Sheryl Crow Cover Earns Brailey Lenderman A Spot On ‘The Voice’
on Oct 18, 2023
Brailey Lenderman Sings Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy” On The Voice
As the Blind Auditions on The Voice wrapped up, one performance that’s fresh on our minds is Brailey Lenderman’s rendition of Sheryl Crow‘s, “If It Makes You Happy.” The moment Brailey sang into the mic it was clear we were in for something special. Her voice, warm and inviting, caught the attention of more than just the audience and people watching at home.
During Brailey’s performance, two chairs spun around simultaneously as both Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan eagerly fought for the chance to coach this talented singer. John Legend and Reba McEntire did not turn around and had an explanation for why.
Reba McEntire explained her decision not to turn her chair and it was because she can only coach one more person this season, so she’s being very choosy with who she picks next. She also had concerns about occasional pitch issues with the singer but warmly welcomed Brailey to The Voice family.
John Legend said that his reasoning for not turning around was the same reason as Reba’s and he praised Brailey for nailing the chorus of the song.
Legend said, “I was waiting for the chorus to come in because I know how big of a chorus that song has. I thought you pretty much nailed it. You got two wonderful people who want to coach you.”
Gwen Stefani & Niall Horan Compete To Get Brailey To Join Their Team
Gwen Stefani loved Brailey’s unique voice and wanted to coach her and started to sell her on all the reasons why she should join her team. The only critique she gave Brailey was that some of her notes were a little unconventional, but emphasized that by coaching with her they could refine those skills.
Stefani said, “I really love your voice. I think you have a lot of texture, and I felt like there were some weird choices for some of the notes, but other times it was like, ‘Wow that girl has so much character in her voice and personality and she’s singing from her heart.’ And I think that the whole point of this show is you get a great coach that’s super into you, that could be your cheerleader, that can help you with all those decisions. And I’m the obvious choice for you on this show. I have been doing this—this is my seventh season on this show. I love being here and I love to just work with people like you that are so gifted that need a little zhuzh…and I would love to be your coach.”
Niall Horan, the final coach to speak, complimented Brailey’s bold choice of song and also offered constructive feedback about focusing on the entire song rather than fixating on specific moments. He expressed his excitement at the opportunity to work with Brailey.
Horan said, “The issue with picking a song that big is you thought about the word ‘makes’ so much that sometimes then the rest of the sentence was forgotten a little bit because you were like, ‘I need to hit that first note in the chorus.’ And that’s just audition nerves. You will not have that issue further down the line. My favorite ones are people who jump at an opportunity to make a moment in their first audition. And to pick a Sheryl Crow song, it’s huge. Like, that’s a big moment. I would be so excited to get to work with you.”
Before Brailey picked a coach, Stefani tried one more time to convince Brailey that she didn’t need to be on Team Niall by saying that he’s too attractive and would be a distraction, keeping her from advancing in the show.
“You don’t want a Coach that’s going to make you distracted,” she warned.
Brailey responded back, “I already have a super hot husband, so I don’t think I’ll be distracted by Niall.”
Brailey Picks Which Team She’ll Join
In the end, Brailey Lenderman faced a tough decision but ultimately chose to join Team Niall. The two celebrated on stage and, being the gentleman that Horan is, asked if her husband was there. She said “Yes,” so they walked backstage to shake hands and say hello.
“She’s an insane talent and her voice is so good,” Horan told her husband after meeting him.
‘The Voice’ Frontrunner Dylan Carter Covers “Rich Men North of Richmond”
As Brailey Lenderman continues her journey on The Voice as part of Team Niall, we can’t wait to see how she further refines her incredible talent. Make sure to catch the remaining episodes of The Voice on Monday and Tuesday at 8pm ET on NBC to watch more great performances and discover the next big star in the making. Brailey Lenderman’s journey has just begun, and we’ll be rooting for her all the way!
Watch Brailey’s audition on The Voice in the video below!
