If anyone is on the good side of the “Karma Police,” it’s Nini Iris. On the Tuesday (Nov. 7) episode of The Voice, the Team Niall contestant delivered a show-stopping rendition of Radiohead’s 1997 classic to clinch the victory in The Knockouts round.
Going into the episode, Iris was on a hot streak. After securing a spot on Team Niall thanks to her winning performance of Everybody Loves an Outlaw’s “I See Red” during the blind auditions, Iris defeated Sofia Hoffman after the two singers tackled Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” during the battle rounds. For her knockout showdown, Iris faced off against teammates Azán — performing Anita Baker’s “Caught Up in the Rapture” — and Olivia Minogue, who sang Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life.”
For her performance, Iris took some cues from Radiohead’s original — which served as the second single from 1997’s OK Computer, peaking at No. 14 on Alternative Airplay. She opted to ride the song’s natural dynamics with some tasteful additional riffs peppered across her arrangement. Once she reached the climax of the song and started unleashing a series of jaw-dropping belts, Iris began to earn visible and audible praise from not just her own coach (Niall Horan), but also coaches John Legend and Gwen Stefani. At the end of her performance, Legend quipped, “So good! Man, Dan + Shay … coaching the hell out these artists!”
Three-time Grammy-winning country duo Dan + Shay filled in as Team Niall’s rehearsal coach for the knockouts due to the One Direction alum’s scheduling conflict. Having already appeared as guest performers and battle advisors across several previous seasons, the “Save Me the Trouble” duo will be joining the reality competitions series as full-time coaches next season. Billboard chart-topping country music icon Wynonna Judd served as this season’s mega mentor.
Iris ultimately came out on top in her knockout round, cementing her advancement to the playoffs.
Watch Nini Iris steal the show with her “Karma Police” cover above.
