It was the end of an era Tuesday night (May 23) as The Voice crowned its 2023 winner, and coach Blake Shelton hung up his cowboy hat for the very last time.
After months of blind auditions, tears, cheers, battles, and a few baffling moments, five contestants competed for the second night of the two-part grand finale.
On the first night, which aired on Monday (May 22) on NBC, Gina Miles, Grace West, D.Smooth, Sorelle and Noivas each gave solo performances on the stage.
Tonight, each of the finalists teamed up with their coaches for a duet. And faced the final countdown.
The only thing that mildly interested us was whether Shelton, who had somehow won nine times before, would leave The Voice with a smug grin. However, he had two suckers in the finale: Noivas and Grace West, who sang with him on Michael Buble’s “Home” and his own hit “Lonely Tonight,” respectively.
Would he, could he do it again and guide an artist to glory? Flat answer, no.
Gina Miles: From Unknown to Star of The Voice 2023
As the 23rd season wrapped, it was Niall Horan’s teammate Gina Miles who took the trophy.
The 19-year-old resident of Nashville, TN, broke hearts with a rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Prince’s classic 90s number made popular by Sinead O’Connor, and a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Style.”
When she dueted with Horan on Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind,” The Voice viewers had seen enough.
Horan, the debutant, enjoys the rub of the green. Blake, who had a near miss in his quest to crack double figures, might call it the luck of the Irish.
“I’ve been wrestling with this for a while, and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after Season 23,” Shelton said. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better, and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns, and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people; you are the best.”
Shelton’s teammate Grace West finished second and Kelly Clarkson’s singer D.Smooth completed the podium.
The victorious Miles collects a six-figure cash prize and a recording contract with Universal Republic Records.
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