Stanwood singer is paired with Kelly Clarkson on ‘The Voice’

STANWOOD — A 26-year-old indie rocker from Stanwood had two big name artists vying for her on NBC’s “The Voice” Monday.

Savanna Woods chose Kelly Clarkson, who praised her “creepy vibe” in front of some 8 million viewers.

Woods, 26, sang “Zombie” by The Cranberries in the blind audition segment during which singers choose a coach in hopes of landing a recording contract.

“I think you’re cool as hell,” Clarkson told her. “For me, what just happened is that Patty Griffin and Nirvana had a baby, and I really liked it in my head.”

Celebrity coaches are Clarkson, John Legend, pop star Nick Jonas and country musician Blake Shelton on the season that started March 1.

In blind auditions, coaches face away from contestants. They press a button to rotate their tricked-out electronic chairs if they like what they hear. If more than one coach presses the button, the contestant chooses the coach to work with. No turns and the singer is eliminated.

Woods, playing guitar as she sang, scored a two-chair turn. Jonas turned around seconds into the song. Clarkson waited until the final seconds. The two battled it out for her affection.

“Your tone is incredible,” Jonas said in his flattering pitch. “I was able to really feel that you had something to say.”

The two coaches who didn’t turn around also said nice things.

“I hear your confidence,” said Legend, who is married to Snohomish High School graduate Chrissy Teigen. “I particularly love the moments when you were wailing and hitting those notes with so much electricity and edge in your voice.”

Shelton called her “laid back,” to which she replied, “Yeah, baby!”

The show cut to her family, watching live from their hometown of Stanwood, as she performed. Woods has five siblings, two of which are adopted foster children. Her parents have fostered over 20 children.

Woods grew up singing with her sisters and her dad, Stewart. Her mother, Lacey, told how she started writing songs as a toddler, and her dad said one was about a toaster.

Her mom, who has muscular dystrophy, tapped her hands along the music.

“Watching my mom deal with her illness has taught me to take each moment and live it to the fullest,” Woods said.

Wood Sisters is one of two bands she fronts. The other is Waking Maya. “The Voice” was by far her largest audience to date.

She has traveled to over 25 countries, doing a “Wondering Wednesday” livestream series with songs worldwide.

“It kind of started pushing me out of my shell,” she said.

She certainly wasn’t shy on “The Voice” as she belted “Zombie” with rasp and charm.

Woods is the second Snohomish County singer to perform this year on a national TV music competition show. Benson Boone, 18, of Monroe, received the golden ticket to advance on the February season premiere of “American Idol.”

Clarkson rose to fame for winning the first season of “American Idol” in 2002.

Woods has never had performance or vocal coaching.

“Kelly can work with me, honing in my style and also that control and softness,” she said on the show. “When Kelly said I had a creepy vibe, I loved it.”

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.