Mandi Thomas Performs Lee Ann Womack’s ‘I Hope You Dance’ on ‘The Voice’

NBC’s The Voice returned on Monday evening (May 4) with the first round of live-to-tape, at-home performances. The Top 17…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 5, 2020

9:32 am

Mandi Thomas; Photo by: NBC

NBC’s The Voice returned on Monday evening (May 4) with the first round of live-to-tape, at-home performances. The Top 17 contestants, along with coaches Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, John Legend and Nick Jonas, and Mega Mentor James Taylor, appeared from their homes, while host Carson Daly appeared from The Voice stage in front of four empty coaches’ chairs.

The contestants, who received cameras and studio equipment from producers, showcased their vocals from various at-home spaces, with some of the performances even giving off music video-like vibes with colored lights and various video filters.

Team Kelly’s Mandi Thomas, who previously wowed the coaches with her performance of Maren Morris’ “My Church,” took on another country song this week, performing Lee Ann Womack’s iconic hit, “I Hope You Dance.”

https://youtu.be/4iRML7eSE_E

Thomas’ soaring vocals were put on full display throughout the performance and once again impressed coach Kelly Clarkson.

“You can sing anything, that’s the amazing thing about you and having you on my team,” Clarkson gushed after Thomas’ performance. “I’m so, so very proud of you tonight. I hope you are of yourself as well.”

Thomas, a resident of Memphis, Tennessee, is a vocal teacher at the Vision Academy of Performing Arts in Cordova, Tenn. According to reports, she tried to land a slot on several singing competitions and never got her chance until now when Clarkson recognized her talent on The Voice.

Tuesday’s episode of The Voice, airing at 8/7 c on NBC, will reveal the overnight viewer vote. Thanks to fan votes, one contestant from each team will be safe. Each coach will then select one additional singer to move to the next round. One singer from each team will also be eligible to compete in the Wildcard Instant Save round for the final spot on next week’s Top 9.

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.