Ruby Leigh Wows on The Voice as Tom Nitti Exits for Personal Reasons

Coaches and viewers were left stunned last night on NBC’s The Voice, as contestant Ruby Leigh blew the coaches away with a mesmerizing performance, while fellow contestant Tom Nitti made the difficult decision to leave the show due to personal reasons.

Ruby Leigh’s Spellbinding Linda Ronstadt Cover Earns High Praise

17-year-old Ruby Leigh, a member of coach Reba McEntire’s team, delivered a breathtaking rendition of Linda Ronstadt’s “Long Long Time” during Monday night’s live Playoffs. Backed by just a piano, Ruby’s smooth vocals and emotional connection to the lyrics prompted all four coaches to give her a standing ovation.

“That was flawless. Your phrasing is flawless. You can’t teach someone to have a heart like that,” said John Legend. Meanwhile, Gwen Stefani called the performance “magical and spiritual,” and Camila Cabello said Ruby “told the story so beautifully.”

For coach Reba, she could not have been prouder. “I just saw a star being born right here on this stage,” she praised. “I predict this is going to be the breakout moment for you.”

Indeed, Ruby’s performance has already gone viral online, accruing over 4 million views across The Voice’s YouTube and Facebook in under 24 hours. With such high praise from the start of Playoffs, Ruby looks poised to go far into the Live Shows of this Voice season.

Tom Nitti Departs Show Unexpectedly Due to Personal Reasons

In a shocking turn of events, contestant and New York State Trooper Tom Nitti announced he was leaving The Voice for personal reasons after his Battle Rounds victory aired last week.

The 33-year old singer had been a promising frontrunner for coach Reba’s team. His soulful performances of “Stay” and “She Talks To Angels” showed off incredible range and artistry that wowed the coaches. He even got a 4-chair turn in the Blinds.

But Tom made the difficult choice to exit the show immediately during last night’s Playoffs. In a video statement, he shared:

“There are things that are more important that I need to attend to back home. I have to leave the show. Thank you for believing in me.”

While Tom did not reveal further details, Reba and fellow coaches expressed their support and complete understanding. Reba said she knows Tom would not have made this decision lightly, saying “I’m here for you. We got your back.”

Still, Tom’s sudden departure just as Live Shows were starting came as a huge shock to fans. Many expressed devastation on social media, with one fan tweeting “My heart is broken for Tom. Something big must be happening for him to self-eliminate at this point.”

Indeed, it seems like Tom was poised to make it far. But hopefully everything works out okay for him back home.

Complete Playoffs Results – Who Else Advanced to the Top 12?

Beyond Ruby’s stellar performance and Tom’s exit, here is a complete rundown of which contestants advanced to the Top 12 Live Shows last night:

Team Legend:

• Kim Cruse
• Parijita Bastola
• Omar Jose Cardona

Team Gwen:

• Alyssa Witrado
• Kique
• Daysia

Team Camila:

• Morgan Myles
• Devix
• Eric Who

Team Blake:

• Bryce Leatherwood
• Brayden Lape
• Eva Ullmann

With Tom self-eliminating, that allowed Team Reba’s 4th place artist, Jillian Jordyn, to advance as well.

So there you have it – after the Playoffs performances, those are the 12 singers still competing for this season’s champion title.

The Live Shows kick off next Monday December 5th, with America voting each week to decide who advances and who gets sent home. It’s sure to be a fierce competition!

What to Expect Next on The Voice Season 24

As we head into the Top 12 Live Shows, here is a preview of what viewers can expect next:

• Live Eliminations – Starting December 6, America’s overnight vote will determine which 2 artists get instantly eliminated at the start of each Live Show results episode. Coaches will only have 1 Save each the entire season to try to overturn a vote if they strongly disagree.
• New Performance Sets – The Live Shows will feature flashy new performances spaces, stages, and high-tech screens to really amp up the spectacle, far beyond the smaller Playoffs sets.
• Duets and Special Performances – Several shows will features duets between contestants as well as special guest numbers from music superstars. Rumored upcoming performers include Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, and Taylor Swift.
• The Hall of Fame – In one upcoming Live Show episode, the Top 12 will each perform an iconic song by a legendary artist who shaped American music and pop culture. Songs will come from artists like Elvis, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and more.
• The 2-Night Finale Event – After 11 weeks of competition, the Voice season will wrap up with an epic 2-night finale event on Monday December 18 and Tuesday December 19. The Top 3 will give their final performances, get celebrity duets, and ultimately the Season 24 winner will be crowned.

With Ruby Leigh looking like an early frontrunner after her viral Playoffs moment, the stakes have been raised for the rest of the competition. Who do you think has what it takes to win it all?

Reactions from Celebrities and Former Voice Contestants

In addition to the over 4 million YouTube and Facebook views of Ruby’s performance, several celebrities and past Voice contestants took to social media to react to last night’s show.

Singer-songwriter Hillary Scott tweeted:

“I have chills after watching @rubyblu_leigh on @NBCTheVoice! Flawless performance, you sweet soul! 👏 👏 👏”

Former Voice winner Chloe Kohanski wrote:

“Get it girl!!! One of the best play off performances I’ve seen on this show.”

American Idol alum Gabby Barrett posted an Instagram story with the caption:

“THIS is how you do a play off performance!! killed it @rubyblu_leigh”

There was also an outpouring of support for Tom Nitti across platforms, like this tweet from country singer Mickey Guyton:

“You will be missed on the show but sometimes real life happens. Sending you love and the best on your journey @tomnitti”

And pop star Meghan Trainor commented on Tom’s exit video:

“Love you Tom!! Go take care of what you need to. Wishing you the best! 🙏🏻”

Indeed, though saddened by Tom’s departure, the celebrity reactions show people understand his difficult decision and are throwing immense support behind 17-year old phenomenon Ruby Leigh after last night.

Coaches and Contestants Tables:

Below are helpful tables tracking the team compositions and progress for the coaches and contestants as we head into the Live Shows:

Coaches Teams for Season 24 Live Shows

Season 24 Top 12 Contestants

That wraps up all the essential details on the latest developments with Ruby Leigh’s chart-topping performance, Tom Nitti’s difficult personal decision to exit, reactions from music stars, and analysis on what’s in store next as we head into the Live Playoffs on The Voice Season 24!

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