NOIVAS has been making headlines with his stunning audition on The Voice season 23 with Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.”
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Going by the stage name NOIVAS, the singer began his audition singing acoustically on a dimly lit stage. The famous opening lines I was born by the river / In a little tent were all it took for coaches Kelly Clarkson, Chance the Rapper, Blake Shelton and Niall Horan to press their buzzers one right after the other (though Shelton was blocked by Chance the Rapper). NOIVAS continued to deliver soulful vocals that left the coaches in disbelief and ended with Chance awarding him with a standing ovation while shouting “let’s go!”
NOIVAS, which is his first name Savion spelled backward, also appeared on seasons 13 and 14 of American Idol, where he made it to the top 24 on the latter season. “You are an incomparable talent,” Chance raved. “I would love to give you the platform to show yourself to the world. I think you’re a voice of this generation and it deserves to be heard…You made that song yours. I would love to have you representing on my team.”
It was a full circle moment for NOIVAS, who revealed that Chance is the one who inspired him to post a video rapping for the first time after he saw Chance participate in the #SoGoneChallenge on social media in 2016.
“I would’ve never expected that I could try to rap a little bit, but I thank you for inspiring me to do that,” he praised the “I’m the One” singer.
Clarkson also made her case to be NOIVAS’ coach, acknowledging how she’s won the show “a few times” and has her own talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, if he wants to come to perform. “I think the key thing will be having a coach that’s familiar with a show like this and knows how to navigate,” she professed.
Clarkson then compelled Chance to get up and say, “I don’t like the way that this is starting to feel like a competition,” he laughs, making his case by changing all of the other judges’ names to his own. “I want you to win this show and I want you on Team Chance man,” he persuaded.
Added Horan: “You gave us so many beautiful, sensitive moments at the very start there. I haven’t seen anyone with passion like that…It’s incredible what you’re able to do.”
Chance’s efforts paid off, as NOIVAS selected him as his coach.
The Voice airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC
