Why former Miss Mississippi is a ‘big threat’ on this season of ‘The Voice’
A former Miss Mississippi winner who is competing on “The Voice” has what it takes to win the entire thing, and coaches are shaking in their boots over the singer on Team Kelly.
Holly Brand might be a country girl at heart, but Kelly Clarkson is confident she can tackle any genre of music thrown her way.
Brand, from Meridian, competed in the Battle Round of the hit singing competition on Monday. She was paired with Katie Beth Forakis and the two belted “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andress. Clarkson chose Brand to move forward to the Knockouts Round.
The Battles, where two singers duet, are different from the Knockouts. Each contestant chooses a song to sing and their coach picks one winner.
Holly Brand’s country voice praised
Blake Shelton and Niall Horan both said they love Brand, whose country tone on “Mississippi Girl” by Faith Hill wowed the coaches.
“That was phenomenal, Holly,” said Horan, who compared Brand to Maren Morris during her blind audition. “I’ve always been a fan of a classic country voice.”
Chance The Rapper praised Brand’s strength and confidence, adding that her voice carried the performance.
“I like what Holly did with it, so I would go with Holly,” Chance told Kelly.
What else can Holly Brand sing?
Clarkson was a bit torn in her choice. She noted how unique and cool Forakis is but said the strong runs Brand belted out secured her spot on her team.
And America can likely expect a different genre from Brand soon.
“You are straight up country, but I don’t think necessarily you’re limited to that,” Clarkson told her.
One thing is for sure: “The Voice” coaches have their eyes on Brand.
“Team Kelly has got Holly Brand, and we should all be nervous,” Horan said. “She’s a big threat.”
Kelly Clarkson gets emotional over Holly Brand’s performance
Before Brand and Forakis took to “The Voice” stage to duet together, Clarkson got emotional during rehearsals.
“This is my favorite rehearsal I think I’ve ever experienced on The Voice,” she said, wiping away tears. “I love this song. I love the idea of powerful women singing a powerful message. I think it’s undeniably cool.”
Andress is a Grammy-nominated artist. Her song “Lady Like” challenges traditional gender roles and expectations placed upon women and has millions of streams on YouTube.
You can watch “The Voice” on Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC.
This story was originally published April 6, 2023 at 10:46 AM.
