The Voice
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Somehow, Kaylee Shimizu makes singing look like a glorious gymnastics routine — all style, grace, strength, athleticism.
Hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the 17-year-old got everyone’s attention during the Blind Auditions with a cover of the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers.”
She earned a four-chair turn. “We’re just stunned right now. Your voice was just dazzling, it was so creative it was so musical,” John Legend remarked at the time, her future coach. “You know you could win The Voice, right,” he added. “You have so much confidence delivering these impossible notes.”
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Then, in the Knockouts, more knockout stuff with a performance of Aretha Frankin’s “Ain’t No Way,” lifted from the late legend’s Lady Soul album from 1968.
Nothing would stand in Shimizu’s way of competing in the Playoffs, which she launched into with a cover of master producer Quincy Jones’ “You Put a Move On My Heart” featuring Tamia, from 1999.
Shimizu breathes blues, and jazz, into the song, punctuated with her trademark dynamite runs and big, showy high notes.
“It really is phenomenal that you are the age that you are, and your voice has this much control and depth and range. Your low voice is really gorgeous. I love the warmth in it,” Legend enthused. “The fact that you can do that and then go to those notes in the stratosphere that almost no one on the planet can hit, you’re ready for this. You are ready to be a big star. You’re so special Kaylee.”
Special, however, doesn’t always win talent shows. Luck can play a part in it. Bad luck, too, as Kaylee Shimizu found out. The teen was eliminated, as were Kristen Brown and Taylor Deneen.
Team Legend singers Azán, Lila Forde and Mac Royals advance to The Voice season 24 Live Round, where they’ll be joined by Huntley, Nini Iris and Mara Justine (Team Niall); Jordan Rainer, Jacquie Roar and Ruby Leigh (Team Reba); and BIAS, Tanner Massey and Kara Tenae (Team Gwen).
Watch Shimizu’s performance on NBC‘s The Voice below.
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If you tuned in to Monday night’s (Nov. 27) playoff round episode of The Voice there was a prominent member of Team Reba who was nowhere to be seen. Season 24 country singer Tom Nitti was missing, forcing Reba McEntire to move her group along with just three performers for the upcoming live shows.
On the episode, McEntire said, “I have wonderfully talented people, but Tom had to leave for personal reasons, so I only have five artists tonight.” Nitti explained his absence in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday morning (Nov. 28), in which he shared a carousel of pics of his children and girlfriend cued to Cody Johnson’s “Leather.”
“Well, I’ve been dreading this day ever since the blind audition so here goes nothin’. …First and foremost I’m blessed beyond belief and I can’t say enough how much I love and appreciate the constant support from my fans, my friends and my family,” wrote Nitti. “As much as it absolutely stings to say, I had to make probably one of the hardest yet easiest decisions ever and ultimately at the end of the day, my kids will always come first and if I had to make the same decision again I’d do it over and over.”
McEntire supported Nitti from the get-go, as the only judge to turn her chair when he performed Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” at the blind auditions. He proved he’d earned his spot on the team with subsequent impressive performances of Johnson’s “Til You Can’t” during the battle round and again during the knockout round with the Temptations’ “(I Know) I’m Losing You.”
“This past summer was filled to the max with everything I love and could’ve only dreamed of and Thanks to @nbcthevoice I was able to live my wildest dreams and do what I’ve always hoped. I made friends that’ll last a life time, experiences that I can hold on to forever and even found REAL and TRUE love,” Nitti continued in his post, tagging girlfriend singer Ashley Bryant.
Nitti also shouted out the many people he said had his back “going through the tough times” he said he endured during his time in California on the show, including McEntire and his fellow team members.
“But nonetheless I hope everyone knows how happy and grateful i am for them. This isn’t the end of me and I’ll do what I do best for everyone to see which is keep my head down and move forward playing music and raising/creating new memories with a family I will continue to grow,” he added. “I never believed in the whole, things happen for a reason statement but in this case I think God has it all figured out. He knows I don’t break easily. For everyone asking, I’m alright and still standing. Thank you so much and as always, I’m super pumped to keep on keepin’ on with music, my kids Rayleigh and Brently my whole family to include my smokin’ girlfriend that keeps my head held high… Im more than ready to continue to live life now happier than ever before.”
The post ended with a series of hashtags, including: #familyfirst, #itsnotoveryet, #imstillstanding and #kentuckygotme.
