THE VOICE: Mom Delivers Bold “Blue Bayou” Performance After Early Mistake
32-year-old full-time mom Drew Russell recovered from an early mistake while singing "Blue Bayou" on "The Voice," making a strong impression on the coaches. (Photo Credit: The Voice / YouTube)
Meet Drew Russell, A Contestant On Season 29 Of The Voice
Drew Russell took a major risk by singing “Blue Bayou” for her blind audition on The Voice. Thankfully, that risk paid off.
32-year-old Russell is from Los Angeles, California. Her father, David Thomas, performs in the famous a cappella group Take 6.
She sang a little in college, but chose not to pursue music as a career. She entered the corporate world, got married, and had a son.
When she auditioned for Season 29 of The Voice, Russell introduced herself as a full-time mother. Now, she’s finally taking a leap of faith by chasing her musical dreams.
Russell sang “Blue Bayou” for coaches Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and John Legend. Although the song was originally recorded by Roy Orbison, the most recognizable rendition was released by Linda Ronstadt in 1977.
Alisan Porter famously covered the song when she auditioned for Season 10 of The Voice in 2016. She ended up winning the season.
Drew Russell Stumbles, But Recovers, While Singing “Blue Bayou” On The Voice
Anyone who’s ever listened to “Blue Bayou” before knows it isn’t an easy song to sing. It’s incredibly dynamic, with hard-to-reach high and low notes that even well-seasoned artists struggle to hit.
Russell made a mistake early in her blind audition and stumbled in one of those dynamic moments. But instead of giving up, she pushed through, demonstrating her perseverance.
Her efforts received a reward. Coach Adam Levine was enchanted by her angelic voice and turned his chair for her performance. Although he was the only coach to do so, that’s all Russell needed to earn a spot on the show!
Russell’s mom and husband jumped for joy after the song ended. Russell seemed relieved as Levine spoke, saying, “I really think you’re special.”
Levine noticed that she struggled at the beginning, but made it clear he didn’t care. “The good news is, that you really salvaged the performance, and I think that it was awesome,” he said.
Kelly Clarkson agreed. She noted how Russell picked a song with one of the biggest ranges and approached it with a fearless attitude. That fearlessness, Clarkson said, will help Russell do well in the competition.
Levine echoed her comments, saying, “It’s only gonna get so much better from here with you.”
Watch Drew Russell perform “Blue Bayou” on The Voice in the video below. We’re excited to see what she accomplishes on Team Adam!
