Monday night (November 8), Fort Myers, Florida-born singer Ryleigh Plank performed the energetic Whitney Houston song “I’m Your Baby Tonight” for NBC’s The Voice playoffs, representing her coach, Ariana Grande.
Videos by American Songwriter
After the performance, which you can watch below, Coach Grande said Plank had done a “phenomenal” job. See her enthusiastic rendition here.
After the Houston cover, Grande gushed about Plank, saying, “I thought it was phenomenal,” she told Plank. “I love you so much and I’m so proud of you. And the thing about you is you pick these tremendous songs. And whenever you tell me what you’re thinking of picking, I’m like, ‘I trust you implicitly, immediately, ’cause you’re just that good of a singer and a performer.'”
Now, Plank’s fate, like the rest of the show’s contestants, is in the hands of America’s voters, who will determine whether or not the buzz-cut, big-voiced singer heads to the next round, to the Top 13.
On social media Plank wrote, “I need YOUR help to continue on this beautiful journey!! So get ur phones and fingers ready to vote like ur favorite artists depend on it (cuz we do)!!”
Plank, who has been called “one in a billion” by Grande, is also vocal about mental health, anxiety and depression.
“I want to be a part of that change — to make it something that it’s OK for people to come forward (with),” Plank said, according to the Fort Myers News-Press. “It’s so important to me.”
Check out past performances by Plank, including the artist singing Demi Lovato’s “Anyone” and battling it out with The Voice participant David Vogel.
(Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
