Another round of The Voice‘s Playoff performances aired Monday night (May 8). With Team Kelly and Team Niall forced to whittle their five-contestant teams down to just two, competitors made every not count. Team Kelly’s Holly Brand was no exception.
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The 22-year-old Mississippi native took on Jo Dee Messina’s gripping country hit “Bring On the Rain” for a performance that showcased a side of her she has yet to show the coaches in the competition.
Sung as a tribute to her brother who left home to serve in the armed forces, the song saw Brand kick it up a notch, tweaking the melody and making sure her performance packed an emotional punch. Her gut-wrenching tone was captivating on stage and previously had her coach in tears during their rehearsal session together.
While this is Brand’s first time showing her more vulnerable side as a performer, this is not the first time she’s moved the coaches. The former pageant queen first wowed them during her blind audition when she sang Faith Hill’s hit “Mississippi Girl.” Throughout the competition, she has continued to stun in the Battle and Knockout rounds. She has now followed suit with her rendition of “Bring On the Rain.”
“This is when it starts to get tough and you want to show a different side of your voice,” Clarkson told her following her performance. “You bring us to that place of struggling and it’s painful but you’re going to overcome it. That’s a really cool thing that very few artists can do. Obviously, your voice is ridiculous.” Niall praised the singer for stepping out of her comfort zone in favor of a more emotional display. “We haven’t really seen that side of you,” he said.
Chance the Rapper echoed the praise, saying “The first line that you sang made everybody sit up. You have an amazing voice, great control.” He also noted the difficult decision Kelly had before her. “I do feel bad for Kelly, I didn’t realize how stacked [her] team is,” he quipped.
Kelly ultimately chose Brand to move on to the semi-finals alongside fellow hopeful D. Smooth. Watch the performance that got her there, below.
Photo by Tyler Golden/NBC
