Did Wendy Moten Reach ‘Icon Status’ with Her Latest Performance on ‘The Voice?’

Nashville native Wendy Moten once again delivered a show-stopping performance on NBC’s The Voice, this time taking the stage to perform an Aretha Franklin classic during Fan Night. 

Prior to her performance of Franklin’s “Freeway Of Love,” Moten got a call from country music legend, Vince Gill, who happens to be a close friend of hers. 

“I’m cheering you on from Nashville,” Gill shared via FaceTime. 

“My dream has always been that the world can hear your gift,” he added. 

“Vince Gill’s like a brother to me,” Moten said. “It means a lot having his support. I love you and thank you so much.”

Moten’s coach, Blake Shelton, admitted the song is “one of my favorite songs from the ‘80s.” 

“I remember when I was a kid, the skating rink in Ada, Oklahoma. That’s when this song was a big hit. I remember skating fast,” Shelton recalled. 

Moten, who was celebrating her birthday, revealed that her fans selected the song for her to cover. 

“I’m going to sing a big party song on my birthday in front of millions of people. It’s going to be a big party and I didn’t even know,” she said. 

“When she sings she blows the roof off this place,” Shelton exclaimed. 

Moten’s powerhouse performance earned a standing ovation from the entire coaches panel. 

“Wendy, you are absolutely one of my favorite people to watch sing, ever. You are just so incredible every single time and I always get so excited because you choose these humongous songs, and you honor them and make them your own,” Ariana Grande complimented. “Also, tonight I feel like we saw you have way more fun than you’ve ever had, and it was just so infectious, and you were stunning as always. It was awesome.”

John Legend agreed, calling Moten a “flawless vocalist.” 

“You nail everything, every single time,” he went on to say. “Your tone is beautiful, your technique is beautiful, everything’s perfect. And it could be taken for granted because it seems so effortless coming from you, but I want America to be clear like what she’s doing almost no one on this planet can do like Wendy can do. So, appreciate that.”

Shelton raved over Moten’s performance and begged viewers to vote for her so she could advance to the Top 10 in the competition. 

“Wendy, you are stepping into a new artist role with icon status already, It’s never happened before,” the country star told her. “You’re performing like a legend, like an icon on that stage. It’s unbelievable with so much comfort and just like John said everything you do vocally, it’s literally perfect. American in the name of God, please, Wendy.”

Voting is open now in The Voice official app and online at NBC.com/VoiceVote. 

Wendy Moten’s cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Freeway Of Love” is available on streaming platforms now.