With Nitti’s leave-taking, McEntire sent home Noah Spencer and Ms. Monet, with Ruby Leigh, Jordan Ranier and Jacquie Roar moving on to the live shows. The Voice airs on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Check out Nitti’s post and one of his performances below.
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She’s not old enough to vote, or drink booze, though Ruby Leigh can sing like a seasoned pro.
The 16-year-old closed out the Playoffs Monday night (Nov. 27) on The Voice with a performance that was mature beyond her years.
Leigh, a native of Foley, Missouri, was recruited to Team Reba following an impressive Blind Audition, when she covered Patsy Montana’s 1935 “I Want To Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.”
The youngster has mastered the art of yodeling, a talent that earned her a four-chair turn.
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Then, in the knockout rounds, Leigh punched her ticket with her own take on LeAnn Rimes’s 1996 breakthrough cover of Bill Mack’s “Blue.”
On the latest episode of this current, 24th season, Leigh shone with a version of Linda Ronstadt’s 1970 classic “Long Long Time.”
Dressed in an all-black ensemble, complete with white tassels, Leigh looks the part. And she sure sounds it. The yodel was a part of the mix, but never overused.
“I think that if there was just a young girl that’s 16 years old that can sing like you and could make a record like that, the world would be saved,” Gwen Stefani later enthused.
John Legend, like his fellow judges, has been a fan since day nought. “It’s quite stunning that, at your age, you can sound like you’ve been through so much. I know you haven’t been through that much,” Legend explained. “The power of your voice is really stunning.”
Niall Horan chimed in, “that was so beautiful. I’m really, really emotional.”
Coach Reba McEntire was proud as punch. “I would watch mama when I would be on stage, and she would be drawn up in a knot watching me,” she remarked. “Nobody wanted to sit by mama because she was squeezing their hand so tight. I know how she feels now. You just got it all together. I’m just so proud of you, and your performance today was stellar.”
With that performance, Leigh progresses into the Live round, alongside Team Reba’s Jordan Rainer and Jacquie Roar.
The Voice’s Live shows kick off next Monday, Dec. 4 on NBC.
Watch below.
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Kara Tenae proved she’s a force to be reckoned with during The Voice playoffs, and Billboard is exclusively revealing her powerful cover of SWV‘s 1997 classic “Rain” ahead of Monday night’s new episode. “Rain down on me/ Let your love just shower me/ Just rain on me,” the 34-year-old Atlanta native sang, as she effortlessly […]
The Voice has reached the Playoffs phase and Huntley is, well, very much in the hunt.
The Fredericksburg, Virginia-native impressed when he stepped onto The Voice last month for the Blind Auditions, showcasing a voice with depth and character, a rare blend that could power its way through country, blues, rock and grunge.
From the opening notes of that audition, when he sang “She Talks To Angels,” Huntley caught a four-chair turn. Niall Horan went on to secure his services.
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Heading into Tuesday night’s episode, Huntley had a lot to live up to. Pressure, no pressure.
Huntley put on his game voice, and hit a full-throated rendition of David Kushner’s “Daylight”.
The coaches loved it. “I just can’t believe how amazing you are, every single time,” was Gwen Stefani’s immediate response. “Your actual vocal ability, especially in the lane of music that you do, your style of singing, it is masterful.” If she had a label, she’d sign him up. “You’re so amazing.”
John Legend was also blown away. “What you’re giving us on stage is well beyond a competition,” he enthuses. “You’re already a star. You carry yourself that way with confidence, with that distinctive voice.” The execution, flawless. Huntley could go on to be a Grammy winner someday, he reckons.
The performance was “just insane,” Horan remarks. The rocker’s coach challenged him with the song, something he felt Huntley wouldn’t pick, and the result was “the best you’ve ever sung here.”
“You’re one of the people that’s got something to say to the world, and you’ve got a voice like that, it’ll be one hell of and album, and I’d buy it.” So would Reba McEntire. So would many others.
The Irishman had the challenge of cutting three of his six artists. Ultimately, he selected Huntley, Nini Iris and Mara Justine to progress in the competition.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC and streaming next day on Peacock.
Watch Huntley’s performance below.
