The Voice: Cori Kennedy’s elimination explored

Monday night’s The Voice episode brought bad news for Kasson-Mantorville’s own Cori Kennedy. Her super fun run on NBC’s The Voice is over. Monday night’s episode of Season 28 threw Cori into the super-stressy Knockout round, where she had to go head-to-head with her own teammate, Aaron Nichols. Cori, who’s 28 and proudly Minnesotan, blasted out Lady Gaga’s “Yoü and I” like she was trying to shake the whole stage loose, while Aaron rolled in with “Hurricane” by Band of Heathens.

Cori’s country power vocals were seriously on fire on The Voice, but Reba McEntire had to pick one singer; no ties, no take-backsies. And Reba chose Aaron, which was a big ouch moment for Cori.

The Voice is that show where singers pick famous coaches, survive wild rounds like Blinds, Battles, and Knockouts, and try to snag a recording contract at the finish line. Even though Cori didn’t make it through, her run was still a win in its own way. She brought her country style, showed off pipes that could probably bend metal, and had the whole Sioux Empire cheering since the season kicked off on September 22. It was a short ride, but honestly, a pretty sparkly one.

The Voice: Cori Kennedy’s knockout round performance and its aftermath

The Minnesota singer chose a bold direction for her Knockout performance on The Voice. She took on Lady Gaga's rock-infused ballad "Yoü and I," stepping outside traditional country territory. Kennedy brought what producers described as a "Rockstar Attitude" to the stage. Her competitor, Aaron Nichols, whom Kennedy praised as "Chris Stapleton reincarnated," selected "Hurricane" for his performance. Both singers delivered compelling renditions that made McEntire's decision particularly difficult.

McEntire faced one of her hardest decisions of the season. Both Team Reba members demonstrated strong vocal abilities and stage presence. The country music legend weighed each performance carefully before making her final call. She chose Nichols to move forward, which meant Kennedy’s run on the show came to an end. The Knockout rounds are basically musical gladiator fights; only one singer walks out, and this time, it wasn’t Kennedy.

But even after her exit, Kennedy got flooded with love online. She hopped on social media that night to thank everyone, sounding both teary and grateful in the best way. She told fans their support made the whole experience feel huge and sparkly, like she’d been carrying a cheer squad on her shoulders the entire time. Kennedy even said she felt like she had already won.

Kennedy’s legacy and future prospects

Kennedy highlighted her Minnesota origins throughout the competition. She introduced true country music to viewers all around the country. Her performances created a lasting effect on her instructor and the audience. The Kasson native effectively showcased her abilities to a wider audience. While her The Voice journey is finished, Kennedy's future in music appears promising. Her fan base has grown significantly, and industry insiders believe this will not be the last time her name is mentioned in country music circles.

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Viewers can catch Season 28 airing Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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