Clearwater singer advances after impressing 'The Voice' judges

Juliet Simms, an indie rocker from Clearwater, wowed the audience and had the judges fighting over her Sunday night on NBC's "The Voice."

Simms, 25, whose gritty voice and rocker style draws inspiration from David Bowie, Janis Joplin and Dashboard Confessional, says she has been pursuing music as a career since she was a teenager.

"I feel music is the most beautiful thing in the entire world, and it is what I was born to do," she said.

On the reality show, judges only hear the contestant's voice during auditions and hit a button to turn their chair toward the singer if they want that person on their team.

On Sunday, judges Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera each turned their chairs as Simms sang "Oh, Darling." At one point in the song, Simms dropped to her knees with emotion.

Only country star Blake Shelton didn't turn his chair.

Because more than one judge selected Simms, picking a mentor became her choice, and each judge made their best case with a war of words between Levine and Aguilera.

"Adam is going to give you a sales pitch. 'I'm Adam Levine and I'm going to sell you a car,' " Aguilera said.

Levine countered: "Christina Aguilera is one of the best singers on earth but I can assure you she is not one of the best coaches."

What everyone did agree on was how impressive Simms was.

"The dirt in your voice is incredible," Levine said.

Noting the audience's overwhelming reaction, Aguilera said, "You obviously brought the house down."

Green got personal when he told Simms: "I am so thorough impressed and in awe. … You turn me on."

Simms, who said she was "humbled" by the judges, picked Green as a mentor.

"The coaches are accepting me for who I am," she said. "That is the first time I've been loved for who I am."

When the team selections are complete, judges will mentor singers through live performances, and viewers will vote to push those they like to the next round.