THE VOICE -- Season: 17 -- Contestant Gallery -- Pictured: Cali Wilson -- (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)

A singer from Salem has advanced on NBC’s The Voice. Cali Wilson won her first battle on the show singing a duet of Kelsea Ballerini’s Miss Me More with teammate EllieMae. Coach Blake Shelton selected Wilson as the winner.

Wilson’s passion for music was found through her mother Carla who was a singer, single mom and nurse. Cali Wilson grew up performing in talent shows with music as an outlet, but gave it up when she realized she’s gay and felt she couldn’t be herself. At 15, she picked up her mom’s guitar and started songwriting as an escape. Twenty-eight-year-old Wilson moved to Nashville after college to pursue music and now works as a gym manager and kickboxing instructor.