'The Voice' powerhouse Karen Waldrup dishes about childhood, USM days and musical career

It may seem a long way from Mandeville, Louisiana, to the live-audience stage of "The Voice," but Karen Waldrup has been working toward this moment for a long time.

She is one of four girls in the Waldrup family, who spent a lot of time in her childhood playing with her sisters and friends in the neighborhood, a place where kids could roam and parents didn't have to worry.

Waldrup lived in the same house from birth until she went to college. Her parents are still married to this day.

"That allowed me to have a stable childhood," she said. "I was really lucky to grow up in a wholesome environment."

Hattiesburg experience turned Waldrup's life around

She has been singing all her life, but it wasn't until she moved to Hattiesburg to attend university that she began thinking of a career in music.

"I came up playing the guitar and singing in church and singing in the choir at school, doing anything and everything and loving it," Waldrup said. "I never really dreamed it would turn into all of this. Everything really changed for me when I was at the University of Southern Mississippi and started playing at Mugshots. That's really where my life took a huge turn.

"I didn't really know that music could be a career quite like this."

The original Mugshots Grill and Bar on Fourth Street in Hattiesburg was a place where students could hang out and listen to local musicians until the building was destroyed by fire in 2011. Ron Savell, owner and founder of the Mugshots Grill and Bar, which later became a hamburger and sports bar franchise, said he has "fond memories" of Waldrup and her musical partner Elise Thornton Firth performing acoustic sets.

"They went by the name of Karen and Elise," Savell said. "We have thoroughly enjoyed watching and cheering for Karen on this season of 'The Voice.' We are pulling for her and wish her continued success in her career."

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Biology lab led to new friendship, musical experience

Waldrup had been performing on campus at tailgate parties and for her sorority and some of the fraternities. Firth said she and Waldrup met in biology lab, and became friends. Firth began giving Waldrup guitar lessons, but it was when she heard Waldrup sing, Firth knew Waldrup was special.

"She started singing, and I was blown away," Firth said. "She showed me a couple songs she had written, and we just really clicked."

Waldrup soon asked Firth if she wanted to play at Mugshots with her.

"We played regularly for quite a while," Firth said. "We loved playing at Mugshots. That was kind of the start of everything, I think, for her. We played there for a couple of years, almost every night of the week. We both just loved it so much that we found a way to make it work."

Waldrup graduated from Southern Miss with a bachelor's degree in marketing and moved to Nashville, where she got to work building her musical empire, combining both her musical talent and marketing skills.

"I had such an incredible experience at Southern Miss," she said.

Waldrup has been playing music and touring ever since — 12 years of building a career and international fan base. Her business, Waldrup Worldwide, is a welcoming place for fans to visit with her and stay up to date on her music and tours.

"I kinda had no idea it would be like that, and in a blink of an eye, here we are all these years later," Waldrup said.

Time to level up: Enter 'The Voice'

Even though Waldrup has seen a lot of success with her music, she felt it was time to take it to the next level. She decided "The Voice" would be the vehicle that would help her do that.

"I'm loving it," Waldrup said. "It's such a blast."

Country music artists Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, known together as the duo Dan + Shay, became the first double-chair team on "The Voice," now in its 25th season. They also were the first chair to turn for Waldrup during her blind audition. Reba McEntire, now in her second season as a judge on the show, also turned for Waldrup, but was blocked by Dan + Shay.

"It was shocking," Waldrup said. "I did not expect that."

Waldrup went into the show thinking McEntire would be the best judge to work with, but quickly adjusted to working with Team Dan + Shay.

"I just fell into the arms of Dan + Shay, and, man, have we really just had fun and I've learned so much," Waldrup said. "They're such great people, great friends and really great coaches."

She got to work with other celebrity musicians who have coached her through the show, including country artist Keith Urban and rapper/singer Saweetie.

"I work out to hip-hop and R&B," Waldrup said. "I've been working out to (Saweetie's) music. She was so sweet and incredibly helpful."

Waldrup will perform again on "The Voice" in an upcoming episode, after Team Reba and Team Chance's groups have been narrowed down and the top 12 contestants chosen for the live shows, where the audience will vote for their favorite.

To learn more

To join Waldrup Worldwide, visit karenwaldrup.com.

To watch "The Voice," tune in at 7 p.m. Mondays on NBC stations. For more information about the show, visit nbc.com/thevoice.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Karen Waldrup talks Southern Miss, music and The Voice 2024