Shelby Brown, 17, of Elberta has surprised judges during her blind audition, turning all four judges’ chairs, and beat her competition during last week’s battle round on NBC’s “The Voice.” Baldwin County — and America — is waiting to see what she’ll do next.

“My dad used to sing a little bit, so I’ve always watched him do it,” Shelby says. “I performed in the talent show in second grade and got second place. I really didn’t start singing a lot until I was 11 when I started singing karaoke.”

Shelby and her family happened to be at the bowling alley, The Gulf Bowl one Friday night. She told her parents she was going to go sign up to sing.

“The guy running the karaoke came up to my mom and asked if she knew I could sing like that,” Shelby says, laughing.

And that’s how it all began.

Shelby knew she was pigeonholed and consumed with school, she couldn’t expand her music career attending public school.

“I kept bringing up homeschooling and I found out about a program, the virtual school,” She says. “It was a better avenue and I was part of it the next year.”

Unlike homeschooling, parents don’t have to take time to teach their students of the virtual school. Everything is online.

“Because of the classes all online, I was able to go to open call auditions,” Shelby says. “I did all my school work traveling. The school is extremely flexible. I’m only taking one class right now, so I’m able to focus on classes and my shows and not become overwhelmed.”

Shelby will graduate spring of 2016.

She wasn’t originally planning to audition this year for “The Voice,” but a hunch from her dad was all she needed.

“I auditioned for an open call a few years ago,” she says. “I thought, ‘Why not?’ It was close and I wanted to go to Nashville. About three days before the auditions this year, my dad told me he had a gut feeling that I should audition this year.”

And they were on their way to Atlanta.

“I don’t regret it at all and now I listen to my dad,” Shelby says, laughing.

After a long process of several auditions, waiting and wondering what the next day held, Shelby moved to the final round of auditions.

“I got to tell my mom on her birthday I was going to the blind auditions; that was pretty cool,” Shelby says.

At the blind auditions, Shelby’s turn was up and she stunned America and all four judges. Although she enjoys country music, Shelby made a surprising choice after her audition: Adam Levine.

So why did Shelby choose Adam’s team? All the judges turned around during her blind audition performance. It couldn’t have been an easy decision.

“Even in my interview leading up to my auditions, I wanted to work with Blake,” she says. “That was my mindset the entire time.”

And Blake was the first judge to turn around.

“Listening to Adam, he cared more about my talent and what I could do with my talent,” Shelby says. “He was more passionate about working with me. I also didn’t want to get lost in that shuffle with all the country music singers, either.”

From singing country music to a pop judge’s team is a challenge, but Shelby’s musical inspirations come from across the board.

“I draw a lot from a lot of different people,” she says. “I write my own music, and that’s a bit of Miranda (Lambert). When I perform, I draw from Dolly (Parton) and Reba (McEntire), with that sassy aspect. I’ve even had comparisons of Carrie Underwood while I’m performing. I like a lot of rock music, even Grace Potter.”

After her Oct. 20 performance at the fourth rounds of battle performances, Shelby was chosen by Adam as the battle round winner. Singing a duet of “Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks, proved to be a true test for Shelby, but she walked away a winner.

Now on to the knockout rounds.

Catch “The Voice” on NBC, 7 p.m. Monday and 8 p.m. Tuesday nights.