The Voice hopeful Lennon Vanderdoes won’t give up until he has you in tears, or at least that’s how it went down Tuesday night (Nov. 14) on the singing competition show. After his striking performance of Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up,” the Team Niall vocalist left coaches John Legend and Gwen Stefani misty-eyed with coach Reba McEntire tasked with doling out tissues. The Knockout performance was no doubt a knockout as the Delaware native let loose his crystalline lilt.
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“It felt so passionate and moving and it just got me,” Legend told the contestant through sniffles, trying to compose himself at the close of the display.
The night marked the close of the Knockout rounds and finalized the teams that would be moving on to the Playoffs. In the three-way elimination, Lennon found himself up against team members Alexa Wildish, whose effortless chops have been a crowd-pleaser so far this season, and 13-year-old powerhouse Julia Roome. They equally wowed the coaches with a stripped-down version of “Believe” by Cher and a striking take on Sia’s “Unstoppable,” respectively.
Lennon rounded out the trio of performances with his inspiring rendition of the Mraz hit, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. With no steals or saves left from any of the coaches, it was a tough call for Niall who, in the end, chose Alexa to carry on in the competition.
It may have been farewell Lennon, but he left flying high on the fact that his stunning performance struck a chord with the celebrity coaches. Grab the tissues and check out the moving moment for yourselves.
This, however, may not be the end for the talented vocalist. Just before the credits rolled on the night’s Knockouts, viewers got a sneak peek of the next episode in which host Carson Daly can be seen telling the four coaches some interesting information. From the brief clip, it appears that some previously eliminated contestants may get another shot at The Voice title. Monday (Nov. 20) can’t come soon enough.
The Voice airs on Mondays and Tuesdays, beginning at 7 p.m. Central on NBC. It is available to stream the following days on Peacock.
