Dolly Parton is so beloved, it can be daunting to take on one of her hits, nevertheless 19-year-old Grace West did just that during the Knockout Rounds on The Voice on Monday night (April 24).
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West, part of Team Blake, performed against Neil Salsich on the latest episode of the hit competition show. After her performance of Parton’s “Here You Come Again,” it seems she might have what it takes to go all the way, securing one final win for Shelton.
“I love Dolly Parton,” West said prior to her performance. “She is just this amazing, strong woman who literally has done it all. She has inspired me a lot.”
“I love Grace’s song choice because it shows her tip of the hat to some of the old school country,” Shelton, ever in favor of leaning hard into country, said during the rehearsal process. “This gives Grace a chance to be playful and have fun on stage.”
West took that advice in her stride, bopping around the stage and imbuing a healthy amount of sass into her performance of “Here You Come Again.”
There was no mistaking the coaches’ collective awe of West after her performance wrapped up.
“You’ve always been one of my favorites, and I’m really excited to hear you after this show,” Niall Horan said. “In my eyes, you’d be one for the future.”
“We’re down to the best of the best now, and this is the last time I’m going to have to do this,” Shelton added. “Knockouts is one of the reasons I’m quitting by the way, that’s how much I hate the Knockouts because you guys both deserve to be here and hopefully you both will be here.”
Kelly Clarkson made Shelton’s wish come true for his final season, choosing to steal Salsich (who gave an equally enticing performance of The Doobie Brothers’ “Takin’ It to the Streets”) after the “God’s Country” singer chose to save West.
“I just ended up going with Grace because she has this old-school country voice,” Shelton said of his decision. “All the potential she has is still out there in front of her—I think she’s going to be a star in country music.”
Watch West’s powerhouse performance, below.
Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC
