The final night of blind auditions on The Voice season 23 aired Tuesday night (March 21), and coaches Kelly Clarkson and Niall Horan were both looking to finish assembling their teams. When 25-year-old Katie Beth Forakis took to the stage to sing a slower version of Justin Bieber's "Ghost," both Clarkson and Horan were astonished.
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Forakis showcased her delicate voice throughout the performance, and her unique style made an impact on the coaches. She added her own flair to the song with riffs that showed off her range, all while staying in control of her voice for the entirety of the song. During the audition, Clarkson commented that Forakis sounded "Like an angel," and Horan was visibly affected by the performance as well, shaking off goosebumps at the end.
The judges immediately dove into their analysis of the singer from Savannah, Tennessee, beginning with Horan, who shared his passionate response to the performance.
"It definitely spoke to me," Horan said. "I was completely emotionally connected to you as a singer. I was looking around before I turned around, and everybody was kind of, like, gazing at you. It was fairytale stuff. I've got one spot, as does Miss Clarkson, on the very first Team Niall, and I would absolutely love to work with you."
Clarkson also gave high compliments to Forakis.
"I have no one on my team that has that really cool juxtaposition going on. Like, vocally, you sound so sweet, but to put some really cool rock 'n' roll guitars with it but have that sweet thing hanging over the top," she said. "I only have spot left on my team, but I'm really excited you're on the show. We literally have not heard anyone like you. You will stand out."
In the end, Forakis chose to join Team Kelly, and Horan looked visibly crushed.
The Voice airs every Monday and Tuesday night on NBC. The battle rounds will begin Monday, March 27.
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