The Voice has found another one.
Teen Kaylee Shimizu showed up big time during her Blind Audition Tuesday night (Oct. 3), with a performance that carried the confidence of youth, and the skills of a professional.
Hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Shimizu covered the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers,” peppering it with elite high notes — all stability and control — and with more runs than a track and field event.
The 17-year-old gave us feathery touches, through to the dynamite, and earned a four-chair turn.
John Legend turning first, followed immediately by Niall Horan, Reba McEntire and, after a pause to soak it up, Gwen Stefani.
“We’re just stunned right now. Your voice was just dazzling, it was so creative it was so musical,” remarked Legend. “You know you could win The Voice, right,” he added, before rolling out the red carpet for Team Legend. “You have so much confidence delivering these impossible notes.”
Stefani was “blown away.” The youngster’s “vibrato, it’s so slow,” and it “feels like you have so much control over that,” she added. “I’ve never heard anything like that before and I think it’s because you’re so young and free.”
Horan, as a member of One Direction, has enjoyed several lifetime of experiences. “I cannot believe what I just witnessed,” he enthused. “That was just unbelievable. When we talk about ‘technically gifted,’ I’ve never met anyone so gifted. The song choice was perfect.”
Speaking last, McEntire admitted, “when I was 17 I had not the imagination to be even think about singing like you. I’ve never heard anybody do what you did on stage today. It was spiritual to me.”
Shimizu digs her “soulful R&B” and grew up singing karaoke with her Filipino family, who were invited to join the contestant on center stage.
There could be only one team for Shimizu, and that was Team Legend.
Watch the audition on NBC’s The Voice below.
