It’s Knockout Round week on The Voice. This season four former winners of The Voice are helping the coaches prepare their artists. Last season’s winner Chloe Kohanski is teaming up with her coach Blake Shelton. Chris Blue is working with his coach Alicia Keys. The first female Voice winner Cassadee Pope (Season 3) will help rookie coach Kelly Clarkson. And Season 9 winner Jordan Smith will reunite with Adam Levine. One of the first Knockout Rounds has Team Adam’s Jackie Foster in the ring with Mia Boostrom. Both ladies bring a lot of experience on stage. Jackie is the lead singer of the alt rock band Self Portraits. And Mia made it to the semi-finals of America’s Got Talent and makes her living as a wedding singer. The songs that the two women sing for the Knockout Round couldn’t be more different.
Jackie kicks off the Knockout Round by singing the 2003 Evanescence song “Wake Me Up Inside” which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. Mia follows up with a jazzy version of “Wade in the Water.” It’s a Negro spiritual associated with songs of the Underground Railroad. In 1965, the version sang by The Staple Singers became a part of the civil rights movement. The Staple Singers later released the hit songs “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There.” Over the years, many artists have sung “Wade in the Water” including Eva Cassidy, Fine Young Cannibals (1985), Mavis Staples (solo, 2008), Patty Griffin (2010), and PJ Harvey, who sampled it for her song “River Anacostia” (2016), among others. The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm on NBC. Check the halfway point in the video below for Mia’s turn.
