A 'Voice' champ just reimagined Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Love’ — trust us, her version will give you chills
'The Voice' Season 16 winner Maelyn Jarmon's beautiful vocals have struck a chord with the fans! For the unversed, let us share with you that Jarmon performed a rendition of 'Fields of Gold' by Sting during her Blind Audition. At that point, many fans predicted that Jarmon would help her coach, John Legend, win his first season as a coach, and that's exactly what happened after she secured a four-chair turn. Throughout her time on the NBC singing competition, Jarmon wowed the esteemed judges with some spectacular renditions of hit songs like 'The Scientist' by Coldplay and 'Fallingwater' by Maggie Rogers.
During an interview with E! News after Jarmon was announced as the winner of 'The Voice' Season 16 in 2019, Legend couldn't stop raving over her and exclaimed, "I just love her work ethic, her attention to detail. She goes into every song with an actual strategy and a plan for how to execute a song, and she has the wherewithal to be able to actually do it." Jarmon, well-known by the fans for covering indie and pop songs, has also tried her hand at different genres over the years. In 2019, Jarmon added her own twist to Kendrick Lamar's hit ‘Love.’
The same year she clinched the coveted ‘The Voice’ title, Jarmon recorded a beautiful rendition of 'Love' by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari. This particular love song was featured on Lamar's 2017 album named 'DAMN.' Nearly two years after its release, Jarmon put an ethereal spin on Lamar's song. Throughout the cover, Jarmon managed to hit some jaw-dropping high notes. While singing the chorus, Jarmon sang the lyrics, "Give me a run for my money / There is nobody, no one to outrun me / So give me a run for my money / Sippin' bubbly, feelin' lovely, livin' lovely / Just love me / I wanna be with you, ayy."
Jarmon's fans were captivated by her rendition of Lamar's smashing track, and they gushed over her vocals online. One internet user stopped by the comments section of the YouTube video and wrote, "Her voice is like what listening to angels would sound like!" Followed by a second user who penned, "This is one of the best covers I’ve ever heard. Have listened to this sooooo many times already." Another user went on to say, "You are just so amazing; I fall asleep listening to your beautiful voice. thank you for sharing your gift." Another user commented, "OMG I love this better than the original.....Girl, you are amazing."
Since her time on 'The Voice,' Jarmon has been busy with her music career. In 2019, Jarmon opened for renowned bands such as OneRepublic and The Fray. Later on down the line, Jarmon bagged the golden opportunity to sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Beyond her music career, Jarmon has also explored acting. Jarmon played the role of Cathy in Jason Robert Brown’s musical, 'The Last Five Years.'
During an interview with Broadway World in 2024, Jarmon candidly spoke about her experience on 'The Voice' and quipped, "Winning NBC’s The Voice was an amazing experience, and musical theatre is very different from creating pop music. I found that having my roots in theater was a big part of why I was successful on 'The Voice.' It’s easy to get lost in the sound or tone of a pop song—but to really connect with what you’re saying, to commit to telling a story, that is, in my experience, what really resonates with the audience. Being successful in both genres has led to a beautiful expansion of myself as an artist."
