With the battle rounds of The Voice beginning tomorrow night on NBC, I still can’t help but think the judges made a huge mistake during the blind auditions when not one chair turned around for Dez Duron.

The at-home audience had the double benefit of seeing the Shreveport, Louisiana native’s CW-worthy good looks as well as hearing him sing, but Adam, Cee Lo, Christina, and Blake were seemingly oblivious to the audibly positive reaction Duron received. And though the show’s called The Voice, the foursome have occasionally commented upon the crowd’s favorable response to an audition, so it’s a factor they aren’t totally successful at tuning out.

Unfortunately, competing on The Voice wasn’t in the cards for Duron, but the 21-year-old is taking the experience in stride. He definitely gained more than a few new fans as a result, and even saw his name become a trending topic on Twitter. Duron’s decided to take another semester off from Yale (where he’s also quarterback for the Bulldogs), and pursue his musical dreams in Los Angeles.

A few days ago, Duron was inspired to post a new cover song performance to YouTube, mashing up a pair of #1 hits that are all about perserverance in the face of personal obstacles: Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” and Katy Perry’s “Part Of Me.”

“I said in an earlier video that I wanted my music to encourage y’all just like all of you encourage me,” Duron says in a note accompanying the video. “I felt like these two songs were the perfect opportunity. I love their messages. Whatever you are going through, keep pushing! Everything happens for a reason and you are gonna be better for it! I love y’all and I hope y’all love this video!”

Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and Dez Duron — what’s not to love?

Free download of Dez Duron – “Stronger Part Of Me” (Kelly Clarkson/Katy Perry cover mashup) via his SoundCloud.