Ruidoso Native Tawnya Reynolds makes it onto ‘The Voice’- Scores Slot on Team Shakira

The fourth season of The Voice got underway this week. I was one of the millions watching, and not just because I have a man crush on Adam Levine or because I don’t have cable and my channel choices are very limited. I genuinely like the show.

This season will be a bit more interesting for Boderland fans, especially those in Southern New Mexico, because this season a native New Mexican has a chance of winning the $100,000 grand prize and a record deal. She’s 32 year-old Tawnya Reynolds Wright, born and raised in Ruidoso where her family still lives.

Her twangy performance of the Willie Nelson classic “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys” on Tuesday’s televised “blind auditions” earned her a three-chair turn from coaches Shakira, Usher and Adam Levine. All of them wanted her on their team in a bad way, Usher especially, but in the end Shakira’s use of her secret weapon – an English to Country Dictionary -- and Tawnya’s desire to “try something new” got her a slot on Team Shakira.

Tawnya will be back on your TV screen after a few more blind audition episodes, and then we’ll see if choosing Shakira was the right decision. I would’ve gone with Adam but that’s probably just the man crush talking!

Oh, and if, like me, you’re curious why Blake Shelton did turn his chair – arguably the most logical choice given Tawnya’s sound – Tawnya explains in this video.