Chechi Sarai was only a few lines into singing Minnie Riperton’s 1975 hit “Lovin’ You,” before John Legend and Gwen Stefani simultaneously turned their chairs.
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Showcasing her entire vocal range during her Blind Auditions on season 24 of The Voice on Monday (October 2), the Nigerian-American singer hit all the whistle tone parts and other vocal harmonies of the soul classic, eventually prompting all four coaches to turn around for her.
Prior to her performance, the 32-year-old Michigan native, who released her debut album Long Gone, in 2017, shared that she decided to follow her music dreams after trying medical school. Throughout her career, Sarai has sung background vocals for Kanye West, Deborah Cox, and more, along with choreographing and dancing for Teddy Riley.
“Who are you and what planet did you come from?” said Niall Horan to Sarai following her performance “First of all, anyone who can do a whistle tone, we’re all blown away by. To start a performance and then drop back down into a verse, I wouldn’t even attempt to go anywhere near that note. You set the bar so high for this competition, I can see the finalist in you already. It’s like a ready-made star in front of us.”
Reba McEntire echoed Horan’s feedback and shared her own insights into Sarai’s vocals. “Your ability to sing is off the charts, but what I love so much is you’re having fun,” said McEntire. “You’re classy. There’s a storytelling when you’re performing. Your vocals are just insane, and I would love to have you on my team.”
Adding to Sarai’s praise, Legend spotlighted the singer’s layered range. “The thing about that whistle tone is sometimes it’s like a one-trick pony kind of thing,” said Legend. “But Chechi, what you really thrilled us with today is the fact that you have so much more to your voice than just that. You look like a star, your energy just felt like you belong on this stage, and you belong on ‘The Voice’ for a long time, like going all the way to the finale.”
[RELATED: 4 Live Moments in Memory of Minnie Riperton]
Stefani added, “What I loved about you was the love and confidence that you had on stage. You were in complete control of the whole room, and of my heart at the moment. It felt like I was just watching a Grammys performance. I would love to be your coach. I think it would be very exciting. You are so cool.”
After the coaches fought to convince Sarai to join their respective teams, the singer eventually chose Team Gwen.
Photos: Greg Gayne/NBC
