KILLEEN, Texas — Killeen native Rose Short always wanted sing on a national stage, but for years her voice was hidden.
She worked eight years at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit prison in Gatesville. Short said the job taught her to have confidence.
“Working at the prison will definitely test your confidence. You’ll have a day when you are walking and they will just call you a name out of nowhere,” Short said.
Short performed in plays in the Killeen area but struggled with the decision to pursue a singing career for a long time. Short told 6 News she took a leap of faith a year ago.
"God told me to quit. I quit my job, not having another job. I balanced out my money for a whole year," Short said.
She soon got regular singing gigs at local bars and clubs but was hesitant of taking part in any singing competitions. That's when her friend, Taundra Shaw, stepped in. Shaw told her to audition for "The Voice", but she refused.
"She didn't want to do it. She tried to fight me and said, 'No,'" Shaw said. "There was an audition in Austin. She gave me every excuse."
Shaw didn't give up and she found Short another audition for "The Voice" in Miami and encouraged her to go a second time. Short finally agreed.
"It kind of can be a confidence killer. You are standing in front of somebody who is going to tell you whether you are worthy of this opportunity," Short said. "I was on the fence."
Short went to the audition, gave it her all, and got a spot on the show. Soon afterward, she was stepping out on the stage of "The Voice."
"It was nothing short of amazing. It was terrifying. It was nerve-wracking. It was exhilarating," Short said. "Once I got on that stage, I was like, 'It's go time. I have to do this.'"
"The Voice" judge, Kelly Clarkson, was the first to turn her chair and soon after came Gwen Stefani. Short said her choice was clear.
"What I love about Gwen Stefani is she is just her own person," Short said. "She's not just relying on her voice, everything is just larger than life with her."
Stefani told Short after the performance, "The way that you started was so low and controlled, giving us a little bit at a time was really tasteful. I thought you were just really connecting to the lyrics."
Short said she couldn't really talk about the competition or what she is thinking of singing in the future. Short did say why she is singing.
"I really want to be that vessel to pull somebody out of a situation that they never though they could get out of because that's what music has done for me," Short said.
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