LOS ANGELES – As the neon glow of the NBC studio lights up the night sky, The Voice roared back to life on September 29, 2025, with the second installment of its electrifying Season 28 premiere, and all eyes were on one unassuming powerhouse from the heartland: Cori Kennedy. The 28-year-old country crooner from the sleepy twin towns of Kasson and Mantorville, Minnesota—a place she affectionately dubs a “zero stoplight town”—took the stage by storm, turning heads, spinning chairs, and igniting a firestorm of hometown pride. With her audition airing tonight, Kennedy didn’t just sing; she poured her soul into a performance that blended raw vulnerability with undeniable talent, earning a coveted spot on Team Reba and proving that dreams from the Midwest can echo all the way to Hollywood.
The episode, hosted by the evergreen Carson Daly and featuring a powerhouse coaching panel of Reba McEntire, Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé, and Niall Horan, kicked off with the classic Blind Auditions format that has made The Voice a Monday night staple since 2011. But from the moment Kennedy stepped into the spotlight, clutching her guitar like a lifeline, it was clear this wasn’t just another contestant. Dressed in a simple denim jacket over a flowy white blouse—evoking the effortless style of a barn dance rather than a red carpet—she introduced herself with a grin that lit up the screen. “I’m Cori from Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota,” she said, her voice steady but laced with that signature Midwestern humility. “It’s a small town where everybody knows your business, but that’s where my stories come from—the fairs, the family potlucks, the late-night drives down gravel roads.”
What followed was a masterclass in storytelling through song. Kennedy launched into her Blind Audition with a gutsy cover of The Judds’ timeless 1984 hit “Why Not Me,” a track that Naomi and Wynonna Judd turned into a country anthem of longing and resilience. From the opening notes—her fingers deftly picking the acoustic melody—Kennedy’s voice filled the studio with a rich, honeyed timbre that built from a whispery vulnerability to a belt that could shatter glass. The coaches, seated with their backs turned as per tradition, leaned in almost immediately. Snoop Dogg bobbed his head to the rhythm, tapping his foot like he was back in a Detroit smoke-filled lounge. Niall Horan, fresh off his One Direction glory and a string of Voice coaching wins, closed his eyes, lost in the melody. But it was McEntire and Bublé who couldn’t hold out.
As Kennedy hit the chorus—”Why not me? It could have been me”—her voice soared with a power that evoked the wide-open prairies of her home state. Reba, the Queen of Country herself, slammed her red button first, her chair whipping around with a dramatic swivel that drew cheers from the live audience. “Oh, honey, that took me straight back to Tennessee,” McEntire gushed, her eyes sparkling under the studio lights. “Your voice has such power, such heart—it’s like you were born for this.” Not to be outdone, Bublé spun seconds later, flashing his megawatt smile. “Cori, that range! From that soft, intimate start to that big, beautiful finish—you’ve got it all,” he exclaimed, already plotting his pitch.
The real magic, however, unfolded in the moments after the song ended. With two chairs turned and the pressure mounting, Kennedy did something audacious: she set down her guitar, stepped forward, and asked, “Y’all mind if I play something I wrote just for you? It’s about this exact moment—meeting the four of you.” The coaches exchanged wide-eyed glances, Snoop leaning forward with a grin: “Girl, hit us with it! Let’s see what you got.” What poured out was an original composition, penned in the quiet hours before her flight to L.A., a witty, heartfelt ditty that captured the surreal thrill of standing before music royalty. “Well, I’m just a girl from a zero stoplight town / Minnesota roots and wearing hand-me-downs / From dreaming in the dark, I stepped out and rejoiced / My grandma won’t believe me that I’m singing on The Voice,” she sang, weaving in nods to each coach—Reba’s twangy wisdom, Snoop’s laid-back vibe, Bublé’s smooth croon, and Horan’s boy-band charm.
The studio erupted. Horan clapped wildly, even though his chair stayed put, calling it “cheeky and brilliant—pure songwriter gold.” Snoop nodded approvingly: “That’s fire, Cori. Next time you come back, lead with that original—own it.” But it was McEntire who sealed the deal. After a tense pitch-off—Bublé touting his vocal coaching prowess and promises of jazz-infused country twists—Kennedy chose Team Reba, rushing into the icon’s arms for a hug that felt like a passing of the torch. “I’m homesick for the heartland just hearing you,” Reba whispered, as confetti rained down and Daly hyped the moment: “Kasson-Mantorville, you’ve got a star!”
