‘The Voice': Blake Shelton Lands Unique Pop Singer for Season 21 [Watch]
Blake Shelton landed a singer who is a completely different vibe for his Season 21 Team Blake on The Voice on Tuesday night (Sept. 28).
Kaitlyn Velez is a 21-year-old singer from Long Island, N.Y., who scored a viral hit online titled "Fomo" during the pandemic. She writes her own songs and accompanies herself on ukelele, and she delivered a cover of Mike Posner's "Please Don't Go" that was very different from the original, playing on her edgy pop voice, which relies on an unusual tone, unique phrasing and a very recognizable vibrato.
John Legend and Shelton turned their chairs for her nearly simultaneously, and they both made strong pitches to serve as her coach.
"Nobody sounds like you" in the competition, Legend told Velez, while Shelton argued that her unique approach to artistry instead of "blowing the roof off" with power singing means she has her own lane to explore on The Voice. She chose Shelton as her coach and will move on with him in the upcoming weeks.
Season 21 of The Voice premiered on Sept. 20, and Shelton has been building a strong team. He scored a very powerful singer on Sept. 20 with Wendy Moten, who auditioned with the Beatles' "We Can Work It Out." Her blind audition drew a four-chair turn from Shelton, Clarkson, John Legend and Ariana Grande, and Shelton praised it as "a top three blind audition for The Voice, all time."
Shelton took on 19-year-old Peedy Chavis later that night after he auditioned with Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," and he scored country singer Lana Scott the following night after she auditioned with Kelsea Ballerini's "Hole in the Bottle."
Shelton also added a country trio called the Joy Reunion to his team on Monday night (Sept. 27), as well as 17-year-old country singer Carson Peters.
The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 8PM ET on NBC.
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