COTTLEVILLE, Missouri — NBC's "The Voice" returned with a new season this week and a 16-year-old girl from Foley, Missouri, is already making waves.
Ruby Leigh performed for the judges on Tuesday as the blind auditions continued. The teen's yodeling skills turned all four chairs and Leigh chose country legend Reba McEntire as her vocal coach.
"I'm just a huge fan of all of them, which is so true. It was really hard for me to pick but in the back of my mind, I knew who I had to go with," she said about her choice.
She's still trying to soak in the reality of what happened, saying it's such a shock. She's still trying to process everything.
Since the show-stopping performance, her TikTok soared from 300 followers to more than 35,000.
"My phone's going crazy. I've got so many notifications. It's amazing. I love it. I'm trying to respond to everybody," she said.
The teen has been singing since she was 9 years old.
"I'm a self-taught singer. I don't come from a musical family or anything. I love rock music. I love blues. I love jazz ... I've learned how to sing all those genres and do them different ways but make them my own," she said.
5 On Your Side asked if fans should expect her to tap into those other genres this season or if she will stick with the country genre.
"I wouldn't say expect only country. I'd say expect anything because you never know," she said.
One thing's for certain, she's got the eyes of the world watching closely and her hometown Missouri team cheering her on.
Before Leigh's TV debut, excitement built at JP's Hideout Bar and Grill in Cottleville, Missouri. Family and fans of the 16-year-old from Foley packed inside on both Monday and Tuesday, eager to learn if their favorite Missouri performer would get picked for the show.
"I would like to say I love you ... I really appreciate the love and this won't be the last you see of me," Leigh said with a smile.
Winfield Mayor Dawn Garver had only good things to say about Leigh.
“She is an amazing young lady with an amazing voice," Garver said. "I have seen her perform in multiple locations/venues. I wish the very best for Ruby and will be watching her on 'The Voice' with the rest of her fans."
Garver said Leigh performed at the city's Celebrate Winfield event in 2022.
5 On Your Side sat down with Leigh on Wednesday. You can watch the interview in its entirety here:
Watch her full audition here:
On the Illinois side of the river, 2020 Waterloo High School graduate Eli Ward will also get a shot to make a chair turn. His performance will air in October.