Samsung NXT 2.0 Contestants Put Their Voices to Ultimate Test in Final Challenge

Samsung NXT 2.0 is nearing the end of this stage of the competition as the contestants have finished their final challenge in the singing face-off.

After weeks of sharing cover tracks and their own original material, the 12 contestants tried their hand at the last challenge in the showdown, using their vocal chops, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch5. For this round, the dozen had a batch of hits, varying in genres, moods and languages, to which they were instructed to create the music for their track —  using their voice — and sing the cover in just 60 seconds using the Samsung products. As they have in the past, the dozen showed up with their submissions, sharing renditions of Rihanna’s “Stay,” Shawn Mendes’ “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” and more. 

As with the previous round, the contestants have since been ranked on a specialty Billboard chart, which serves as the cumulative chart average and revealed the top trio advancing to the next round of the competition as finalists. Click here to see who made it to the top. In the weeks to come, each will partake in an intimate one-on-one mentorship session with mentors Mariah Angeliq, Flo Milli and BIBI. 

The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will land on the cover of a special digital issue of Billboard, receive a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. Check out each submission as part of the customize it challenge, and click here to follow along for the latest on the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition. 

Andrew Leonforte

Shawn Mendes happens to be one of Leonforte’s biggest musical influences, so “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” was an easy pick for the aspiring star. “I had so much fun reimagining this incredible song,” the contestant said of creating the backbone of his submission.

FIKI

Fiki wanted to choose a track that she was really going to connect with and Rihanna’s “Stay” featuring Mikky Ekko happened to be that song. “I knew that performing this song would showcase my vocal strength and ability,” she said of her cover song video submission. 

Julian King

King opted for Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” for challenge three based on pure nostalgia. “It takes me back to middle school, traveling to Italy, during our ‘rock band’ phase,” he said while speaking about giving the 2004 hit a customized makeover.

Kyn Rose

For Rose’s submission, the aspiring star opted for a cover of Rihanna’s “Stay,” with layers of heavenly harmonizing as the foundation of the track — and that has been a longtime idea for the contestant. “Every time I’ve listened to the song, I couldn’t help but sing harmonies and additional vocals to it, and I’ve always pictured a beautiful choir singing this song in a dark, echoey room,” he explained.

Lordus

Lordus knows the power of transforming a track and she had her eyes set on “There’s Nothin’ Holdin’ Me Back” for the last challenge. For her submission, she flipped the pop record and gave it the Lordus treatment with her silky smooth delivery and vocal foundation to pair. 

Mar’yana Hicks

“Stay” got Hicks on her feet to show off some dance skills, in addition to her vocals. For this round, the contestant said she went with the tender ballad as it “represents [her] style and range very well.”

Nicole Tortolani

Instead of creating a backing track using her vocals, Tortolani let a live a capella version of “Stay” take the forefront of this submission. “It is a beautiful composition and the higher notes are a touch of class inside the melody,” she said of the 2012 hit.

Nyla XO

Nyla XO’s went with a Brandy Brunch-style approach for her cover of “There’s Nothin’ Holdin’ Me Back,” where she showed just how she created the backing track. Throughout the submission, she shined a light on her original composition, highlighting vocal bass, soprano, adlibs and more.

Peyton McMahon

McMahon is a big fan of both Rih and Mikky Ekko, so he said he was excited to put his touch on “Stay.” Stacking a number of vocal harmonies together, the aspiring singer delivered big belts and falsetto runs on top of his backing track. 

Vaishalini

Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel” is an all-time favorite for Vaishalini. In fact, she and one of her best friends used to keep it in constant rotation when it dropped. She brought that love for the song to life with her smooth approach, a ton of vocal layering and minimal beats.

Wampy

For Wampy, the contestant picked a Spanish song that had a significant impact on his childhood during his upbringing in Chicago. For his cover of Selena’s “Como La Flor,” he kicked things off with clean vocals, before elevating the submission to new heights with a customized backing track.

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