Another singer with suburban ties advances on 'The Voice'

Riley Biederer started out singing on YouTube, but now, she's singing on national television.

Biederer, 19, a former Vernon Hills resident, was recently chosen for Pharrell's team on NBC's "The Voice."

St. Charles resident Jeffery Austin and Mount Prospect native Hanna Ashbrook also made the cut in the first round.

Biederer moved to Atlanta when she was 2, but most of her family remains in the Chicago suburbs, said her father, Frank Biederer.

She started writing her own songs and posting them on YouTube when she was 14 or 15. Elton John's management company discovered her online, and hired her as a songwriter while she was still in high school.

"That was a big moment when I was, like, maybe I can do this," she said.

"The Voice" asked her to audition for the past few seasons, but she turned them down, not feeling ready. This year, she was.

Biederer's powerful, soulful voice grabbed Pharrell's attention. He described her singing as "so in the pocket every time."

She's written 250 songs, some of which she hopes to put on a new album. But her first order of business is winning "The Voice."

"I think I have a really good chance. I've been doing this a long time, and experience is always good. On the other hand, I've never been around this many insanely talented people," she said. "Either way, it's going to be amazing."