Minnesota native Cori Kennedy won’t be “The Voice.”
The 28-year-old singer from the Kasson-Mantorville area was eliminated Monday from the hit NBC series during the knockout round. Mentor Reba McEntire chose competitor Aaron Nichols over Kennedy but not before heaping praise on her.
“Cori, you are a powerhouse,” McEntire said. “When you hit the stage, everyone knows you mean business.”
Judge Niall Horan, who didn’t have a vote in who would survive, compared Kennedy to Stevie Nicks.
Kennedy sang Lady Gaga’s “Yoü and I,” a tune she used to win a talent show while attending Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she was a softball standout.
Before the showdown, the two competitors got advice from Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh.
Nichols lives in Nashville, but hails from Bakersfield, Calif., the former home of country music legends Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.
McEntire said she favored Nichols because he “knows his lane and is very powerful in his lane.” She also gave him a “mic drop,” which qualifies him for a chance to perform at the Rose Bowl.
