Kelly Clarkson Can’t Contain Her Excitement After Nina Howland’s Bonnie Raitt Cover on The Voice
Kelly Clarkson knew almost immediately that Nina Howland was the kind of singer she wanted on her team.
During the October 5 episode of The Voice, the 24-year-old New Yorker delivered a confident performance of Bonnie Raitt’s “Love Me Like a Man” that prompted all four coaches to turn their chairs. Clarkson, Adam Levine, Queen Latifah and Riley Green were all eager to make their case, but Clarkson’s reaction stood out from the start.
Before Howland had even finished speaking, Clarkson made it clear that she had a personal connection to the song, calling it her favorite Bonnie Raitt track and enthusiastically urging the singer to choose her.
Nina Howland turns all four coaches
Howland, who is from New York and performs in musical theater, told the coaches that she sees The Voice as an opportunity to move further toward pop music in her career.
Her audition quickly became one of the night’s biggest moments. Riley Green praised the performance for its attitude, saying there was little doubt that the coaches would turn their chairs after hearing it.
Clarkson was even more animated.
She told Howland that the Bonnie Raitt song was one she sings in the shower and jokingly celebrated the possibility of adding another victory to her résumé. Her excitement made it clear that she was already picturing Howland on Team Kelly.
Adam Levine, meanwhile, couldn’t resist poking fun at the situation. He joked that once Clarkson and Queen Latifah had turned, he felt as though he had arrived at a party he wasn’t invited to. When Green finally turned as well, Levine said he figured he could join the party too.
The playful competition continued as each coach tried to find a way to connect with Howland.
Queen Latifah appealed to their shared connection to the Knicks and told the singer that she believed the two of them could command The Voice together.
Clarkson’s connection to the song made her pitch personal
For Clarkson, the audition carried an extra layer of significance because of her long-standing admiration for the song.
After the four-chair turn, she explained that she had once used her entire Grammy acceptance speech to talk to Bonnie Raitt about “Love Me Like a Man.” That made Howland’s decision to perform the song particularly meaningful to her.
Clarkson also praised Howland’s versatility. She described the singer as soulful and highlighted the appeal of working with an artist who is willing to explore different genres and draw inspiration from performers with different musical backgrounds.
The audition came as Season 30’s Blind Auditions were nearing their conclusion, with Clarkson, Levine, Latifah and Green continuing to build their teams. Howland’s performance became one of the latest four-chair turns of the season.
Clarkson wasn’t shy about her own competitive ambitions, either. After returning to her chair, she suggested that although she had lost the previous season, she could be in position to win this one.
Nina Howland had already made up her mind
Despite receiving pitches from all four coaches, Howland’s choice ultimately came down to the person she had hoped to impress from the beginning.
She chose Kelly Clarkson.
Howland explained that Clarkson is her idol and that she deliberately selected “Love Me Like a Man” because she knew how much Clarkson loved the Bonnie Raitt song. For Howland, that made Clarkson the coach she wanted in her corner.
The decision also gave Clarkson a moment to celebrate after such an enthusiastic audition reaction. Her admiration for the song had been obvious from the instant Howland finished performing, and the singer’s choice confirmed that the connection had gone both ways.
A four-chair turn that became a perfect match
Howland’s audition ultimately delivered everything a four-chair turn promises: a standout performance, four coaches competing for the same artist and a decision shaped by a genuine musical connection.
For Clarkson, hearing one of her favorite Bonnie Raitt songs performed by a singer she immediately admired was enough to turn the audition into an especially memorable moment.
For Howland, the choice was much simpler. She had chosen the song with Clarkson in mind, viewed Clarkson as her idol and believed she would be an exceptional coach.
That combination made Team Kelly the natural destination for the 24-year-old New Yorker as The Voice Season 30 moves toward the next stage of the competition.
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