Ava Nat from Garden City is set to move on to the Knockout Round of NBC’s singing competition “The Voice,” following a pivotal save from her coach, Niall Horan. The 18-year-old contestant faced off against her teammate Aiden Ross, 20, in a duel featuring the expressive ballad “What a Time,” which Horan originally recorded with Julia Michaels for her 2019 EP “Inner Monologue Part I.”
Following their duet, Horan praised both singers, stating, “That was just beautiful. It was everything I wanted it to be and 20 times more.” He noted the importance of conveying emotion, which led him to the challenging decision to retain Ross, citing his consistent performance. However, Ava, whose full name is Ava Natalie Milone and who is a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, expressed her gratitude to Horan for trusting her with his song, emphasizing the valuable lessons she’s learned throughout the competition. In a dramatic moment, Horan hit the save button, soon followed by Snoop Dogg, allowing Nat to continue her journey on the show.
Nat shared her initial worry that her time on the show could end, explaining, “There was a split second after [Ross] got picked where I’m like, ‘Dang, if they don’t use a steal or a save, it is the end of the road.’” The overwhelming emotions hit her, leading to a cathartic moment when she realized she had been saved, causing her to break down in tears backstage.
In a nostalgic moment, Nat recalled the applause she received after impressively managing a microphone malfunction during her performance. She described how her microphone pack became detached, but she handled it so smoothly that the issue went unnoticed by the audience. Horan commended her professionalism following the incident.
Looking ahead, Nat is excited for a showcase scheduled for Wednesday night at a Nashville club with 12 other contestants from this season. She expressed hope about returning to Long Island for potential performances over the upcoming holidays, mentioning the possibility of Christmas caroling. “I’m so happy to be representing Long Island, and I’m hoping that I’m making you all proud. Long Islanders know how to be big fans and they know how to be loud,” she said, encouraging local fans to support her as home-audience voting will play a crucial role in determining who advances.
The Knockout Rounds on “The Voice” are set to begin on October 27, and Nat is eager to continue sharing her talent with the world.