Rachel Mac Delivers Soaring Lee Ann Womack Cover on ‘The Voice’ Finale [Watch]
Team Nick Jonas finalist Rachel Mac brought a dazzling cover of Lee Ann Womack's crossover country hit, "I Hope You Dance," to The Voice season finale on Monday night (May 24.)
For the first night of the show's two-part season finale, each of the five top contestants were asked to select a "dedication song" as well as an uptempo song to perform. For her "dedication song," Womack opted for the iconic and inspirational "I Hope You Dance," which also perfectly showcased her strength and range as a vocalist.
Backed by a spotlight and wearing a glittering gold gown and crown to match, Mac brought an aesthetic to match the song's natural, sweeping drama and emotion. She was accompanied by gentle strings and a swelling piano line, but kept the song's powerful lyrical message in the spotlight throughout her performance.
Womack released "I Hope You Dance" in early 2000, and the song went on to become a Billboard Hot Country Songs chart No. 1 hit as well as cracking the Top 10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. It won multiple awards at country-focused awards shows following its release, and also won a Grammy for Best Country Song.
The song has since gone on to be frequently covered by artists of all-genres, and has become synonymous with a message of encouragement, often for children, graduates and anyone else with a bright future ahead of them. That message certainly struck a chord during Mac's performance of it on The Voice: She's the last-standing contestant on Team Nick, and stands a one-in-five chance of taking home the title of season champion.
Over the course of her time on The Voice, Mac has quickly earned a name for herself with her soul-baring covers of singer-songwriters like Patty Griffin and Elton John. Earlier in May, she impressed with a delicate performance of Kacey Musgraves' "Rainbow."
The Voice will return on Tuesday night (May 25) for part two of the season finale. The show airs at 8PM ET on NBC.
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