‘The Voice’: Reba McEntire Completes Her Team After L. Rodgers’ Powerful Rolling Stones Cover [Watch]
![‘The Voice': Reba McEntire Completes Her Team After L. Rodgers’ Powerful Rolling Stones Cover [Watch]](https://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2024/03/attachment-the-voice-l-rodgers-reba-mcentire.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Reba McEntire has completed her team for Season 25 of The Voice after a powerful audition on Tuesday night (March 12). The country legend turned her chair for L. Rodgers after Rodgers delivered a stunning cover of the Rolling Stones classic, “Wild Horses.”
The 34-year-old singer took the stage in a black dress, sporting a number of tattoos and a shaved head as she launched into the classic ballad. She sang over a sparse background of a single acoustic guitar, beginning in her lower register, but powering up into her upper range as she progressed into the chorus.
See her performance in the video clip below:
A particularly tricky high vocal part got McEntire to turn her chair at the last minute, and Rodgers did not try to hide her excitement as her eyes went wide and the country icon smiled at her.
“I loved your voice,” McEntire told the singer. “I loved the roundness of it, the fullness of it. You’re a powerhouse!”
“You have touched my soul throughout my entire life,” Rodgers told McEntire, adding that she and her wife have been re-watching Reba.
“I love all of you so much,” Rodgers gushed to the judges, becoming visibly emotional as she told McEntire, “but I gotta say you’re my favorite!”
The other judges also shared effusive praise, but the moment clearly belonged to Rodgers and McEntire, who sealed their new partnership with a hug.
Tuesday night marked the final night of the Season 25 Blind Auditions on The Voice. The iconic reality singing competition will move into its next phase next week.
Tour our gallery below for a closer look at Team Reba McEntire on “The Voice” Season 25, including photos, bios and artist rankings. Also see our features for Team Chance the Rapper, Team Dan + Shay and Team John Legend.
Asher HaVon (3-CHAIR TURN)
Age: 31
Hometown: Selma, AL
Resident: Houston, TX
Growing up in Selma, Ala., Asher was surrounded by gospel singers. President Obama went to Selma in 2015 for a speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery in honor of African-American civil rights. Asherauditioned for a spot in the choir that was set to perform John Legend’s song “Glory.” The choir director was so blown away by Asherthat Asher led the choir that day, performing in front of 200,000 people. This was also a turning point for his relationship with his father, whom he’s always had a complicated relationship with. A couple of years ago, his father survived a car accident and their relationship grew even stronger. They now talk regularly and he greatly supports Asher’s music. It was Asher’s mom who really pushed him to sing when he was young. He likes to call her his singing sergeant and is excited to make her proud on “The Voice.”
William Alexander (2-CHAIR TURN)
Age: 16
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Resident: Staten Island, NY
William, a first-generation Indian American, was introduced to music through Indian melodies, despite not speaking Malayalam fluently. His father encouraged William’s vocal talent. Winning first place in a church talent show boosted his confidence. Supported by his parents, William auditioned for Kidz Bop and had the opportunity to record music, be a part of a music video and perform at renowned venues such as the Apollo Theater. While his parents prioritize academics, Williams excels in challenging AP classes, particularly enjoying subjects like calculus while still considering music as his main career path and academics as a backup plan.
Tae Lewis (2-CHAIR TURN)
Age: 31
Hometown: Goldsboro, NC
Resident: Nashville, TN
Tae is no stranger to struggle. Deciding to go against his gospel upbringing and follow his country dreams, he ventured off to various cities trying to break out. Constantly getting denied for gigs, Tae says people were confused by a Black country artist. At one point, he found himself homeless and living out of his car for six months. However, his fortunes turned when he connected with the Black Opry and started to make a name for himself. He has gained recognition, appearing on CMT and securing a placement on the show “Shameless.” Tae has also found success as a shoe stylist, leveraging his love for vintage country fashion. He has since sold hundreds of cowboy boots and admittedly grown his collection. Coming from a family of pastors, Tae initially pursued gospel music but found a deep connection to country music. He hopes to impress his father and prove his success.
Donny Van Slee (2-CHAIR TURN)
Age: 30
Hometown: Weeki Wachee, FL
Resident: Nashville, TN
Dr. Donny Van Slee is a chiropractor by day and a musician by night. While in school, participating in an internship, he made a pitstop in Nashville and fell in love with the music scene. He went out on a limb and emailed a few of the music venues in Nashville, remarkably landing a gig at Tootsies. He received his doctorate as a chiropractor and immediately relocated to Nashville to participate in Tootsies’ “Honky Tonk School.” Three years later, he’s still in Nashville, balancing music and chiropractic. Five days a week, he’s caring for nearly 50 patients daily, then he’s downtown gigging at night. In February, he released his debut album, “31.”His major goals are to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium and Red Rocks Amphitheater. Donny feels lucky to have his family in Florida supporting his music journey every step of the way.
Josh Sanders (2-CHAIR TURN)
Age: 35
Hometown: Kannapolis, NC
Resident: Landis, NC
Josh grew up in a family of musicians and started playing bass guitar as a child in the church band. Learning the guitar shortly after in his teenage years, he had the opportunity to join a band called Smokin” In his late teens and early 20s, Josh played in several rock bands, on Rock Legends cruise ships and stages up and down the East Coast. In his 20s, Josh decided to leave the rockstar lifestyle behind and settle down with his wife, Kendra, whom he has known since they were neighbors at 5 years old. After having three daughters, they had a son, Leelynd, who they tragically lost the day he was born. They have been blessed with another daughter, completing their family of 7. After the loss of their son, Josh leaned into music and the church he pastors to find healing and purpose. When Josh isn’t with all his girls, you will find him hunting or helping around Kendra’s grandmother’s farm.
Alyssa Crosby (1-CHAIR TURN)
Age: 32
Hometown: Binghamton, NY
Resident: Binghamton, NY
Alyssa is a self-proclaimed cat lady. When Alyssa is not performing on stage, you can usually find her at home with her fiancé, five cats and puppy. Alyssa loves to write songs and sometimes serenade her animals with her music. Having grown up around singers, Alyssa’s mother had a deep connection to music and started her own karaoke business when Alyssa was just a kid. Alyssa enjoyed karaoke throughout most of her life, and when she was in her early 20s decided to start a band. Putting out an ad on Craigslist for more band members was just the start of her current band, WildCard. All the other band members are men in their 50s, but she enjoys holding her own as the only woman on the stage.
Ashley Bryant (1-CHAIR TURN)
AGE: 26
Hometown: Louisville, KY
Resident: Louisville, KY
Ashley’s life changed drastically in 2019 due to a tragic car accident, leaving her with hearing loss in her right ear. Despite the challenges, she persevered and relearned to sing with limited hearing. Ashley’s singing talent was initially hidden until she impressed everyone with a performance during a high school ceremony. She went on to pursue a career in the dental field while developing her singing skills through karaoke, competing in contests just about every weekend. After a decision to make a career change, she obtained her esthetician license and instead of karaoke nights, now plays gigs on the weekends.
Who’s next?
Keep watching “The Voice” every Monday and Tuesday on NBC to see which aspiring artists join each of the four teams.
