Rock Hill High grad optimistic after appearance on NBC's 'The Voice'

Teresa Guidry, the former Rock Hill resident who two weeks ago stepped into the national spotlight on NBC’s “The Voice,” is heading home.

Guidry, 22, was eliminated from the reality TV singing competition during Monday night’s episode. Guidry’s elimination came during the show’s “battle” round in which team members are paired up to sing a song together so the coaches can pare down their teams for the “knockout” round.

Guidry’s coach, country superstar Blake Shelton, chose Angie Keilhauer after the two women sang Sara Evans’ “Backseat of a Greyhound Bus.”

“It was very hard because you’re up on stage and then all of a sudden you realize you’re going home,” Guidry said of the moment she was eliminated. “I went through every possible scenario in my head of what could have been, and there’s no point, honestly, in thinking like that.”

While the show aired full performances and portions of rehearsals for some contestants, Guidry expressed disappointment that only a few seconds of their performance made the final cut for Monday’s show. Her blind audition received a similar amount of airtime two weeks ago.

“Ten months of my life – two montages on the show,” she said. “It wasn’t ideal, but it’s something you have to learn from. It was a learning experience.”

The disappointment doesn’t overshadow her experience, Guidry said. She grew up in Rock Hill and now lives in Nashville, Tenn. She said she is thankful for the opportunity and the support she received, particularly in Rock Hill.

Guidry said after Shelton made his decision, she stepped off the stage and hugged him.

“He gave me a big hug and was like, ‘Maybe I’ll see you down the road in Nashville,’” she recalled.

In addition to the opportunities created by her time on the show, Guidry said she’s also taking a number of friendships with her going forward.

“You get so close to the contestants. They become like your best friends,” she said. “It’s been such a wild journey.”

The 2012 Rock Hill High School graduate says she’s now focusing on completing an extended play, which she expects to release in the next few months.

Guidry on Tuesday was on her way back to Rock Hill, where she plans to speak with students at the schools she attended growing up. She’ll be at Ebenezer Avenue Elementary School on Wednesday and Sullivan Middle School on Thursday, where she’ll talk with students about pursuing their goals and also perform for them.

“Sometimes you hit a bump in the road,” she said. “It’s not the end.”

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Rock Hill High grad optimistic after appearance on NBC's 'The Voice'."