(NBC) — NBC’s “The Voice” is getting close to the end and the live semifinals are Monday with eight singers vying for the five spots in next week’s finale.
Nerves can get the best of anyone and Team Blake’s Bodie Kuljian said that last week, nerves nearly got the best of him.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever felt like that on stage like, I genuinely was concerned that I was gonna pass out mid-performance,” the artist said.
The stress does not lessen all that much when the singers await their fate.
“As the stakes get higher, it just gets harder and harder,” said Parijita Bastola of Team Legend. “There’s no way of easing the anxiety of either, you know, losing or losing a friend.”
With finale spots on the line Monday, the artists will each deliver a solo performance.
“It’s a country song, but it is a very challenging vocal song and I’m very excited to sing it,” said Team Blake’s Bryce Leatherwood.
And the artists will also each perform a duet of a Whitney Houston song.
“She is the voice of her generation, but I even go so far to say she is just the voice of every generation because her music is so timeless,” said Justin Aaron of Team Gwen.
She’s so iconic, friends of Team Legend’s Kim Cruse encouraged her to go that route weeks ago.
“I said, ‘Never,’” said Cruse. “I don’t even sing Whitney Houston in karaoke.”
As a teenager, Morgan Myles of Team Camila said she saw the legendary singer close up at a concert.
“I love Whitney and she looked at me,” said Myles. “She looked at us, she looked at us, we looked crazy. But she looked at us.”
Monday, America will be looking and listening to eight singers.
“It’s almost like it’s a dream I don’t want to wake up from,” said Omar Jose Cardona of Team Legend.
Casting votes to decide which five make next week’s finale.
“It’d just be crazy,” said Brayden Lape of Team Blake. “Unbelievable. You know all those words to describe it because it’s so hard to describe it.”
The chance to find the words is almost here.
“The Voice” airs Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. It is followed Monday at 10 p.m. by a special holiday edition of “That’s My Jam”, with Jimmy Fallon playing host to some “SNL” alums.
