Reagan Strange returns to Memphis ready to put out new music

Reagan Strange is back in Memphis ready to greet her fans and put out new music in the near future.

“I feel like I’ve learned so much,” said Strange, 14. “I feel like I’m a completely new person as far as a musician.”

Strange was just 13 when she started her journey on the 15th season of NBC's “The Voice,” an experience that included celebrating her birthday and making it into the show’s semifinals.

She also performed in the finale alongside contestants Sarah Grace and Abby Cates.

The Germantown-born singer grabbed headlines early on for being the most-streamed artist on the show and for powerful renditions of “You Say” and “Meant to Be.”

Later, Strange won a Twitter instant save despite being too unwell to perform. Her coach Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5, drew criticism of his support for Strange over another of his team members, DeAndre Nico.

Strange said she wants people to know that she and Nico spoke after the show, “that we’re all OK and we’re all still a great team and all great friends.”

Through her time on “The Voice,” Strange learned to grow a thicker skin, how to interview and about all the hours of work that go into creating just a few minutes of television.

“I think being 14 helped me grow as a person and it helped me grow thicker skin and learn more in a quicker amount of time,” Strange said. “I think being 14 was the perfect time for me to do the show.”

One of Strange’s favorite memories on the show was celebrating her 14th birthday with the other contestants. Her mother put together the party with pizza and balloons, and the contestants sang “Happy Birthday” as other guests in the hotel peeked into the lobby to hear the music.

“They’re all so talented,” Strange said. “It’s really pretty when they sing ‘Happy Birthday.’”

Reagan Strange: A recap of her run to fame on 'The Voice'

On Stage:Watch all Reagan Strange's performances on 'The Voice'

Her time on “The Voice” also included other highlights, Strange said, such as becoming friends with the band and production team or hearing her fans start to call themselves “Strangers.”

“It’s just really cool that people are so supportive of me that they want to make it known that they’re supporting me,” Strange said. “I just want to thank all of Memphis for voting for me and for supporting me even after the show.”

Now that she’s back in the Memphis area, Strange is planning for a meet-and-greet Saturday at the Germantown Performing Arts Center. She hopes to put out an EP next year and also wants to sing around Memphis.

She’s also hoping to visit elementary and middle schools to share about the more difficult parts of the experience and how they helped her grow, she said, something she thinks could help others.

“I’m excited to relax over the holidays and just have a great time with my family and enjoy Christmas with all my friends I didn’t get to see over these last couple of weeks,” Strange said.

Even though she didn’t win, she couldn’t be more thankful for the experience on “The Voice,” Strange said.

Meet-and-Greet with Reagan Strange

• 3-6 p.m. Saturday at the Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter Road, Germantown.
• Bring a new toy or new stuffed animal for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital to get a free headshot for an autograph and a button.

Katherine Burgess covers county government and the suburbs. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.