Houston native Desz continues to shine brightly on Season 19 of “The Voice,” advancing to the finals and leading many to believe she’ll take home the crown.
“I just feel super excited to be advancing to the next round,” Desz said. “It’s a surreal experience to be in the middle of a pandemic and still be able to live out your dream and showcase your talents to the world. I feel incredible right now.”
One of the standout artists this season, Desz is on on Team Kelly. The 30-year-old singer turned all four chairs with her rendition of Toni Braxton’s “Un-break My Heart” in the blind auditions.
Here are five facts about the fan favorite.
1. Desz lost her mother when she was 11 years old.
Desz’s mother encouraged her to sing when she was a kid. Sadly, when Desz was 11 years old, her mother passed away of a heart attack and aneurysm. She had previously asked Desz to sing at her funeral, which she did. It was her first public performance.
“It was the most nerve-racking, the most uncomfortable situation I could ever be put in, and I would never wish that on anyone,” Desz said in an interview. “But I did it because I wanted to honor her. It helped me, and every time I get onstage, it is a piercing feeling that I get. This is where I need to be. There has never been anything else I have ever been sure of besides being onstage with a microphone.”
2. She performs with Kanye West’s choir.
Last year, Desz decided to pursue her dreams by moving to Los Angeles. She ended up auditioning to perform with Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir at Coachella, and she got the gig. That turned into a longer job, as she toured with the choir and was featured on the Jesus Is Born album.
3. Desz is a classically trained singer.
In a 2019 interview with Heavy Rotation, Desz shared that she’s classically trained, and that she loved to sing opera music before she started performing R&B. She attended Prairie View A&M University. It was during her time in school that Desz took a music tech class and performed at open mics. She became more interested in producing her own music.
“The combination of the two sparked a desire in me to not only be a talented lover of music but to be a participant in developing my own creations,” she said in an interview.
4. She likes to listen to loud music before performing.
Desz said her favorite ritual before she sings is to listen to “extremely loud music.” For example, sometimes she’ll listen to Phantom of the Opera.
“It’s so loud in my ears, and I’ll just be sitting there,” she said. “It’s something about the loud music in my ear that takes the nervousness and the adrenaline out of my body.” She said she’ll go on stage and “become a thunderstorm.”
5. Desz is working on original music.
Last year, Desz released an original single called “Touch.” You can listen to it above. Earlier this year, she shared that she had been working on music during the pandemic.
“I love to really vibe out by myself and write and create tracks and I was given all the time I needed to do so,” she said, adding that she did miss collaborating in person. She said she’s working on an EP.
Desz is one of two local competitors taking on “The Voice” stage this season. Rosenberg native, John Holiday, is also still in competition (for Team Legend) after advancing to the finals.