Fil-Am singer Kaylee Shimizu wows on 'The Voice' with 'Aint No Way' performance
Another Fil-Am talent is making waves on the international stage!
Filipino-American singer Kaylee Shimizu impressed NBC's The Voice crowd as she performed the 1968 track Ain't No Way by Aretha Franklin, earning her a ticket to the playoffs before the highly anticipated live shows.
The 17-year-old vocalist left Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani, and Reba McEntire in all smiles, while her coach, John Legend, appeared to be left in awe as he stood up and raised his arms after her performance.
Shimizu competed against two other singers, Caleb Sasser and Mara Justine, for a chance to advance to the next round with Team John. The All of You singer called Shimizu one of the most talented vocalists he's ever heard and decided to keep her on his team.
In an interview on Hawaii News Now, Shimizu said she didn't feel ready to sing the classic until it was time for her to do so.
“I’ve been learning this song for a long, long time, but I just wasn’t ready to sing it. But I finally got the chance to sing and I felt ready,” she said.
Shimizu also revealed that Legend has been really encouraging and helpful as her coach.
“When I would rehearse for him, he was always so into the song that I was singing, and after I’d sing, he’d be like, 'My goodness! Good job, good job.' And that just makes me feel so much more secure in my song and more confident to be on that stage," she continued.
In the comment section of the official YouTube clip of her performance, Shimizu said she's grateful for the support she has received so far.
"THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUYS KIND WORDS, THE LOVE, AND SUPPORT!!! I truly appreciate it!!! Much love to ALL of you guys," she wrote.
Before The Voice Season 24 knockouts, Shimizu won over Elizabeth Evans during the battle round with her take on Olivia Rodrigo's hit track Traitor.
