Deaf Singer Stuns ‘The Voice’ Coaches With Her Powerful Cover Of ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song'

Mar 21, 2023

Music is universal. No matter where you come from or what you look like, singing is the overarching method of communication that has proven to transcend emotions, poignant messages, and meanings across to anyone, anywhere in the world. While some have more advantages than others, like studying music lessons or access to training resources, many are still limited because of other factors, such as lack of opportunities and life-altering disabilities. 

However, for 24-year-old ALI, who auditioned for “The Voice” Season 23, no impairment could keep her from singing her heart out. The beloved reality singing competition has seen hundreds of artists and singers come and go, but there are still a few singers here and there that stuns the coaches as soon as they hear them sing. 

Singing Fugees’ hit 1996 cover “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” ALI made sure that everyone heard her effortlessly slide through those riffs and runs all throughout the song. 

“I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style. And so I came to see him and listened for a while. And there he was, this young boy, a stranger to my eyes,” she sang. “Strumming my pain with his fingers. Singing my life with his words. Killing me softly with his song, Killing me softly with his song.”

Her confident demeanor and laid-back personality emanated from her performance, prompting both Chance the Rapper and Kelly Clarkson to press their buttons and turn around for her. 

Although coaches Niall Horan and Blake Shelton did not turn for her, they were very surprised to hear about ALI's incredible backstory. 

Earning a two-chair turn from Clarkson and Chance the Rapper, ALI graciously introduced herself to the entire world. 

“Hi, I’m ALI. I am from Walnut, California. I’m 24 years old, and a fun fact about me is I’m hearing impaired,” she said before Clarkson vocally expressed her disbelief. “I wear two hearing aids. I was born deaf. I’m so blessed to be able to share this. 

Clarkson, who was blown away by ALI's revelation, complimented her for her runs that were “intricate, cool, and different.” Horan, who didn’t turn, admitted that when the two coaches had already turned around, he knew that he was already set up. 

“Any sort of adversity that you’ve had in your life, you are just jumping hurdles here, and it’s so incredible to watch,” Horan explained. 

After him, Shelton, who also didn’t turn around, explained that her song choice was “so far out” of his lane musically but highlighted that if all auditionees were to be lined up and he would be asked to pick one who was hearing-impaired – she would like probably the last one that he would say. 

Chance the Rapper, on the other hand, also set out to get ALI on his team. He also revealed to have been working with DEAFintely Dope, an American Sign Language HipHop collective that performs on festivals nationally. 

“Naturally, you just have an amazing voice, and all the choices that you were making felt very soulful. I would love to hear you sing some gospel,” Chance said before ALI confirmed that she grew up singing that genre. “I could tell! I feel like we would make a great partnership going.”

But when confronted with the choice to pick her coach, ALI chose to be on Team Kelly. 

Wasn’t ALI's performance brilliant? What can you say about her performance? Do you think she was right to choose Kelly Clarkson as her coach? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones to brighten up their day!