The Voice hopeful Manasseh Samone has brought everything to the blind auditions not once, but twice.
Videos by American Songwriter
At last year’s blind auditions, she brought all the power with Lauren Daigle’s “Rescue,” however she did not receive chair turns from any of the Season 22 coaches. They congratulated her on her incredible vibrato and impressive range but said she needed to hone her power and polish her delivery.
Samone seemed to heed their criticisms and came back to The Voice stage with a vengeance. Monday night (March 13) saw the 22-year-old Dallas, Texas, native “Rise Up” with her performance of the inspirational Andra Day song.
The seated coaches—artists Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan, and Chance the Rapper—were all stunned by the first operatic notes with Chance turning his chair before the chorus.
She continued to deliver, giving a goosebump-inducing rendition of an already spine-tingling song.
At the close of her performance, Samone received a standing ovation from her new coach and awe from the rest of the panel.
“These folks crazy,” the rapper told the hopeful. “They didn’t turn around! This is the biggest blessing of the show so far. I can’t believe I just got you like that!”
His excitement was infectious as the crowd roared. “Your vocals are insane. Your breath control is insane. The tone of your voice is just so specific and unique.” Samone revealed her opera background and how she learned her one-of-a-kind vocal prowess.
Clarkson chimed in, calling her performance “incredible.” She added her reason for not turning her chair. “For me, I felt like you were still fighting with the tug-of-war of like technique and passion,” Clarkson said.
Horan admitted that her voice was out of his wheelhouse, so he wanted to take a step back and let the right coach step forward.
Before she left the stage, Samone received a big congratulations from Shelton, who was one of the coaches who heard her performance last year. “That was incredible,” he said. Couldn’t be more happy for you. You made it onto The Voice, so congratulations.”
Watch her stunning performance below.
Photo by Casey Durkin / Courtesy of NBC
