Who Are The Dryes? Five Things To Know About The Season 22 ‘The Voice’ Contestants 

Katelyn and Derek Dryes, the husband-and-wife duo known as The Dryes, are making their national TV debut with their audition for Season 22 of The Voice. 

Ahead of the show’s broadcast on Monday (Sept. 26), they took to social media to share a teaser of their on-stage moment in front of judges Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Camila Cabello. The video showcases a brief conversation with Shelton, who made a hilarious comment about their name. 

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“That’s way better than The Moists, or The Wets,” he joked. 

The caption of their post read, “Well… this is a first @blakeshelton. 🤣”

The North Carolina natives first broke the news about their audition on Instagram as their excitement for taking this step to further their career beamed through their words.

“NEWS is OUT! We did a thing… 🤠🕺🏼💃🏼 Tune in on @nbcthevoice to see how that thing turns out! We are thankful for this opportunity,” they said. 

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Their journey to follow their musical dreams began in their hometown of Winston-Salem, N.C., in 2008. Since then, they have racked up nine singles, a holiday cover of “White Christmas” and an EP titled, Vol. 1.

Their powerful 2018 single, “War,” is their most successful single to date as it has garnered over 6 million streams. It also bears an extremely personal meaning for Derek, who lost his mom to suicide when he was still a baby.

“We take those painful moments and put them in a song to hopefully inspire someone else going through the same thing,” Katelyn previously told People. “That’s what we did on our single ‘War’ a few years back. We took the heartache Derek obviously still felt over the loss of his mom and in doing so, it was like a rebirth for him, and in a way, for the both of us.”

Music has and always will be an outlet for Katelyn and Derek to express themselves through the best and worst parts of life. Ahead of their journey that’s just beginning on The Voice, here are five fun facts about The Dryes.

Last Year, They Celebrated 10 Years Of Marriage

Music is what first brought Derek and Katelyn together. She was singing in the church choir when Derek walked in and instantly stole her heart. They have both recalled telling their friends and family members that they had found the person they would spend the rest of their lives with after just one date. Their love story continues to shine through their songs like “Yes” and “Amen.”

Before They Were A Duo, They Each Pursued Solo Careers

After graduating from UNC Greensboro where he studied music, Derek returned home to live with his grandparents. There, he played music at The Bridge Church. At the same time, Katelyn was already accustomed to singing in the church choir. Their voices are what drew them to each other so it only made sense to start creating music together when they were still living in North Carolina. Their combined talents have carried them to the current stage of their career as a powerful duo.

The Dryes Have A Dolly-Inspired Song Titled, “Dolly Would”

This single, which was No. 1 for six weeks in a row on CMT music 12 pack countdown, encompasses everything that Dolly Parton represents. The song is uplifting, bold, and holds a whole lot of that classic country twang that strongly reflects the tune of the country music legend. Last year, The Dryes got the opportunity to show off “Dolly Would” in a live performance at Parton’s theme park, Dollywood.

The Couple Traded In Their Apartment For A Home In Whites Creek, Tennessee

After feeling constrained to their a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, no backyard apartment over quarantine, the North Carolina natives knew they needed to find more space. So, they opted for a one-acre plot of land in Whites Creek, TN, a small, quaint neighborhood north of Nashville. With the help of the donations that fans kindly sent in during their livestream performances over the pandemic, the couple was able to get a loan for their home and start a new chapter of their lives together.

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They Manifested Their New Home With Their Song, “Whites Creek”

Co-penned by Derek and Katelyn alongside fellow songwriter Sarah Reeves, “Whites Creek” is their reminder of the appreciation they have for getting to live in this town with a home that has a front and back porch. The interesting part is, this song was written during the pandemic, before they had even decided on where to live. At the time, they were simply reflecting on a place that they felt peace and comfort in, which was Whites Creek. The story thickens because on the day they went into the studio to record this track, they found out they had been approved for the load, confirming their feelings that everything was happening for a reason.

Fans can follow The Dryes on Instagram.