve learned that the size of the crowd doesn’t matter nearly as much as making somebody feel something. Music has carried me through some of the hardest and happiest moments of my life, and being able to give that feeling back to other people is why I keep doing this.
Who are your biggest music inspirations and dream collaborators?
My biggest inspirations are artists who have unmistakable voices and aren’t afraid to tell the truth—Bonnie Raitt, Chris Stapleton, Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, and artists who blend soul, country, blues, and rock without worrying about fitting perfectly into one box. I’ve always been drawn to singers who can make you believe every word they’re singing. A dream collaboration would absolutely be Chris Stapleton. I’d love to create something soulful, raw, and timeless with him. Dolly Parton would be another dream—not only because of the artist and songwriter she is, but because of the person she is and the impact she’s made far beyond music.
What would you do with the $10,000 Grand Prize?
would put the $10,000 directly back into my music and use it to take the next step in my career as an independent artist. Recording great music is only part of the equation—there are production costs, musicians, mixing, mastering, photography, video content, marketing, and promotion that go into giving a song the chance it deserves. I’ve invested so much of myself into building this career, and this prize would allow me to release new music at the level I know it deserves. More than anything, I’d use it to keep creating, reach a bigger audience, and turn years of hard work into something sustainable. I don’t see $10,000 as money to spend—I see it as an investment in the career I’ve been building my entire life.
Vote for Audra McLaughlin
Participation supports Musicians On Call, a 501(c)(3) charity, which brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments.
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