Neither Reba McEntire nor viewers of The Voice were prepared for contestant Dylan Carter’s emotional performance.
Blind auditions for The Voice are often emotionally over-played. However, this wasn’t the case on the final evening of the Season 24 auditions. Dylan Carter’s performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Look to You” had judges wrapped around his fingers, especially after he explained why he chose the heartfelt ballad.
After the four-chair turning audition, Carter, 20, told John Legend, “When I saw y’all turn around, I saw my mom. She passed back in October, and she wanted me to sing it at her funeral.”
Carter explained how he tried to sing his rendition of “I Look to You” at his mother’s funeral, but couldn’t make it through the song without crying. “This was the best second chance. I just made her so proud,” he told the judges.
Afterward, McEntire tearfully explained how her mother played a major role in her own music career. The country singer expressed to Carter how she pursued music so her mother could live out her dreams through her daughter.
“Mamas are so special,” Reba continued, “We’re very blessed to have them, right?”
When the moment came for Carter to choose his team, he obviously chose Team Reba, noting that he thought “she could be a comforting mom figure,” as reported by Entertainment Weekly. How sweet!
The Voice Season 24 Contestants To Watch Out For
Earlier this month, contestant Laura Williams wowed the judges with a four-chair turn performance of Lauren Spencer Smith’s “Fingers Crossed.” After Williams’ performance, she jumped on Team Niall, admitting she was a long-time One Direction fan.
More recently, Latin crooner Willie Gomez enticed all four judges with a flirty performance of “La Bachata.” While Gwen Stefani was the first judge to turn her chair around, Horan, Legend, and McEntire quickly followed suit.
Despite the judge’s praise coupled with Stefani’s lighthearted flirting, Gomez ultimately chose Team Legend.
Catch a new episode of The Voice every Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.