America had a tough choice to make after the remaining eight contestants on The Voice took the stage on Monday night (May 15).Only four contestants could move on to the finals, and it was up to the viewers to determine who would.
Three of the finalists were revealed during the results show on Tuesday (May 16). Two members of Team Blake were saved: country singer Lauren Duski and 15-year-old Aliyah Moulden. Chris Blue of Team Alicia was also declared a finalist.
Sadly, America had to say goodbye to Vanessa Ferguson of Team Alicia and TSoul of Team Blake, who were in the bottom two. The remaining three contestants, Brennley Brown and Hunter Plake of Team Gwen and Jesse Larson of Team Adam, were left to fight for America’s votes one final time in hopes of scoring the Instant Save and a spot in the finals.
A fan-favorite from the start, Larson knew he had to to knock his Instant Save performance out of the park. He selected “Tennessee Whiskey” as his song, which was a fitting choice. The song has resurged in popularity after Chris Stapleton‘s cover soared all the way to the top of the Hot Country Songs chart.
But other than that, the song choice was a smart one on Larson’s part because it gave him the chance to showcase the extent of his talent. As a soulful singer, “Tennessee Whiskey” fit Larson’s voice like a glove.
Far too often when it comes to the Instant Save, contestants will get nervous under the pressure and end up delivering a performance that can’t compare to their other material. But that wasn’t the case for Larson. Despite the fact that he was in a battle for a spot on the finals, he didn’t appear nervous at all. In fact, he seemed cool and confident, which allowed him to deliver a powerful performance.
Viewers were apparently impressed with what they saw from Larson, because he ended up winning the Instant Save vote! Once you watch his performance below, you’ll understand why America wanted to save him. He more than earned his spot in the finals!