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JW Griffin took the stage with a moving rendition of a classic Willie Nelson ballad on The Voice: Battle of Champions on Monday evening (April 13).
Griffin, 25, a Georgia-born country artist who relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, performed Nelson's “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” during the Semifinals. Nelson, the sole writer of the classic song, released “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” in 1980. It was featured in his film, Honeysuckle Rose, which premiered the same year.
The Voice hailed Griffin’s performance a “moving take,” that’s “full of sincerity.” Griffin said the song is “one of the best songs ever written,” and called Nelson “my musical hero.” Griffin competed on coach Kelly Clarkson’s team throughout the Voice: Battle of Champions season. Clarkson returned to the show alongside coaches John Legend and Adam Levine.
The two-hour season finale of The Voice Season 29 is set to air on Tuesday night (April 14) at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on NBC. The finale will be available to stream the following day on Peacock.
Watch Griffin’s performance here. Continue scrolling to find out which four artists will advance to the finale of The Voice: Battle of Champions (warning: spoilers).
Lucas West of Team Legend, Alexia Jayy of Team Adam, Mikenley Brown of Team Kelly and Liv Ciara of Team Kelly will advance to Tuesday night’s finale, per NBC Insider.
Griffin said in a caption on Instagram that he’s “happy that I got to go out singing one of the best songs ever written. Willie Nelson is my musical hero, and I think this song encapsulates everything that makes Willie one of the best artists and songwriters to ever do it. I’m grateful I got to perform this song for a national audience.” Griffin, who released his own acoustic version of the classic, went on to thank Clarkson and congratulate his Team Kelly teammates. “Thanks again for all the support you’ve shown me this season, I am beyond blessed. This is just a chapter, not the whole book, so buckle up and get ready for what’s next.”