Kennedy Holmes, the 13-year-old 8th grader from John Burroughs, was the first name called during Tuesday night’s results episode of NBC’s “The Voice.” She was voted through to the season 15 semifinals of the hit NBC vocal talent competition. What a shock – said absolutely no one.
The fact that everyone presumed she was safe on the strength of her performance and connection with viewers didn’t stop the Florissant native’s celebrity coach Jennifer Hudson from screaming at the top of her lungs and leaping from her seat with a double fist pump.
As usual, Holmes blew all the coaches and voters away with her performance of Meghan Trainor’s “Me Too” the night before. But the pop tune, which Holmes performed with a heap of choreography to show off her dance skills, was a departure from her usual format of powerhouse ballads from the divas of contemporary pop music.
“How are you breathing?” host Carson Daly asked Holmes after the performance. “Oh my gosh, that was amazing! Being 13 and having fun is one thing. Nailing professional choreography like that is a whole other ballgame. You were incredible.”
Her coach Jennifer Hudson selected the pop track with a pulsating dance beat so the teen could let loose and show her age. Holmes has already made her vocal range and ability clear with poised, controlled and stoic performances. But with her latest showing, she proved herself a double threat by working the entire stage –even hopping down in the judging station pit – with some seriously impressive dance moves, including an impeccably executed moonwalk.
“I love that you can sing a ballad and I love that you can nail a song like a professional,” Kelly Clarkson said. “But you’re 13, and it’s awesome to see you being your age and doing something fun as well.”
Holmes – who was labeled a leading contender to win the hit NBC vocal competition show from her first appearance during the blind auditions for the 15th season opener – made it through to the top ten with a steady stream of pop and R&B ballads. But Monday night she showed another side for fans to love.
“If that was being 13, then I sucked at being 13,” celebrity coach Adam Levine said. “That’s crazy that you can dance like that. A lot of times people are put in the position where they are dancing with people, but they can’t necessarily dance. But you can move. That’s a strength that we really didn’t know much about until this moment.”
Just as she has done from the very beginning, Holmes left her own coach beaming with pride as one of two performers representing for “Team J-Hud.” And now she’ll join seven other contests vying for a chance at being crowned the winner of the hit vocal competition’s 15th season.
“You never disappoint,” Hudson said following the performance. “I don’t even know what to say to you. I’m just so proud and I enjoyed watching every single thing that you just did on that stage.
You are ready for the game – I don’t care if you are 12 or 13.”
NBC’s The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. CST on NBC. For more information, visit https://www.nbc.com/the-voice.