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The Voice is finally beginning to whittle down the competition, with the Tuesday (Nov. 14) episode featuring the remaining contestants participating in the knockout rounds. Alexa Wildish stepped up to the plate to deliver an impressive take on Cher‘s hit single “Believe” for her chance to advance to the next rounds of the competition. Wildish […]
Sixteen-year-old Ruby Leigh punched her ticket out of part two of the knockout rounds on The Voice on Monday night (Nov. 13) thanks to a perfect song choice by her coach Reba McEntire. The country legend suggested the 1996 breakthrough LeAnn Rimes cover of Bill Mack’s “Blue” for her charge and the Missouri native crushed […]
If anyone is on the good side of the “Karma Police,” it’s Nini Iris. On the Tuesday (Nov. 7) episode of The Voice, the Team Niall contestant delivered a show-stopping rendition of Radiohead’s 1997 classic to clinch the victory in The Knockouts round. Going into the episode, Iris was on a hot streak. After securing […]
Aretha Franklin owned the title “Queen of Soul,” for good reason.
The Detroit native was electric, with power, substance, and the versality to sing anything from pop through to “Nessun Dorma,” famously stepping in for the late Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti at the 1998 Grammy Awards.
Franklin commanded respect. You don’t just go and cover one of her great R&B songs on national TV.
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Kaylee Shimizu didn’t get the memo. And she sure didn’t need it.
When the Knockouts kicked off Monday night (Nov. 6) on NBC’s The Voice, Shimizu did no harm to her chances of progressing all the way in the competition with an explosive performance of “Ain’t No Way,” lifted from Franklin’s Lady Soul album from 1968.
The Team Legend singer hit all her runs, high notes, low notes, the lot. She was so good, and so audacious, rival coach Niall Horan spent a good chunk of the performance belly-laughing.
Shimizu has been laughing through this 24th season.
Hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the teen scored a four-chair turn during the auditions with a cover of the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers,” a minutes-long flex with elite high notes, control and all the good stuff that captures the attention.
“We’re just stunned right now. Your voice was just dazzling, it was so creative it was so musical,” remarked Legend, prior to recruiting the 17-year-old to his team. “You know you could win The Voice, right,” he added. “You have so much confidence delivering these impossible notes.”
He’s not wrong.
Shimizu went up against Team Legend singers Caleb Sasser and Mara Justine, both of whom earned perfect four-chair turns during the auditions phase. She shone under those bright, Knockout lights.
“There’s a lot of richness and warmth and body to your voice,” Legend remarked. “It’s just supernatural that it comes out of your body at the same time. That you’re hitting those high notes…it’s actually insane.”
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC and streams the following day on Peacock.
Watch below.
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Some battles end in tears, or stunned disbelief. When Eli Ward and Jason Arcilla went head-to-head Tuesday night (Oct. 31) on NBC’s The Voice, they wrapped it up with laughter, like two old buddies catching up, cracking open a few cold ones.
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The Team Gwen pair tackled Bread‘s “Make It With You,” bringing their own flair to the corny pop-rock number which led the Billboard Hot 100 for a single week in 1970.
“Gwen, what a song choice,” John Legend remarked. The performance was “so like fun and soulful” and “you got these handsome gentlemen to serenade you,” he quipped. The lads were smooth, Legend acknowledged. Arcilla had a “gentleness” of tone, he continued. And Ward, :I loved how confident and in command you felt the whole time.” If he had to choose, Legend would side with Ward.
“You guys sounded great together, you were having fun,” remarked fellow coach Reba McEntire. “I loved the little choreography moves.” If she had to pick, she’d go with Ward.
Niall Horan was impressed with Ward’s “’50s meets ‘70s” smoothness – and his biceps (the Waterloo, IL native is a Division I athlete at the University of Iowa with the cross-country track team). “Your tone is really pure and classic.” Arcilla, the 34-year-old who lives in Pukalani, Hawaii, has “an etherealness” to his voice. It’s a tough choice. If the Irishman had to make it, he would lean ever so slightly in the direction of Arcilla.
Stefani had to make the cut, and she wasn’t happy about it. “This is impossible right now,” she remarked. “I have zero, zero idea of what to do now.” After praising both singers, and remarking on their growth during the contest, she settled on a winner, someone who is “ready right right now.”
And that was Arcilla.
In the aftermath, the No Doubt singer explained her decision. “Jason has the kind of voice that has this breathy, airy, serene quality that I would actually listen to on a record. I think that he’s just really gifted.”
Watch below.
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