Back in Minnesota, the reaction was nothing short of seismic. Kasson, a quaint Dodge County community of about 6,000 nestled between rolling cornfields and the Zumbro River, ground to a joyful halt. Local haunts like the Hubbell House in nearby Mantorville—famous for its Victorian charm and Kennedy’s impromptu open mics—hung “Proud of Our Cori” banners, while the high school gym where she once dominated softball and basketball courts replayed her audition on a loop during an emergency pep rally. “She’s reppin’ us in the biggest way,” beamed Mayor Tom Johnson, who organized a watch party at the community center that drew over 500 locals, spilling into the streets with red Solo cups and “Go Cori!” signs. Kennedy’s alma mater, Kasson-Mantorville High School, where she graduated in 2015 as a three-sport standout—hitting .364 her senior year with five home runs—lit up its marquee: “KO-Manto Pride: Cori’s Got the Voice!”
Kennedy’s path to this moment is a testament to grit and small-town dreams. Born and raised in nearby West Concord, she grew up in a family where music was as essential as Sunday supper. Her dad, a farmer with a penchant for Johnny Cash records, and her mom, a schoolteacher who sang lullabies laced with Dolly Parton, instilled in her a love for lyrics that tell real stories. “Music was our escape,” Kennedy shared in a pre-show interview. “We’d pile into the truck after chores, windows down, belting out tunes till the cows came home.” High school brought athletic glory—she lettered in softball, basketball, and track, even playing ball at Minnesota State University, Mankato—but music never took a backseat. She busked at the Dodge County Fair, her covers of Patsy Cline drawing crowds bigger than the pie-eating contest.
College graduation in 2019 thrust her into the “real world,” landing a steady gig selling furniture at a Rochester big-box store. But the 9-to-5 grind couldn’t snuff out her fire. Nights and weekends, she honed her craft, posting raw acoustic sessions on TikTok and Instagram that exploded into viral gold. A clip of her original “Backroad Heartbreak”—a twangy tale of lost love and found freedom—racked up 250,000 followers overnight, blending heartfelt storytelling with hooks that stick like Minnesota snow. “I write what I know: dirt roads, first crushes, the ache of leaving home,” she says. Live gigs followed—packed houses at the Hubbell House, where she’d sling stories between sets, and regional tours opening for up-and-comers like Gabby Barrett. By 2024, she’d quit the furniture floor full-time, scraping by on gig money and merch sales of her debut EP, Prairie Echoes, which dropped last spring to rave reviews from Nashville insiders.
Auditioning for The Voice was a leap of faith. “I boarded that plane with my guitar as carry-on, heart pounding like a bass drum,” she recounted in a Facebook post that garnered 10,000 likes. “Standing at the gate, I thought: What if I crash and burn? But regret’s worse than rejection.” Little did she know, her gamble would pay off big. Season 28, which kicked off on September 22 with a two-hour extravaganza introducing the revamped coaching lineup, has already buzzed with fresh energy. McEntire returns for her fourth stint, bringing Queen of Country cred; Snoop Dogg, after a one-season break, infuses hip-hop swagger; Bublé, fresh from back-to-back wins, offers pop polish; and Horan, post-hiatus, channels his One Direction charisma into folk-pop flair. Early episodes teased standouts like Jazz McKenzie’s Tina Turner cover and Max Cooper III’s soulful R&B, but Kennedy’s slot tonight stole the pre-show hype.
Social media lit up like a bonfire as clips leaked. #CoriOnTheVoice trended nationwide, with fans from Fargo to Fort Lauderdale sharing goosebump reactions: “That original? Genius! Reba’s got a gem.” Back home, her grandma—star of many a viral video—posted a tearful clip: “My girl’s on TV! Pass the Kleenex.” Even Snoop hopped on, tweeting: “Cori, you got that real talk in your tracks. Keep spittin’ truth.” For Kennedy, the win is bigger than fame. “This is for every kid in a town too small for a Starbucks, dreaming too big for the map,” she said post-audition. “Kasson and Mantorville taught me to swing for the fences—now I’m up to bat on the world’s stage.”
As the season barrels toward Battles, Knockouts, and Lives—culminating in a May 2026 finale with a $100,000 prize and Universal Music Group deal—Kennedy’s poised to climb. Whispers of collaborations swirl: a duet with Reba on a Judds tribute? An original drop produced by Bublé? Whatever comes, her voice—a blend of gravelly emotion and crystalline highs—promises to resonate far beyond the studio. Tonight’s premiere isn’t just The Voice‘s return; it’s Kasson-Mantorville’s coronation. In a world craving authenticity, Cori Kennedy reminds us: the best stories start on backroads, and the biggest stages wait for those bold enough to step up.
