ALI offered a soulful take on Tori Kelly and Kirk Franklin’s “Never Alone” on The Voice.
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Accompanied by an acoustic guitar, ALI flexed the soulful tones of her voice, offering an understated performance of the uplifting song. The singer from Walnut, California, who was born deaf and learned to sing by physically replicating the notes she was feeling in the music, had coach Chance the Rapper fully engaged in the performance as he sat with his eyes closed, immersed in her voice. ALI took it one step further when she started serenading the coaches directly before making her way to the stage singing, I’ve cried many rivers / I’ve walked through some pain / I’ve seen my world crumble / And I’ll carry the shame.
She then welcomed three background singers that helped take the song to new heights, bringing both Chance and fellow coach Niall Horan to their feet. ALI was eliminated from the show, but it hasn’t dampened her spirits. “This one was a tough one, and personally I know maybe I could’ve done a little better but you know what, my goal with this performance was to share a message. You are NEVER alone,” she shared in the YouTube comment section of the video, thanking fans for their support.
“I sing for you. I sing for my angels. I sing for my loved ones,” she continued. “Thank you for letting me sing for you guys. I promise this isn’t the end! I will never stop singing for y’all! Please stick with me, as we embark a new path of this crazy journey. IM BLESSED TO HAVE HAD THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU.”
ALI wowed the judges with her audition of “Killing Me Softly” and ended up on Kelly Clarkson’s team. She is the first singer who is deaf to make it to the Playoffs. Next week, the remaining eight contestants perform in the Semi-Finals when The Voice airs on Monday (May 15) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Photo by: Tyler Golden/NBC
