By Gil Kaufman, Billboard | Max Chambers charged into the Knockout Round on The Voice on Monday night (Nov. 3) and proceeded to blow the coaches away with his high-energy, preternaturally soulful cover of Stevie Wonder’s 1972 classic “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.” The 14-year-old Shreveport, Louisiana student came in to do battle with fellow Team Bublé member Max Cooper III, who also held his own with a cover of Djo’s “End of Beginning.”
But Chambers’ poised, powerful performance had Snoop Dogg jumping out of his seat, howling and singing along, as the teen swung and smiled his way through the soul-funk jam with such ease, confidence and swagger that he earned the show’s first-ever Mic Drop award.
The new wrinkle introduced for season 28 of the show – there are no more steals or saves left in the knockout rounds – allows each coach to select one of their acts for the honor bestowed on a performance that is simply undeniable. Even better, after the Droppers are chosen, fans at home get to vote on which one of them will represent the show at the Jan. 1 Rose Parade; voting for the Mic Drop winner will take place on the Nov. 24th episode.
“Max, for my money, is a frontrunner to win The Voice this year,” said coach Bublé. “He could be the youngest winner in Voice history. I really think that Max Chambers could be the reason I am a three-peat winner.” After hitting his Mic Drop button, Bublé added, “I was so excited. I felt like I was doing millions of people a favor. I do hope you’ll vote for him because I do feel he deserves to be there.”
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Watch Chambers’ performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me-nrpQ5e7A
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Read the whole review here:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/max-chambers-earns-first-ever-mic-drop-on-the-voice-for-soaring-stevie-wonder-cover/
(Barb: This kid reminds me of David Ruffin, [The Temptations] and has the showmanship of Michael Jackson. Those other contestants are really going to be needing to step it up!)