{"id":68971,"date":"2026-03-23T09:26:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T13:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=68971"},"modified":"2026-04-03T12:11:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T16:11:50","slug":"voice-arora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/voice-arora\/","title":{"rendered":"Belting a Bruno Mars Tune, Senior Wows Judges on NBC’s \u2018The Voice\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last Call member Adi Arora \u201926 earned raves from stars John Legend and Kelly Clarkson for his rendition of \u2018It Will Rain\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Melissa Newcomb<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his bravura performance on NBC\u2019s reality competition show \u201cThe Voice<\/a>,\u201d Adi Arora \u201926 garnered praise from two of the celebrity judges: famed singer-songwriter John Legend and Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI loved your tone\u2014I loved the way you slid out at the end of it,\u201d Legend told him. \u201cIt was just so poetic. It just made me know that you are someone who really thinks really consciously about your tone. And I really felt like with this performance every note counted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Broadcast in early March 2026, Arora\u2019s rendition of Bruno Mars\u2019s \u201cIt Will Rain\u201d featured well-executed falsettos that often evoked Mars himself\u2014a compliment that Arora has received more than once, thanks to his bright, high-pitched voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you can sing some Bruno Mars,\u201d Clarkson marveled. \u201cThat\u2019s a tall order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the show, aspiring singers audition for three judges: Legend, Clarkson, and Adam Levine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first round, a \u201cblind audition,\u201d the judges start by facing away from the stage.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Adi
Danny Ventrella \/ NBC<\/figcaption>
One of Arora’s promo shots from the show.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But throughout a song, they can opt to turn around and look at the performers\u2014as both Legend and Clarkson did for Arora\u2014signaling that they want to recruit that singer for their team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(If none of the judges turn, the contestant is eliminated.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their mission: to create a team of singers who, through talent and mentorship, can win a competition against those of the other judges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arora ultimately chose Legend as his coach\u2014in part due to the star\u2019s similar background, having also attended an Ivy (Penn) and sung in an a cappella<\/em> group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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