Two of Blake Shelton’s artists are still in the running to be crowned the champion on Season 23 of The Voice. And on Monday night (May 22), they each had to take the stage not once, but twice to show America they have what it takes to win it all.
NOIVAS, whose real name is Savion Wright, has managed to breeze his way through each phase of the reality TV singing competition with his powerful and soulful voice and incredible stage presence on songs including Adele’s “Skyfall,” The Beatles’ “Come Together” and Jalacy “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.”
And during the two-hour telecast, which served as part one of the two-night finale, he did that again, proving his star potential with a powerful rendition of Chris Stapleton’s “Cold.” NOIVAS’ take on the song was especially interesting as he had not yet shown his country side throughout the competition, despite having worn a cowboy hat all season long.
Onstage, NOIVAS was in his element, standing behind the microphone while accompanied by a round of musicians that included violinists and cellists. NOIVAS made the song his own, belting out the high notes while incorporating various runs into his showcase. He also showed off his range, dipping into the low notes and giving folks at home a reason to vote for him before the results show.
“Oh, why you got to be so cold? / Why you got to go and cut me like a knife / And put our love on ice? / Oh, girl, you know you left this hole / Right here in the middle of my soul / Oh, why you got to be so cold?” NOIVAS wailed out the lyrics of the tune.
“What a great song selection that was, even for your voice. Your voice is suited for that as well. It’s soulful. It’s got a little punch in it and rock ‘n’ roll,” Kelly Clarkson shared. “That was a smart choice for you to do.”
Shelton added, “That’s funny that you say that. I was talking to NOIVAS just a couple of days ago. I said, ‘Man. I think people think of you as country anyway. You come out here looking like a big old Texas guy anyway, but I think your personality and the way you make people feel is country.’ So you doing a Chris Stapleton song, of course, you sound natural doing it. You killed it.”
During the evening, NOIVAS had to not only sing a ballad, but he also had to provide an up-tempo cover, which was “Fly Away” by Lenny Kravitz.
NOIVAS has maintained his position as a front-runner throughout Season 23’s The Voice, first capturing hearts with his powerful Blind Audition performance of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” which earned him a rare four-chair-turn. He quickly earned praise from the panel of judges, with Chance the Rapper calling him an “incomparable talent.” He also drew comparisons to Stevie Wonder by Niall Horan.
Shelton, who initially slammed his red button for NOIVAS (which is Savion spelled backwards), was blocked by Chance the Rapper. However, he ended up stealing NOIVAS during the Battle Rounds of the competition.
NOIVAS is now hoping to be named the next champion of The Voice, running against fellow Team Blake member Grace West, Niall Horan’s Gina Miles, Clarkson’s D Smooth and Chance the Rapper’s sister trio, Sorelle. Last season’s winner was Team Blake’s Bryce Leatherwood, which gave the longtime country coach his ninth win.
Be sure to tune into The Voice when the Season 23 winner is announced on Tuesday (May 23) at 9PM ET/PT on NBC.