NBC Alyssa Witrado "The Voice"
Teenager Alyssa Witrado took a chance going into the Blind Auditions on “The Voice” season 22, choosing to sing one coach’s most iconic song for her one chance at getting the coaches to turn around.
Witrado performed Gwen Stefani’s No Doubt hit “Don’t Speak” for coaches Blake Shelton, Camila Cabello, John Legend and Stefani, and she impressed them, earning chair turns from Cabello and Stefani herself.
The 19-year-old from Fresno, California, knew she was taking a risk.
“My mom used to sing to me as a child, and I think that’s why I’m so musically inclined,” she shared. “My family is everything to me.”
She added that her parents got divorced when she was 9 years old, which was hard on her.
“I became more sheltered, I started being alone a lot,” she said of that time in her life, adding that she sometimes didn’t know what to do or who to talk to, so she turned to music. “It made me feel so much better about life. So, being here, I’m the most grateful for this opportunity.”
Witrado Hoped to Do the Song ‘Justice’
Ahead of her audition, Witrado said that she hoped she would be able to do the song justice.
“Gwen is so special to me in my heart, and so is Camila,” she said before heading out on stage.
Stefani and Cabello were excited as soon as they heard the first notes of the song, and they both turned around after the first couple of words.
Shelton could also be seen singing along with the song, though he and Legend did not turn around for the artist.
“I feel like this is rigged!” Cabello said jokingly after the song ended.
Legend called Witrado “amazing.”
“I want you to be happy, but I did turn around first, I love the song choice, I love that you sang it like you,” Cabello shared. “I feel like we both have the same music taste. We both love Gwen Stefani.”
Stefani shared, “Alyssa, that was so surreal for me. It’s really a weird song, and it’s hard to cover it… It really did sound so good. And what I like about you is your energy.”
Witrado ended up choosing Stefani as her coach.
“I’ve heard a million people try [singing ‘Don’t Speak’ on ‘The Voice’], but it always feels like they’re putting on the wrong clothes,” Stefani said. “But for her, it fit really well.”
The teenage singer was very excited to be on Stefani’s team.
“I can’t even breathe right now, I don’t know what’s going on,” she said after her audition.
Cabello was later seen saying, “I am crushed by the loss of that last girl.”
Stefani Thought Witrado Sang Better than She Could
ummm i think @witrado_lyssa may have just sang my song better than me 🤯 welcome to #TeamGwen !! 💫 gx #TheVoice #VoicePremiere #VoiceBlinds
In a tweet after the performance aired, Stefani shared that she thought Witrado may have been better at singing “Don’t Speak” than she was.
“ummmm i think @witrado_lyssa may have just sang my song better than me,” she tweeted. “Welcome to #TeamGwen.”
Fans replied to let Stefani know they were rooting for Witrado.
“I loved her sm omg & I’m rooting for her,” one person tweeted.
Another wrote, “It was at great performance and Alyssa’s version, which was very cool.”
“The Voice” airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.