Boasting a powerfully soulful voice, singer
Brynn Cartelli became the youngest winner of televised singing competition The Voice in 2018. Following her single "Walk My Way" and "Last Night's Mascara," she released her debut EP, 2021's
Based on a True Story.
Born in 2003 in Longmeadow, Massachusetts,
Cartelli sang from a young age, performing in local theater productions and talent shows. The high school athlete even sang the National Anthem at Gillette Stadium in 2016. Two years later, during blind auditions for The Voice, her faithful rendition of
Labrinth's 2013 duet with
Emili Sandé, "Beneath Your Beautiful," convinced coach
Kelly Clarkson to recruit the teenager. During her time on the show,
Cartelli covered hits from
Sia,
Adele, and
Coldplay; sang an outlaw country version of
Taylor Swift's "...Ready for It?" with fellow contestant
Dylan Hartigan; and performed a duet with
Clarkson on
Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over." Her notable spin on
Lady Gaga's "Yoü and I" switched the "Nebraska" lyrics to "New England," a nod to the hometown fans whose votes helped push
Cartelli to the finals. On the show's finale,
Cartelli performed with
Julia Michaels -- who co-penned
Cartelli's original song, "Walk My Way" -- and defeated
Britton Buchanan,
Kyla Jade, and
Spensha Baker to take the Season 14 victory. Her compilation
The Complete Season 14 Collection (Republic/Universal) debuted on the Billboard 200 upon release. Also in 2018, she issued the single "Last Night's Mascara." Her debut EP,
Based on a True Story, arrived in May 2021 and featured collaborations with
Nathan Chapman and
Ben Abraham. ~ Neil Z. Yeung