'The Voice': Niall Horan wins over 4-chair singer Laura Williams with fake marriage proposal
The power of persuasion can go a long way on "The Voice," but Niall Horan's boy bander charm is untouchable.
The One Direction alum gunned for singer Laura Williams alongside coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire during the fourth round of blind auditions Tuesday night. The 20-year-old earned a four-chair turn with her robust vocals and emotional cover of "Fingers Crossed" by Lauren Spencer-Smith.
"This is a very, very hard song to sing," Horan said. "Most people would get halfway through that chorus and pass out. No one can command a stage and project that well with breath control like you."
While speaking about her musical influences onstage, Williams revealed to Horan she is a longtime One Direction fan. "(I) saw you in 2015. Did you see me in the nosebleeds?" Williams jokingly asked Horan.
When it came time for Williams to select her coach, Horan asked if he could "be the one to ask you the big question," which Legend poked fun at as sounding like a marriage proposal. In response, Horan pulled off the ring he was wearing in a faux ceremonial gesture.
Wedding bells may not be ringing anytime soon, but Williams said "I do" to joining Team Niall.
"I loved Laura's performance, and I'm very upset that she's a Directioner," Legend said. "Niall's been a thorn in my side all season, and we have no chance against him with these girls."
Here's what else went down on Tuesday's episode.
Niall Horan heartbroken John Legend scored 4-chair singer Kaylee Shimizu
"Voice" veteran John Legend is here to remind Niall Horan who is the top dog.
The coaches unanimously spun their chairs for teen singer Kaylee Shimizu, whose soulful rendition of The Beatles' "Golden Slumbers" earned the 17-year-old rave reviews and a four-chair-turn.
"Your voice was just dazzling. It was so creative. It was so musical," Legend said. "You just had so much confidence delivering these impossible notes, and I want to work with you."
Horan was equally captivated by the Hawaii vocalist. "I cannot believe what I just witnessed," he said. "When we talk about technically gifted, I’ve never met anyone so gifted."
In the end, Horan's coaching dreams were crushed when Shimizu chose Legend as her coach.
"Kaylee, why’d you break my heart like this?" Horan said in a post-audition interview. "I’m so sad. Why’d you have to go with Legend of all people?"
Gwen Stefani beats Reba McEntire in winning country singer Jacquie Roar
"Rich Girl" Gwen Stefani is giving the Queen of Country a run for her money.
The ska-pop icon and her fellow coaches vied for country powerhouse Jacquie Roar. The Oregon vocalist scored a four-chair turn with her dynamic vocal delivery and electric performance of "Here for the Party" by Gretchen Wilson.
In addition to her stints as lead singer of No Doubt and solo pop stardom, Stefani – who has picked up two No. 1 country singles with husband Blake Shelton – was quick to make the case for her coaching chops.
"I've lived your dream already in so many ways as a female artist," Stefani said. "I'm in this new period of my life where I really learned a lot about country music and fell in love with (it) in a way I never thought I would."
Eager to establish her country music cred, McEntire stood up to show off her Western-style "award-winning belt buckle." "You and I are kind of on the same vein of thinking," she told Roar. "(We could) win this whole sucker."
But McEntire was no match for Roar's career adviser. The 37-year-old singer brought out her 6-year-old daughter Leilani to help her select her coach, and Leilani (a Stefani fan) chose Team Gwen.
"Every time I’ve gone up against Reba for country, you kind of want to beat her…but then you kind of don’t ever want to really beat Reba (because) she’s the queen," Stefani said. "It's definitely a bittersweet thing, and I just feel blessed to be able to have some country artists on my team."
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