Luke Combs The Voice
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Luke Combs Performs on 'The Voice' Finale Years After Being Rejected by the Singing Competition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CosBE0f7_4k

On the same night (Tues., Dec. 17) country singer Jake Hoot won the 17th season of NBC's The Voice, Luke Combs wowed viewers with a performance of sentimental hit "Even Though I'm Leaving."

The Voice finale's special guest brought things full circle for Hoot, a Kelly Clarkson-coached talent who first auditioned with his version of Combs' "When It Rains It Pours."

Hoot, a former Tennessee Tech football player, won the finale over Ricky Duran from Blake Shelton's team, Katie Kadan from John Legend's team and Rose Short from Gwen Stefani's team. Performances that swayed voters included Hoot's cover of Lonestar's "Amazed" as well as his original tune "Better Off Without You."

Read More: Luke Combs Says He'd Like to Collaborate with Post Malone

It also served as retribution for Combs. Per an interview with Whiskey Riff, the CMA Awards' reigning Male Vocalist of the Year was once turned away by the show's producers for not being "interesting enough" to impact ratings. Funny enough, Combs' talents as songwriter and singer and his down-to-earth image would later make him the most interesting man in country music. Wonder how soon The Voice felt seller's remorse after debut album This One's For You and number one single "Hurricane" established Combs as a future superstar?

Tuesday night's season finale also featured Little Big Town as Hoot's duet partners for "Over Drinking." In addition, Lady Antebellum performed "What If I Never Get Over You."

Despite the swing-and-miss after Combs' audition, The Voice has a strong record of offering a national television platform to such future Nashville acts as RaeLynn and Cassadee Pope.

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