When you’re fighting to keep your spot on Blake Shelton’s team, you have to show off your country singing skills. These The Voice contestants took their southern twangs to the mic and demonstrated just how far they could take their coach in the competition. Both Carson Peters and Lana Scott were favorites of both the show’s fans and Shelton himself. So, this Knockout Round was truly difficult for the coach.
Scott was the first one to take the stage with her rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams.” Dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and stunning red dress, the songstress even embodied the original artist’s style. However, as she began singing, it was clear that Scott was infusing some southern flair into the song. Meanwhile, Peters went for a country classic, George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning,” keeping it traditional with his fiddle in hand. The young The Voice vocalist performed the song while plucking away at the instrument, showing his true roots.
Watch their all-star performances in The Voice‘s clip below.
While Scott beautifully belted the high notes of her song, Peters gave us plenty of voice breaks and subtle runs. Their styles were vastly different, but demonstrated just how diverse two artists within the genre can be.
‘The Voice’ Coaches Give Their Final Feedback
Following the performances was the hardest part for The Voice contestants’ judge because as much as he enjoyed hearing them sing, he didn’t want to have to let one of them go. Thankfully, Shelton had some time to deliberate as his fellow coaches gave Scott and Peters their thoughts.
First up was Ariana Grande who commended Peters for his skills on the fiddle. She deemed his performance “so entertaining” before giving her usual compliment, “I’m a huge fan.”
Afterwards, Grande focused on Scott’s “country-pop” style and how she managed to beautifully blend the two genres. Surprisingly, though, the pop-star herself chose Peters for the win before passing the spotlight to John Legend.
As always, Legend honed in on the technical aspects of the performances. The Voice judge noted that perhaps some notes in Peters’ performance needed “more breath support” but also pointed out his consistency throughout the competition. Legend cast his vote for Scott because of the “piercing quality” of her voice that “cut through in a really beautiful way.”
Kelly Clarkson concurred with Legend’s decision, stating that Peters’ register was a bit too high for a George Strait classic. For Scott, on the other hand, The Voice judge had nothing but compliments, comparing her to Pam Tillis.
Finally, after listening to his fellow judges comments, Shelton gave his final thoughts. He seemed pleasantly surprised with how much gusto Scott brought to her performance. He also commended Peters for his bravery to perform Strait’s song, “but that’s a tall order.”
In the end, he awarded Scott with the win.
