BriarLunar

These days, Blakley, who performs as Hattiesburg-based electronic artist Briar Lunar, isn't so concerned with mimicking pop radio as she is with turning it on its head. Although relatively new to songwriting, she has already released several collections of recordings in the past two years, including 2015's "The Enlightenment" EP and 2016's "March Badness" EP, as well as a self-produced single, "Love Struck," which she released Aug. 16 on iTunes.

#She says: "I try not to think about, 'Oh, well, I want radio play, so I need to make this more radio-friendly,' or 'I need to not make it a guessing game and make it a song that people know or understand the elements that go into it.' I'm trying to be more true to myself, and I'm working on some tracks right now where it's interesting because I'm kind of finding myself. I want to make it Briar."

#Blakley's quest to find her own sound began shortly after she appeared on NBC's "The Voice" last year. After a successful blind audition with Rihanna's "Take a Bow," she joined Pharrell Williams' team before being eliminated in the battle rounds two weeks later. While she says her experience on the show was a positive one, it made her realize that she didn't want to make a career singing other people's songs.

#Those who know Blakley from "The Voice" might also be surprised to know that she doesn't consider herself an R&B artist as the show presented. Elements of many genres work their way into Briar Lunar tracks, but Blakley describes her work as alternative-electronic music, first and foremost. With that broad category, she says she's free to experiment and follow her creative energy wherever it takes her.

#"The most creative people that I know that are artists, they don't aim to ride all the waves of trends," she says. "It's just whatever they want to do. That's what people know them for. Whatever you do makes you the artist that you are. People go to you to get you. They don't go to someone else. Just being true to who I am is the biggest lesson I've learned."

#Find Briar Lunar on Soundcloud or visit briarlunar.com. - JacksonFreePress

Briar Jonnee
Jonnee is a sophomore broadcast journalism major at the University of Southern Mississippi and she is the youngest of six. The Clarion Ledger writes: She grew to love singing while attending church, but Noxubee County High School didn't offer a music program. Also, sad, but true. So prior to her sophomore year, Jonnee auditioned at the Mississippi School for the Arts in Brookhaven — the same school Miss Mississippi and former American Idol contestant Jasmine Murray attended. Jonnee graduated in 2012 and said the move allowed her to "embrace my musical talent." (Instagram) - Heavy

Shelton thinks Briar Jonnee has what it takes to go all the way.

"I love your vibrato, your voice is so full. I am sure, today, you meant every word you sang up there," Shelton said. "... You look super cute in those skorts, and you're from a small town in Mississippi. You are a country girl ... Please join Team Blake, and let's win this thing." - HattiesburgAmerican