Jaelen Johnston’s undeniable musical talent has landed him a spot as a Top 5 finalist on The Voice. During part one of The Voice Season 27 live finale on Monday, May 19, the aspiring artist delivered two standout performances that further cemented his place in the competition and showcased his skills as a dynamic storyteller.
First up, the member of Team Kelsea Ballerini sang Dierks Bentley’s “What Was I Thinkin’” and later, closed out the show with a performance of Chris Stapleton’s “Cold.”
Just as “What Was I Thinkin’” marked a major milestone in Bentley’s career, as his debut single, first No. 1, and eventual 3x Platinum hit, Johnston proved it was the perfect song to mark his arrival in the live finale.
Unfortunately, at the top of the delivery, Johnston experienced a brief memory lapse and missed a few of the lyrics. He was able to recover like a pro and ended up dominating the stage in his all-black ensemble before finishing out stronger than ever.
“I think the worst thing is when you forget lyrics on stage,” he told Entertainment Weekly after Monday’s live finals. “It really is the worst side of it, to be honest.”
Later in the show, Johnston took a dramatic turn with a soul-stirring rendition of Chris Stapleton’s “Cold,” the haunting ballad from the superstar’s Starting Over album. His baritone vocals rose above the foggy stage and filled the room with a set of gritty emotions that reminded viewers just how much heart he brings to the stage.
“Oh, why you got to be so cold?/ Why you got to go and cut me like a knife/ And put our love on ice?/ Oh, girl, you know you left this hole/ Right here in the middle of my soul/ Oh-oh, oh, why you got to be so cold,” Johnston belted out.
Jaelen Johnston is one of five finalists, alongside Renzo, Lucia Flores-Wiseman, Jadyn Cree, and Adam David, who are vying for The Voice crown. His journey on the singing competition show began as a surprise, even to him, when his mom secretly submitted his application on his behalf. This led him to the blind auditions where he won over coach Kelsea Ballerini with his rendition of Luke Combs’ “Where The Wild Things Are.”
He continued to win America’s votes throughout the competition with soaring performances of songs like “Neon Moon” by Brooks & Dunn, “I Drive Your Truck,” by Lee Brice, “If You’re Reading This” by Tim McGraw and more.
Plus, the Kansas native got his shot at a second chance in the competition when Ballerini saved him during the first Live Semifinal round.
Leading up to his final performance, Johnston took to Instagram to reflect on his time on The Voice and how grateful he is to have gotten this opportunity to pursue his dreams in this way.
“I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am to say the words “we’re going to the finale” you guys made that possible, thank you to each and every one of you. This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember I just never had the courage to do it until now.”
He went on to thank his family, God, his growing fanbase and of course, his coach, Kelsea Ballerini for all the support and guidance they provided him during this chapter.
“Never did I think this would be a reality so again extending a HUGEEE thank you to my family for all the support, God for the opportunity, MY AMAZING COACH MISS @kelseaballerini and last but most definitely not least MY AMAZING FANBASE‼️‼️‼️ I love you guys let’s bring this thing home for country music 🤠❤️”
Last night’s episode marked the Top 5 artists’ last performances of the season. It’s safe to say they left everything on the stage in hopes of snagging the most votes and being crowned the Season 27 winner. The ultimate title holder will be revealed tonight, May 20, 2025, at 8/7c on NBC.
The post Jaelen Johnston Shines In Part One Of ‘The Voice’ Finale With Dierks Bentley And Chris Stapleton Covers appeared first on Country Now.