Karen Waldrup, 36

Team Dan + Shay

Hometown: Mandeville, LA

Resident: Nashville, TN

Karen’s passion for singing earned her a scholarship for the orchestra choir at the University of Southern Mississippi, leading to local popularity through performances at parties, football games and bars. Her viral cover videos have gained more than 437 million views, propelling her to amass over a million followers. She has released singles, an EP and album, with one single featured in Rolling Stone’s “Top 10 Country Songs of the Week.” Her music videos also have been showcased on CMT. Karen values personal connections through music and later collaborated with World War II D-Day veteran Jim Martin on a record called “Normandy.” The record received recognition from Fox News and military outlets. In her downtime, Karen enjoys scuba diving and engages in charitable work, including collaborations with Mission of Hope in Haiti.

Song: “Heart Like A Truck” by Lainey Wilson

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ4grlXy5J8

Tae Lewis, 31

Team Dan + Shay

Hometown: Goldsboro, NC

Resident: Nashville, TN

Tae is no stranger to struggle. Deciding to go against his gospel upbringing and follow his country dreams, he ventured off to various cities trying to break out. Constantly getting denied for gigs, Tae says people were confused by a Black country artist. At one point, he found himself homeless and living out of his car for six months. However, his fortunes turned when he connected with the Black Opry and started to make a name for himself. He has gained recognition, appearing on CMT and securing a placement on the show “Shameless.” Tae has also found success as a shoe stylist, leveraging his love for vintage country fashion. He has since sold hundreds of cowboy boots and admittedly grown his collection. Coming from a family of pastors, Tae initially pursued gospel music but found a deep connection to country music. He hopes to impress his father and prove his success.

Song: “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” by Randy Houser

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhqe0j4KC9Y

Madison Curbelo, 21

Team Dan + Shay

Hometown: Westfield, MA

Resident: Westfield, MA

Madison auditioned for Season 20, which was a life-changing experience. At the time, she was a freshman at Berklee College of Music. Disappointed by not receiving a chair turn, Madison left the stage alone as her parents could not attend due to the early stages of the pandemic. After being advised by Blake to gain more experience, she took that to heart and continued to sing at various venues. Madison now feels more confident, supported by her parents and armed with years of gigging experience. She graduated college and remains dedicated to her music, finding her own style and sharing her music online. She has worked as a drama director, given private music lessons and taught musical theater to support herself financially.

Song: “Landslide” by Stevie Nicks

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EScgi9E2j9g

Zoe Levert, 20

Team Legend

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Resident: Baton Rouge, LA

Zoe grew up in a constantly moving environment due to her father’s pastoral role, and music became a solace for her.  She began playing piano by ear and gained popularity on social media for her rewrites and Taylor Swift covers, with one video reaching over 5 million views. Zoe is also a prolific songwriter with more than 200 original songs, drawing inspiration from her personal life and faith. Recently, she started performing her own music at local restaurants. Her fiancé, Ryan, is a supportive partner and fellow musician. Together, they navigate their roles as full-time students and aspiring musicians, and prepare for their upcoming wedding. They enjoy exploring the vibrant music scene and savoring the culinary delights of New Orleans during their date nights.

Song: “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjsCrlgDyjM

Nathan Chester, 27

Team Legend

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Resident: Nashville, TN

Nathan was raised by his single mother since he was 3 years old and didn’t see much of his father as he grew up. Despite the sporadic presence of his father in his life and the delayed introduction to his half-siblings on his father’s side, Nathan has worked extremely hard to maintain connections with his entire family. His interest in playing the guitar and singing was ignited by his brother, Michael, during his childhood and in high school, his best friend introduced him to musical theater as his love for performing grew. Nathan now earns a living as a professional singer on cruise ships, allowing him to travel to countries worldwide. Fate happened when Nathan met his partner, Emily, while they were both working on the same cruise. Destiny reunited them on the same cruise ship two years later, sparking a romance between them. They now aspire to expand their business by creating multiple shows tailored for cruise lines.

Song: “Oh! Darling” by The Beatles

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s4-deWdjUI

Bryan Olesen, 49

Team Legend

Hometown: Hartford, CT

Resident: Lincoln, NE

Bryan’s path to pursuing his musical dreams involved various odd jobs before receiving an unexpected call to join the rock band Newsboys as their guitarist for an international tour. He later shifted his focus to his own band, VOTA, using their music to connect with and support various causes, including school shooting victims and fighting against human trafficking. The band took action by recording albums to support the organization’s campaign and through their efforts, they helped raise over $180,000 to build border ports in Nepal and save the lives of nearly 700 women. Despite facing a challenging divorce after 24 years of marriage, Bryan embraced it as a turning point in his life. He sees it as an opportunity to make a difference at almost 50 years old with newfound freedom and determination.

Song: “Africa” by Toto

Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfYMtKRh7k4