Will John Legend steal Kamalei Kawa’a from Chance the Rapper? ‘The Voice’ coach plots to steal singer during Knockouts
UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA: In the upcoming episode of 'The Voice' Season 25, viewers can expect an exciting showdown between two talented contestants from Team Chance.
Maddi Jane, who received a coveted four-chair turn during her blind audition, will be taking the stage to perform a stunning rendition of Dua Lipa's hit song 'New Rules.'
On the other side, Kamalei Kawa'a, who got two chair turn during his blind audition will perform a soulful performance of John Legend's 'All of Me,' during the Knockouts.
Following the end of their Knockout, all of the judges provided feedback to the contestants regarding their performances.
Shay Mooney said, “That was so crazy. That was two very different performances in the best kind of way.”
“Kamalei, that’s such an incredible song. It’s an all-timer, but you took it and made it sound like not a cover, like Kamalei singing that song," Dan Smyers added.
“Maddi Jane, in a song like that that’s very dance-y, you were able to bring out your voice and some of those high notes were ridiculous. Chance has his hands full because both of you deserve to be here. It was just a phenomenal performance," Shay added.
John Legend said, "One of the things I’m known for on this show is I am tough on people covering my songs, but I was really into your version. It was beautiful. The whole demeanor with how you carry yourself, the gratitude and your spirit, it comes through in your voice and we feel that."
The 'All of Me' hitmaker added, "Maddi, I love that you take on a lot of songs that require breath control, a lot of rhythmic singing. Not easy to do in a singing competition. You were really creative and artistic in also finding ways to show, ‘Hey, I can sing, too.’ I don’t know who Chance is going to choose, but I know I have a Steal left.”
Reba McEntire chimed in, "Kamalei, your voice just makes me feel good. Kind of like every time I go to Hawaii. Your people are so warm and welcoming, and you brought that. Maddi, you are a force of nature. The sassiness, the attitude, very talented.”
Chance the Rapper shared, "Amazing performances. Kamalei, it’s hard to cover John because he has such a specific tone. Being able to evoke the feeling of these lyrics that John wrote is a talent in and of itself. Maddi, you have such confidence and attitude on stage. But then you also have the vocal talent to back it up, which is a big deal. Like John was saying, doing a song that’s so rhythmic is a difficult thing. I thought that was so awesome.”
How many steals are left during 'The Voice' Season 25?
For the unversed, there are still two steals remaining in 'The Voice' Season 25. One of these steals was used by Chance, who decided to take Kyle Schuesler away from the talented duo Dan + Shay.
Dan + Shay themselves utilized their Steal to rescue the country artist Tae Lewis from being eliminated when Reba decided to let him go.
Consequently, both John and Reba have successfully secured their own Steals, ensuring they still have the power to recruit additional artists to their respective teams.
According to the various speculations circulating online, it is widely believed that Chance will choose Maddi as the contestant whom he would want to progress further in the competition, meanwhile, John is expected to exercise his option to 'steal' a contestant from another team, and it is believed that he will utilize this opportunity to acquire Kamalei as a member of his own team.
Who is Kamalei Kawa'a on 'The Voice' Season 25?
Kamalei Kawa`a, a 27-year-old musician from Waiehu, Maui, began playing the ukulele at the age of 4 and has been deeply involved in the Hawaiian music scene ever since. By the time he was 15, he had already developed his skills to the point of winning a prestigious falsetto singing competition.
In addition to his musical talents, Kawa`a has pursued higher education, earning an associate degree in Hawaiian culture and history from the University of Hawaii Maui College. He is also a member of the acclaimed Hawaiian music group Nā Wai ʻEhā, which has released two albums: a self-titled debut in 2018 and the 11-track 'Lovely Sunrise' in 2019.
The album 'Lovely Sunrise' received a nomination for the best regional roots album category at the prestigious 2021 Grammy Awards. However, despite its critical acclaim and popularity, the award ultimately went to 'Atmosphere' by the talented New Orleans Nightcrawlers.
Despite the disappointment of not winning, the recognition and nomination alone were a testament to the exceptional music and artistry showcased in 'Lovely Sunrise.'
Who is Maddi Jane on 'The Voice' Season 25?
Maddi Jane is a talented 25-year-old artist from Chicago, Illinois who is not only a skilled songwriter and vocalist but also an accomplished music producer.
It was a remarkable fourteen years ago when, at the tender age of eleven, she first captivated audiences with her breathtaking performance of 'Breakeven' on the widely acclaimed television show 'The Ellen Show'.
This extraordinary moment in her life marked the beginning of an incredible journey that would soon propel Maddi to the pinnacle of success, as her captivating cover videos quickly gained immense popularity, ultimately establishing her as one of the most beloved artists in the vast realm of YouTube.
Her performance of Jessie J's 'Price Tag' by her has been viewed over 100 million times on the platform. Additionally, her cover of Shontelle's 'Impossible' has accumulated more than 80 million views.
Furthermore, she also put out a number of these cover songs, which garnered a significant amount of attention. One of her covers, 'Breakeven' has amassed over 30 million streams on Spotify.
'The Voice' Season 25 airs on NBC at 8 pm on Mondays and 9 pm on Tuesdays. The episodes will be available on Peacock on demand the next day. The streaming site also includes entire episodes from the show's prior seasons.