Published October 07, 2026
Kayleigh Mathews made a bold choice during her Blind audition on the Voice, turning heads with her country vocals and ultimately choosing Queen Latifah as her coach.
On October 5, the country singer earned a coveted four-chair turn after performing a Vince Gill song.
With all four coaches eager to add her to their teams, Mathews quickly become one of the night’s most sought-after contestant.
Adam Levine was among the first to make his case.
“I am going to fight as hard as I have ever fought for you right now,” Levine told her, before highlighting the strategic advantages of joining his team.
“The way you fill the room with that voice, you are such a magnificent talent. I would be honored to be your coach.”
Queen Latifah also praised Mathews’ emotional performance, saying, “That was absolutely gorgeous. You took me to church. It became a spiritual moment for me.”
Riley Green connected with Mathews’ country roots and praised her decision to tackle a Vince Gill classic.
“Kayleigh, I loved every bit of that. It was so great. And to take on Vince Gill, who’s one of the greatest vocalists in country music, those are big shoes to fill and you really did it. It was awesome,” he said.
Kelly Clarkson, meanwhile, pointed to her own history with Gill while making her pitch.
“We’ve got a song called ‘Don’t Rush.’ I know that Adam turned around first — but Adam doesn’t know that song like we do. I come back because of voices like yours. I like to be moved,” she said.
After the coaches continued competing for her attention, Mathews trusted her instincts.
“I’ve got to just go with my heart and my gut and what I know. I would love the opportunity to work with Queen Latifah,” she said.
Latifah later admitted she was “excited to work with country,” adding, “I love country music — but she’s beyond country.”