'I love you already.' Dickson singer impresses Niall Horan, Kelly Clarkson on 'The Voice.'

Laura Littleton ignited the crowd, passionately hitting high notes in front of millions of “The Voice” viewers. Country stars and show judges Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton were playfully squabbling after she “blocked” Shelton from picking Littleton. 

Littleton’s parents, Bill and Tina Littleton, were watching nearby for the televised audition, which aired March 13. Bill, a lifelong local personality and owner of Bill’s Tires in Downtown Dickson, displayed a huge smile. No small feat. 

After Littleton, 26, finished Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times,” the judges asked about her background. 

“I’m from Dickson, Tennessee!,” Littleton exclaimed, fist pumping.

Niall Horan, former member of European boy band One Direction alongside Harry Styles, is a first-time judge this season. 

“I love you already,” Horan said. 

Clarkson tried to persuade Littleton to join her team. 

“I love your energy. I feel like you match mine,” Clarkson said. 

Bluegrass beginnings 

How did Littleton find herself on “The Voice” stage with millions watching, including seemingly half Dickson County? 

It started when Littleton was a kid, playing like children do at her dad’s locally-famous tire shop.

Bill would be playing with his bluegrass band. 

“I grew up stopping in to sing part of a song. And then I would go and play,” Littleton said. “Then I would come back in and then sing another song. (Music) was always something I was around.” 

Littleton insists her sister can sing despite her sibling’s denials. The only times Littleton recalls hearing her mom, Tina, sing are painful memories – but not in the way you might think. 

"(Tina) used to sing this song in the morning before school,” said Littleton, laughing. “Basically, like: Get up for school. It’s time to get up for school. Nothing good is associated with it.” 

Online tryout on a whim 

Littleton, who attends and sings at Dickson Cross Point Church, prayed in the days before her virtual audition for “The Voice.” She wasn’t thinking about the show or the tryout. 

“I had never felt a super big connection to my gifting, to my voice,” Littleton said. “So, I was praying, ‘Lord, you gave me this gift. And it’s amazing. Would you give me the desire to use it?’” 

“I said, ‘I will walk through whatever door you open,’” she added. 

A few days later, a friend encouraged Littleton to try out. 

“I said, ‘OK, God. I am going to walk through that door,’” Littleton said. 

About that Clarkson vs. Shelton moment…

Being judged by famous musicians while performing live on stage could have been stressful. 

Littleton’s feeling at the moment, though, was simple joy. 

“When I was up on that stage, I was totally only on that stage,” Littleton said. “There was no fear of what it was going to turn into or where it was going to lead. I was so freed up and I was having so much fun.” 

The judges raved about Littleton’s voice working in various musical genres and her high energy. Clarkson and Haron tried to convince Littleton to join their individual teams since Shelton was blocked as an option. Chance the Rapper wasn’t in contention. Still, Littleton took time to praise him. 

“The way your heart is shown through what you do, affects somebody you’ve never met,” said Littleton, pointing at herself. 

“You are incredibly kind,” Chance said. “Can I have a hug?” 

Dickson rallies for Littleton

In the hours leading up to Littleton’s performance, which had been recorded earlier, Dickson residents’ social media was promoting the show. After Littleton’s performance – and her heartfelt messages to all the judges – the Dickson love really started flowing. 

“It’s the coolest thing in the world when you have a talent and people are so quick to speak into it and so quick to encourage you in it,” Littleton said. “What’s even cooler is the first thing that people said to me after my audition wasn’t about my talent…it was about my character.” 

“If I could pick for somebody to have gotten something out of that performance, it would have been not that they saw a good singer or saw a good performer, but that they left with something that left a mark on their lives,” Littleton added. “And that’s something that seems to be a recurring theme with what people were messaging me. It was mind blowing.” 

What's next?

Littleton ultimately chose to team with Horan and the two hugged on stage. Next up are the Battle Rounds when the four coaches develop their team of artists. Two team members sing the same song together with the artists vying for their coach's confidence and decision to take them to the next round.

Littleton, who is the first Dickson County resident to compete on the show since Red Marlow five years ago, wants to see how far her voice can take her after years focused primarily on her popular photography business.

The battle rounds begin March 27. "The Voice" airs Mondays at 7 p.m. and Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC.

More:Kelly Clarkson loses 'incredible' singer on 'The Voice' to Niall Horan after blocking Blake Shelton