This season of The Voice has proven to be a delightful deviation from those before it! In the "What kind of crazy stuff will happen next?" news, Gwen Stefani proved to be the bold one this week. You see, 14-year-old Jaylen Dunham performed for the panel of judges during the recent round of Blind Auditions. Dunham did a rendition of Beyoncé's "Listen." After he finished, it seemed as though none of the judges would take the young talent on. But then, Stefani activated her Coach Replay.
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Coach Replay immediately added Dunham to Team Gwen! It's a heartwarming moment that seemed to make Dunham's day and then some! "Your singing in that low range of your voice. I'm blown away," Stefani said of Dunham's performance. "I think as the song went on you were getting more and more worried that we weren't going to press, and I could hear it."
Despite that, Stefani gladly welcomed Dunham. However, some people are of the mind that Stefani wasted her Coach Replay. "Am I the only one who thinks he shouldn't have gotten the replay. His voice was very unstable (not his fault, his voice is clearly still changing). Should've given him a few more years for his voice to develop properly," one YouTube commenter stated.
Gwen Stefani Gambles Big On 'The Voice'
Others embraced Stefani's decision, seeing the potential that the judge herself saw! "That boy has some pipes just saying and a bit more talent than some that come on lol. Good on you Gwen. Jaylen congrats young man you soak up all of that advice and enjoy the ride have fun and sing your heart out," a commenter added.
"I do think it was a little predictable but I'm glad that Gwen pressed her Coach's Replay on him because he actually does have a good voice, I do think he needs some coaching!" For my money, I believe she made the right choice! The Voice isn't just about taking an established "sound" and running with it. It's also about mentorship! Dunham doesn't have to "win," necessarily -- he just has to show that he's got what it takes to run the marathon of a successful career in music!
He's 14! The raw potential and upward momentum are worth it! It's called a calculated investment, folks. Y'all wait: Dunham's going to go farther than anyone expects!
