‘The Voice’: See Team Miley’s Empowering Cover of Etta James’ ‘Woman’
With the first all-female blind auditions in The Voice‘s history, Miley Cyrus is on a mission to take a woman to the top, and her song choices reflected those ambitions, settling on Etta James’ 1955 single “W-O-M-A-N” and Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 smash “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”
In perhaps the fiercest competition of Season 13’s battle rounds, Janice Freeman took on Katrina Rose in an explosive cover of “W-O-M-A-N.” During an emotional rehearsal with Cyrus and the judge’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, serving as guest adviser, Rose broke down. “We always are trying to prove something to other people and be what we think they want us to be,” Rose quivered. “Don’t live your life and dreams trying to fit inside the box. Just live life like there is no box,” Billy Ray countered, before embracing the two teammates in a hug.
When the duo took the stage, Rose’s range and Freeman’s soulful vocals caught the coaches’ attention. Freeman’s powerful chest voice laid the base, while Rose’s larger-than-life upper register added an impassioned urgency to the performance.
“In 13 seasons of doing the show, I have never seen somebody so wrapped up in the moment,” Blake Shelton said of Rose’s performance, with Jennifer Hudson adding, “Janice, you’re so seasoned and full of presence and power. Katrina, you hit notes, and I’m like, ‘What note is that?'” In the end, Cyrus selected Freeman, and Hudson went in for the steal.
Meanwhile, Team Miley also presented viewers with another show highlight in the battle between Addison Agen and Karli Webster performing “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Transforming the pop anthem into a jazzy ballad, Agen took a more folksy route while Webster opted for a straightforward delivery, with a slight country warble. Cyrus chose Webster to advance, and both Adam Levine and Jennifer Hudson swept in to steal Agen, with the singer choosing to move forward with Team Adam.