You Don't Own Her
San Antonio singer owns the stage on 'The Voice,' charms all four judges
Rudi Gutierrez got validation from all four judges onThe Voice, but she really wanted one's.
In an episode of singing competition The Voice that aired on Monday, October 2, a singer from San Antonio wowed all four judges with a rendition of Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me."
The song is famous for its bluesy, haunting verse, followed by a soaring chorus setting the singer's foot down. Of course, for a vocal competition, Rudi Gutierrez (who performs as Rudi) kicked things up a notch. She sang with a fuller voice than the raw original, and inserted plenty of runs to show vocal agility on top of richness.
The Voice sets the celebrity judges up facing the opposite direction of the stage, so that they can't see the singer until they're already committed to the voice. Still, it's not a completely blind competition, and Rudi looked cool in studded and sparkling denim from head to toe.
Gwen Stefani turned first, only 25 seconds in and a few words into the chorus. Since Stefani has always been a full-throated singer who goes for the drama, this was right on-brand. She said she felt "euphoria" later during the judges' reaction period.
"this sh!t is bananas," wrote Rudi on Instagram. "4 chair turn, a block, and a standing ovation?! let’s goooooo!!!!" She also shared a screenshot from 2014 professing her admiration (or something more?) for the iconic No Doubt singer.
Next Niall Horan blocked John Legend, who turned seconds later (unaware of the block), followed by Reba McEntire, who made the judges' support unanimous. Of course, Rudi chose her longtime crush Stefani as her vocal coach.
The 28-year-old singer usually records dreamy pop tracks with an R&B influence, so it'll be interesting to see how she continues to put her own spin on classic songs. She mentioned a common artistic struggle onstage — not making enough money through music alone — and shared that she'd been working at her father's auto body shop.
To see the judges' reactions and hear Rudi's audition, watch the clip on YouTube. Watch The Voice on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7 pm on NBC.
