WATCH: 22-Year-Old Bryce Leatherwood Stuns With Zac Bown Band Cover On ‘The Voice’
22-year-old Bryce Leatherwood delivered another standout performance on NBC’s The Voice during the second night of the three-person knockouts on…
Bryce Leatherwood; The Voice
22-year-old Bryce Leatherwood delivered another standout performance on NBC’s The Voice during the second night of the three-person knockouts on Tuesday evening (Nov. 1).
The Team Blake contestant, who has been a front-runner of Season 22 of The Voice, took the stage to sing a memorable rendition of Zac Brown Band’s chart-topping hit, “Colder Weather” from the 2022 CMA Group Of The Year nominee’s 2010 album, You Get What You Give.
Sporting a cowboy hat and a suit, the Woodstock, Georgia native captivated viewers with his true country vocals and his commanding stage presence.
“Bryce, you have the greatest gift of all, which is you don’t really have to do anything and people just like you,” his coach, Blake Shelton, applauded. “But man, I’m a fan of your singing!”
“Mr. Leatherwood. I’m such a fan of yours. It’s a combination of your name and your voice,” Camila Cabello added.
John Legend chimed in with some constructive criticism as well as a compliment.
“Bryce, your voice is warm and inviting,” he said. “I did hear some pitchiness, but it didn’t distract me a lot because you came out with that quiet sense of assurance that I like to see in an artist.”
Ultimately, Leatherwood won the knockout round, prevailing against Jay Allen who covered Matt Stell “Pray For You,” and Kate Kalvach, who performed Justin Bieber’s “Anyone.” Allen’s time on the show came to an end, however, Kalvach, was saved by both Cabello and Legend.
In rehearsals “He’s the real deal. He’s a solid hardcore country, and he’s proud of it.”
“Kate, what a revelation. I feel like that was my favorite performance of yours,” Legend praised.
“You’re one of my favorite voices of the whole season. When you do a song by a male vocalist, I feel like you have to really adapt to it, but you did it in such a tasteful and emotional way,” Cabello went on to say.
Kalvach had to make the decision between Team Legend and Team Camila and chose to advance to the next round on Team Camila.
Bryce Leatherwood has continuously impressed The Voice coaches (Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, John Legend, Camila Cabello) since his blind audition, where he performed Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time” and blew away Blake Shelton with his vocal abilities.
“Well, well, well. Welcome to Team Blake,” Shelton said at the time. “I wanted to get my push in before you got to the chorus, because I could tell you already hit the two tough notes. I was blown away. And, what a great country name — Leatherwood.”
“You have an incredible voice,” Camila Cabello said after the Georgia native’s audition. “You are incredibly talented.”
“You sounded fantastic,” John Legend gushed. ”I heard the richness in your voice. No matter what genre you sing, it’s about the charisma you have as an artist. I didn’t want you to waste your experience on this show being on Team Blake. I would be a great coach for you.”
During The Battle Rounds, Leatherwood was paired up against country duo, The Dryes, where they battled to stay in the competition with a cover of Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road.”
Ultimately, Leatherwood was named the winner of the battle round and The Voice coaches praised his talents. Blake Shelton even compared his vocals to the “King Of Country Music,” George Strait.
“Bryce, you’re 22, and I don’t know how much experience you have onstage,” Shelton gushed. ”Seems like you’ve got about 40 years…. You’re one of those guys that’s like George Strait. You deliver and it’s solid.”
Legend told Leatherwood that his vocals are “pure and warm,” before adding, “you just execute everything with precision, confidence and ease. The only issue I had with it is that it seemed so easy that it didn’t have any punch.”
The Voice airs every Monday and Tuesday nights on NBC.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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