'Voice' contestant delivers powerful COVID-19 message during first night of Knockouts

The Knockout Rounds kicked off on The Voice, starting with Team John Legend's diva singer Tamara Jade, who sent a powerful COVID-19 message with her cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" Tuesday night.

Tamara chose to cover Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground,” explaining, “The world needs this song right now. I don’t know if I’ve ever known of a darker time in history in my 30 years.” Usher, who performed the up-with-people soul singalong with Stevie Wonder and fellow former Voice coach Shakira at Barack Obama’s first presidential inauguration, remarked, “That was really smart of her to choose this moment,” referring to a specific line in the song that Tamara emphasized: “Teachers, keep on teachin’."

During rehearsal, Tamara revealed that her mother is a special education teacher and phones her every day in tears due to the stress of working during the pandemic. So, when Tamara belted that line and shouted out, “This one is for y’all at home! ... We need you right now!” — while pointing to the studio’s Zoom-squared virtual audience — it was powerful and poignant. She instantly lifted the energy in the room, even though the room was mostly empty. “I really heard the mission in your voice,” said a clearly moved John. And, in the end, that was enough to secure her a spot in the Voice playoffs.

Video Transcript

TAMARA JADE: This one is for y'all at home. Listen.

- (singing): Teacher--

GWEN STEFANI: Woo!

TAMARA JADE: (singing) Mama, keep on teaching. We need you right now, and preachers, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta keep on preaching.

NARRATOR: The Knockout Rounds kicked off on The Voice, starting with Team John Legend's diva singer, Tamara Jade, who sent a powerful COVID-19 message with her cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" Tuesday night.

TAMARA JADE: The world needs this song right now. I don't ever know of a darker time in history in my 30 years.

- (singing): People--

- So much illness, destruction, murder hornets-- I don't know if they ever came, but that was-- they were scheduled to make a landing. We have to keep fighting in order to get to higher ground.

NARRATOR: While viewers at home applauded her song choice and performance, during rehearsals, Tamara revealed that her mother is a special education teacher, who calls her every day in tears due to the stress of working during the pandemic, which Usher, who has returned to The Voice as this season's knockouts mega mentor, commended.

USHER: It was really smart of her to choose this moment to get people to pay attention to what's going on outside these walls.

NARRATOR: Following the knockout round, Legend praised Tamara's message saying that he really felt the mission in her voice. And, in the end, that was enough to secure her a spot in The Voice playoffs.

CARSON DALY: Tamara Jade, congratulations. That means you move on to the live playoffs.

TAMARA JADE: Jesus.

KELLY CLARKSON: Woohoo!

TAMARA JADE: This has been my dream since I was a kid. I'm so grateful.