Born in Space City 30 Years Ago Today, the History-Making Winner of ‘The Voice’ Who Notched Multiple Country Hits

On this day (July 23) in 1996, Danielle Bradberry was born in Houston, Texas. She rose to prominence in 2013 when she won season four of The Voice. Her win brought her coach, Blake Shelton, his third consecutive win. Moreover, she was only 16 years old when she was crowned the season’s big winner. At the time, she was the youngest winner in the show’s history. Bradberry didn’t rest on her laurels after her win, though. Instead, she embarked on a solo career.

Bradberry found her passion for music at a young age. She would come home from school, go into her room, and sing her heart out. However, she wasn’t comfortable singing in front of other people. Finally, her mother suggested that she try out for The Voice. They drove from Cypress, Texas, to Dallas, and she auditioned.

“The Voice was a huge stepping stone for me,” Bradberry said in a 2020 interview. “I had no experience in this industry. I like to call it my boot camp into the industry. It set me up for what I would be getting myself into. It helped me get out of my shell a lot. Blake Shelton helped me be more confident in everything. I truly feel from day one until the end of The Voice, I gained so much confidence,” she explained.

Danielle Bradberry’s Recording Career

A day after winning The Voice, Danielle Bradberry inked a deal with Big Machine Label Group. Then, in November 2013, she released her self-titled debut album. It peaked at No. 5 on the Top Country Albums chart. The LP also landed at No. 19 on the Billboard 200. Her debut single, “Heart of Dixie,” reached No. 12 on the Country Airplay chart and No. 16 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Since then, Bradberry has notched two more top 40 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart. “Sway” reached No. 39 in 2017. Then, “Goodbye Summer,” a collaboration with Thomas Rhett, reached No. 39. Additionally, her sophomore album reached No. 6 on the country chart and No. 41 on the all-genre tally.

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Before releasing her third and most recent album, Danielle, in 2024, Bradberry left Big Machine to be an independent artist.

Featured Image by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

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