Since the very beginning, Brooks has stood out to viewers because of his unique voice. Back in March, he auditioned for the competition with Joshua Sloan’s “Your Place at My Place,” and it earned some very high praise from all three judges.
Luke Bryan ended up calling Brooks’ vocals “beautifully unique,” whereas Carrie Underwood compared his rarity to a “unicorn.”
“I have never heard another voice like this, ever,” Lionel Richie added.
The 22-year-old Maryland native brought that same energy to the show’s latest episode. To really highlight his raw talent, Brooks kept things simple. There was no flashy production or gimmicks, just him sitting on a stool as he sang “The Climb.”
By the time he sang his final line, Brooks had the audience on their feet in applause. But when it came time for the judges’ feedback, the reactions were mixed.
Former American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson served as the guest judge/mentor for the night, so she was the first to give input on Brooks’ performance.
“You have such a special sound that does not come around every day,” she said. “And you are brave to come out here. But you are in the right place. You deserve to be here.”
Luke Bryan was up next to give his comments. Although he enjoyed the performance overall, he felt that Brooks lost his way in parts of the song.
“I felt like the song may have run away from you a little bit just a few couple times,” Luke said.
However, he encouraged him to keep going because he truly does love his voice.
On the other hand, judge Lionel Richie couldn’t have been more impressed by Brooks.
“Everybody else has a job of figuring out how to dance, how to move, [but] your magic is in your voice,” he praised. “And i’m telling you, just keep doing that, and you’re going places my friend.”
“You’re another one I’m just so proud of,” Carrie Underwood added. “I feel like each week we watch you get more and more comfortable in the gift that you have. Keep doing that, and I’m just excited to see where you go.”
So, was Brooks’ performance enough to send him into the Top 7?
Yes, it was! Brooks ended up moving forward alongside contestants Daniel Stallworth, Keyla Richardson, Jordan McCullough, Chris Tungseth, Hannah Harper, and Braden Rumsfelt.
Fans don’t have much longer to finally find out who will be crowned champion. There are only three episodes left, and the contestants’ next challenge will take place on Monday (April 27) for Taylor Swift Night. Each singer will choose a song from the pop star’s extensive music catalog.
In the meantime, you can watch Brooks’ Disney Night performance in the video below!
