One of the first standout contestants on Season 24 of The Voice made a bold move that paid off with a four-chair turn. A 33-year-old singer-songwriter from Atoka, Okla., Jordan Rainer covered Bobbie Gentry's "Fancy" as her blind audition. For Reba McEntire's first day on the job as a coach, Rainer performed in the rocking style of McEntire's hit 1990 version.
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McEntire, Niall Horan and Gwen Stefani visibly vibed with Rainer's delivery and quickly turned their chairs. John Legend seemed more contemplative, but he, too, eventually gave the performance a spinning endorsement.
Rainer both sounded and looked like a star, wearing all-black with a wide-brimmed hat and circular sunglasses.
"It was made famous by a strong woman," Rainer said when explaining her song choice. "And it represents lyrically what women do to survive. And I'm a woman who has done what I've had to do to survive, and so I feel that song in every bone in my body."
Stefani applauded Rainer's boldness in styling her cover after McEntire's.
"This is really difficult. The queen is here. You sing her song and I'm Gwen Stefani doing ska music from Anaheim, Cal.," Stefani said. "I am new to country music. Eight years ago I met Blake and that got me into the genre more, but it's really about how do I get you to grow and compete with everybody else that's on this show. One thing I also could help you with is obviously song choices. I could just be like Blake."
Horan made his own compelling pitch to be Rainer's coach.
"When we turned and it all matched up. The energy in your vocal to the energy and the performance, the sunglasses, the hat," he said. "Being Irish, there's an element of our music that really feeds into country music...I've really fallen in love with country music and you are definitely a country star. It would be an absolute honor to work with you."
Hijinks involving Horan, a soundboard of Shelton quotes and McEntire's queen scepter ensued.
As for who'll coach Rainer, we'll have to tune in tonight (Sept. 25) to find out, as the teaser ends on a cliffhanger.
