Kelly Clarkson and Kenzie Wheeler Deliver Beautiful Keith Whitley Cover on ‘The Voice’ Finale

NBC’s The Voice finalist Kenzie Wheeler joined forces with his coach, superstar Kelly Clarkson, for a Keith Whitley cover during…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 25, 2021

Kenzie Wheeler, Kelly Clarkson; Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

NBC’s The Voice finalist Kenzie Wheeler joined forces with his coach, superstar Kelly Clarkson, for a Keith Whitley cover during the season 20 finale on Tuesday (May 25).

Wheeler and Clarkson joined forces to sing Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing At All.” Wheeler held his own alongside his coach as they flawlessly covered the iconic country track.

Wheeler previously performed Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” during his audition for the show and earned an impressive four-chair turn. Clarkson recruited Wheeler to Team Kelly during the audition rounds after blocking fellow coach Blake Shelton.

.@KenzieWheeler & @KellyClarkson‘s duet is everything we’ve dreamed of. 🎤 #VoiceFinale #TeamKelly pic.twitter.com/iFrVJtlvIH

— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) May 26, 2021

Kenzie Wheeler has covered several country songs throughout the season, including Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road,” Luke Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ in the Dark,” and George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” During night one of the finale, Wheeler performed a cover of Tracy Byrd’s “The Keeper of the Stars” and George Strait’s “Heartland.”

At the conclusion of the show, it was revealed that Kenzie Wheeler placed second in the competition, placing as the runner-up to Team Blake’s Cam Anthony.

The two-night season finale of The Voice also featured performances from Kelsea Ballerini, Lauren Daigle, Ben Platt, Justin Bieber, Thomas Rhett and OneRepublic.

Additionally, the star-studded lineup includes several collaborations, including Gwen Stefani & Saweetie, Maroon 5 with Megan Thee Stallion, Snoop Dogg featuring DJ Battlecat as well as The Voice contestants paired with their superstar coaches for one-of-a-kind duets.

Hosted by Carson Daly, the two-night season finale of The Voice aired live Monday and Tuesday, May 24-25, at 8/7c on NBC.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.