Top 10 Best Performances on The Voice Ever
There are so many amazing performances on The Voice it was hard to pick just 10! For this list, we will be excluding auditions. So for your favorite “Voice” contestant to make the list they will have to have killed it in one of the later rounds! We've included Tessanne Chin's “I Have Nothing”, Addison Agen's “She Used to be Mine”, Amanda Brown's “Dream On”, Koryn Hawthorne's “Make it Rain” and more!
#10: Tessanne Chin
“I Have Nothing”
The first person to crack our list also happens to be the winner of “The Voice’s” fifth season. Tessanne Chin rode a wave of skill and popularity all the way to the finals, where she defeated the competition after a beautiful rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” The performance was nothing short of masterful, with Chin delivering on all of the song’s highest and most difficult notes. It was a stirring tribute of sorts to the late Houston, who had passed away just one year earlier.
#9: Koryn Hawthorne
“Make It Rain”
Pharrell knew what he was doing when he stole Koryn Hawthorne in the Knockout rounds of “The Voice’s” eighth season. A gospel singer with enough soul in her voice to make Aretha Franklin turn around, her performance of Foy Vance’s “Make It Rain” was easily one of the season’s best. The song cracked the Billboard Hot 100 and was good enough to keep Hawthorne around for a little while longer. Unfortunately, she couldn’t sustain this level of momentum for the remainder of her time on the show, ultimately finishing in fourth place. Hey, not bad!
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#8: Amanda Brown
“Dream On”
Covering one of the most well known songs in music history is no easy task, but Amanda Brown managed to pull it off with a performance that would make Steven Tyler proud. Brown, who was a contestant on the show’s third season, performed the song during “The Voice’s” live playoffs and it caused Rolling Stone magazine to quip, “Amanda Brown has this thing locked down.” As the song crescendos to a dramatic climax, Brown never misses a beat, hitting the song’s highest note with the skill of a seasoned vet. Sadly, she was eliminated after making it into the top six.
#7: Addison Agen
“She Used to Be Mine”
So close and yet so far. Such was the way Addison Agen’s time on “The Voice” ended, finishing as the runner up to winner Chloe Kohanski in the show’s 13th season. Despite this, we think it’s safe to say that her rendition of Sara Bareilles’s “She Used To Be Mine” was one of the season’s best. Her hauntingly beautiful performance will send chills down your spine. The amount of emotion that she infuses into her voice will make you think that she not only wrote the song, but also that she lived through its heartbreaking lyrics. Calling it breathtaking doesn’t do this performance justice!
#6: James Wolpert
“A Case of You”
Armed with nothing more than his sweet and sexy voice and an acoustic guitar, Pennsylvania native James Wolpert delivered one hell of a performance! Wolpert, who appeared on season five of “The Voice”, sang his version of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” during the live playoffs. It was such a strong performance that he won the public’s vote, thus ensuring he’d move on to the Top 12. He was ultimately eliminated in the semifinal round, but he no doubt looked back on his time as a “Voice” contestant fondly; and when he did, we like to think that this performance was one that still brought a smile to his face.
#5: Alisan Porter
“Cry Baby”
The second winner to crack our illustrious list, Alisan Porter turned in a slew of incredible performances during her run to the tippy-top of “The Voice’s” totem pole. And while we have plenty of options to choose from, we feel that her cover of Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters “Cry Baby” was her best. It wasn’t just that her impressive vocal range was on full display, no, it’s the confidence she exudes as she struts from one end of the stage to the other. It was in this performance that Porter truly began to look, feel and act like a star. And for that reason she takes the fifth spot on our list.
#4: Kimberly Nichole
“Creep”
Making it all the way to the Top six in “The Voice’s” eighth season, Kimberly Nichole sang with a pulse and passion that oftentimes couldn’t be matched by her competitors. This was never more on display than the time she covered “Creep”, Radiohead’s iconic 1992 debut single. With a plethora of candles at her back and smoke billowing around her feet, Nichole belted out her own unique version of the song and it didn’t take long before fans and judges alike were showing her love! The public wasted no time voting her on to the next round and boy did she ever deserve it!
#3: Matthew Schuler
“Hallelujah”
A contestant on the show’s fifth season, Matthew Schuler dolled out a number of solid performances during his time on “The Voice”; but none were better than this one. His cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is impossible to listen to without getting choked up. With nothing more than a small twang of the guitar in the background, Schuler launches into his version of the iconic track with a quiet reverence; showing respect to the original while staying true to himself. If only he could have bottled the passion he brought with him during this performance, then perhaps he wouldn’t have been eliminated.
#2: Chris Blue
“Superstition”
Winner of “The Voice’s” 12th season, Chris Blue was facing a tall order when he was tasked with covering the Stevie Wonder song “Superstition” during the knockouts round. A famously funky track that Rolling Stone ranked as one of the 500 greatest of all time back in 2004, “Superstition” takes a boatload of confidence to pull off. Luckily for Blue, confidence is something that he has in spades. His bug-eyed, happy footed performance would have no doubt made Wonder himself crack a smile. By the end, it’s clear that the Blue is channeling Wonder with every ounce of his being; and guess what? He totally nails it!
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Michelle Chamuel
“I Knew You Were Trouble”
Cassadee Pope
“Over You”
Brooke Simpson
"Amazing Grace"
#1: Christina Grimmie
“Hold On, We’re Going Home”
In 2016, Christina Grimmie was killed after she was shot multiple times by a fan while signing autographs after a show. She was one of the brightest stars of “The Voice’s” sixth season; delivering numerous heartfelt performances that continually showed off her skills as both a musician and a singer - and her cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” is our favorite. The song allowed her to truly flex her vocal muscles and the crowd responded in kind. Her tragic death cut short what would have no doubt been an incredible musical career. Fans can take solace in the fact that while she may be gone, her music will last forever.
