John Legend Pulls Off Last Minute Save of Taylor Deneen Following Performance of Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing” on ‘The Voice’

Taylor Deneen lives to see another day on The Voice after a last-minute save from Coach John Legend. Deneen performed a soulful rendition of Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing” that moved the coach enough to swoop in to keep her on the show.

Taylor Deneen Survives Brutal Knockout Round

The 23-year-old Oklahoma City native went up against Mac Royals and Brandon Montel in a three-way knockout round. It was obvious from the start that this was going to be a difficult decision for Legend.

Deneen gave it her all with her performance of Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing,” combining sultry vocals with a powerful range. She swayed on the stage like she was born to be there, and Legend agreed, leaping up from his chair and dancing alongside the song.

Unfortunately for Deneen, the coaches were more drawn to Royals and his rendition of Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without U.” After some difficult decisions, Legend ultimately decided to go with Royals for the round, meaning it was time to say goodbye to Montel and Deneen.

A Last Minute Save

However, Deneen’s goodbye was short-lived as Legend decided to press the button to save her. According to Legend, “Taylor is a really special singer. Her voice is so sweet but when she goes for those big notes, it’s also really powerful.”

The two embraced in a hug as emotion overwhelmed Deneen. It was a topsy-turvy night after all. Legend said, “We are going to the playoffs.” Legend’s decision to save Deneen surprised fellow coach Niall Horan, who was caught up in the shock of it all.

“Taylor Deneen! It’s nuts, what you can do with your voice,” he said. “Every time you think, ‘This can’t get any bigger,’ I nearly fell through the chair! It was just so good.”

Legend has been coy about which singer he would ultimately save. But he admitted earlier that he had a particular singer in mind. According to Legend, “I’m gonna use my save on someone that I know deserves to stay in the competition.”

Legend has been a fan of Deneen since she first appeared on the show. After she sang a Childish Gambino cover, he said, “I am a Taylor Deneen fan…you just kept getting better and better and better. You kept finding new places to go with the notes.”