Ashley Levin Advances to ‘The Voice’ Live Show With Reba McEntire’s ‘Fancy’ [Watch]
Country covers did the trick on Monday's (April 3) episode of The Voice, as Ashley Levin advanced to the live show with her performance of Reba McEntire's "Fancy."
A new member of Team Alicia Keys, Levin is the first country artist to work with the pop singer, selecting McEntire's classic hit to enter the knockout round against Lilli Passero.
Levin did an impeccable job on the legendary country song, masterfully blending the original Bobbie Gentry version with McEntire's style. Her vocal ability on the song exhibited a real sense of maturity, with the singer showing off her rugged, yet soulful and sassy voice. Dressed in a long, flowing multi-colored dress, she added all sorts of spirit that could even intimate McEntire herself, delivering all the spunk and power the song requires. Passero delivered a commendable performance herself on Amy Winehouse's "Tears Dry on Their Own."
Gwen Stefani praised Levin's voice, calling it "seasoned, strong and confident" and selecting her as the winner of the round. Adam Levine commented on the young singer's growth over a short period of time, calling it "incredible." Country guru Blake Shelton noted Levin's "rawness" as what makes her special, complimenting Passero by telling her she's doing what "she's born to do."
Coach Keys had a difficult time picking a winner, saying Levin's song selection was "so complex" and hard to sing, but she conquered it anyway, naming her as the victor for the knockout round and advancing her to the playoffs. Keys revealed afterward that she selected the curly-haired singer because she feels she has the ability to really bring out the country soul in Levin's voice.
But fans of Passero need not feel discouraged -- after a heated battle between coaches Levine and Shelton, Levine won that battle and successfully stole the young star for his team.
The Voice airs on Monday and Tuesday nights on NBC at 8PM ET.
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