Kayleigh Mathews’ future on The Voice was still undecided after she performed Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” during the show’s first Cut Week. Coach Riley Green praised the country feel of her rendition, while Kelly Clarkson and Queen Latifah also highlighted aspects of her performance and look.
The episode aired Monday, November 2, as coaches reduced the field to 12 singers. The 16 contestants who were eliminated still had a possible route back: viewers could vote for one singer to return and complete the Top 13. Voting closed in the early hours of November 3, with the result due to be revealed when Cut Week concluded on November 9, ahead of the first live episode.
### A different Patsy Cline interpretation
Mathews, a member of Team Riley, had previously earned a four-chair turn in her audition with Vince Gill’s “When I Call Your Name.” For Cut Week, she chose Cline’s 1957 standard, offering a fresh opportunity to show another side of her voice.
Her arrangement stayed close to Cline’s original recording, but Mathews sang the melody in a higher range than the lower register for which Cline was known. The performance retained the song’s storytelling quality while giving it a distinct vocal character.
Green summed up his reaction by calling it “so country.” He also praised Mathews’ distinctive voice and bluesy flourishes, describing the performance as a strong one. Clarkson noted the yodel-like quality in Mathews’ resonance and praised her vocal ability.
Queen Latifah’s compliment was about a different detail: Mathews’ sparkling outfit. The remark led Clarkson to joke about seeing Green in a similar look. Green replied, “Roll the footage,” in a playful exchange; the article reported that no such clip had surfaced at the time.
### The audience vote
The coaches’ encouragement did not settle Mathews’ status in the competition. As one of the eliminated singers eligible for the audience vote, she was among those whose chances depended on viewers’ choice. Only one of the 16 could return to complete the Top 13.
With voting closed, Mathews’ performance had put her case before viewers, but her return had yet to be confirmed. The show was set to reveal which singer would advance when Cut Week concluded on November 9.
