Aliyah Khaylyn brought down the house on The Voice Season 26 Playoffs with her unforgettable rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”
Representing Team Snoop Dogg, Khaylyn tackled one of the most iconic ballads of all time and left both the audience and judges in awe and on their feet dancing along. Right from her opening lines, Snoop exclaimed, “Yes!” while Gwen Stefani’s jaw practically hit the floor at Aliyah’s powerhouse vocals, declaring at the end of the performance, “I have no words!”
For Snoop, this wasn’t just about hitting the high notes; it was about understanding resilience. To help his team, he brought in none other than Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles as a mentor. “Because the things that she went through, goes through, and how she has to prepare herself, this is what these artists are actually experiencing,” Snoop explained.
Biles was thrilled to lend her experience to the artists. “I’m a huge music fan. I love The Voice,” she said. “I know the hard work and dedication that it takes when you’re an amateur and then you decide to go professional. You just have to make sure that they believe in themselves.”
Khaylyn’s song choice was bold. Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” released as the third single from The Bodyguard soundtrack in February 1993, achieved remarkable success on the charts upon its release.
The power ballad peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Houston’s 14th top-five hit and solidifying her unparalleled dominance during that era. The song spent 20 weeks on the chart and also climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks. On the Hot R&B Singles chart, it reached No. 4
Performing it is no small feat, but The Voice contestant gave the classic a fresh, heartfelt interpretation.
The performance and its connection hits close to home for The Voice judge Reba McEntire, who introduced Houston’s unforgettable medley at the 1994 American Music Awards.
That night, Houston graced the stage with a jaw-dropping nine-minute performance, seamlessly moving through “I Loves You Porgy,” “I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” and closing with the iconic “I Have Nothing.” Every note showcased Houston’s unmatched talent, while intimate camera shots captured tender moments with her then-husband Bobby Brown and infant daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown.
While Khaylyn didn’t make it to The Voice live shows, her performance certainly left a lasting impression. You can watch her incredible performance here.
