Voice Stars Houston Kelly And Tia DuRant Battle Over “Either Way” By Chris Stapleton
Kelly Clarkson was left in a state of anguish following a dynamic battle over a Chris Stapleton song on Season 29 of The Voice. And not because the performance was poor, but rather, because it was so good, she didn’t know who to choose as the winner.
The battle, which aired on March 23, was between Houston Kelly and Tia DuRant. They covered Chris’ hauntingly beautiful track, “Either Way.”
Chris co-wrote “Either Way” with Tim James and Kendall Marvel. The song was originally sung by Lee Ann Womack, who released her recording in 2008.
Chris released his version of “Either Way” as a single in 2017. His recording has been certified Platinum and won the Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance in 2018.
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Singing a Chris Stapleton song is no easy feat, but Houston Kelly and Tia DuRant were up to the challenge on The Voice. Their brilliant performance made an immediate impression on the coaches, who could be heard exclaiming “dang” and “wow” throughout the song.
As the battle continued, you could see a feeling of dread wash over coach Kelly Clarkson’s face as she realized she’d soon have to send one of the singers home.
Who Did Kelly Clarkson Choose As The Winner Of The Battle Between Houston Kelly And Tia DuRant?
Kelly knew she was facing an impossible choice at the end of Houston and Tia’s battle. She could be heard saying “Aw man” under her breath as she clapped and gave the singers a standing ovation.
Adam Levine jumped in to share his commentary first. He said he was “really, really blown away” by Houston’s performance, and would therefore choose him as the winner.
John Legend contradicted him, saying he would pick Tia. “Your tone was just liquid gold,” he told her, adding that he “couldn’t see her going home after that.”
Of course, those comments didn’t help Kelly make a decision. “You both did such a great job,” she told Houston and Tia.
Directing her attention to Tia, she said, “You did some really interesting stuff that was really cool.“
Speaking to Huston, she remarked, “I knew you would be able to do the big stuff, but that really intimate stuff was really special, and I think just as powerful.“
Kelly noted how she was “shaking” over the decision she was about to make. “I hate this right now,” she said.
After taking a long time to think it over, Kelly finally named Huston as the winner of the battle!
In a post-battle interview, Kelly described it as “by far, my hardest decision.” But the reason she landed on Houston as the winner is because he “showed me in the battles that he’s got even more in his arsenal that I did not know about.”
Watch Huston Kelly and Tia DuRant sing Chris Stapleton’s “Either Way” on The Voice in the video below. After watching the battle, let us know…do you agree with Kelly’s choice?
