In an unexpected twist, a 13-year-old Austrian girl, Laura Kamhuber, delivered a stunning rendition of the ballad “I Will Always Love You” on The Voice Kids, a song famously denied to Elvis Presley by Dolly Parton four decades ago.
Whitney Houston revived the song in 1992 for the film The Bodyguard, achieving massive success and selling over 20 million copies.
During her blind audition on The Voice Kids, Laura’s flawless performance left the judges speechless.
The song, often considered unsingable due to Houston’s unmatched vocal range, impressed all three judges, who eagerly turned their chairs to coach the young singer.
Originally, in 1974, Elvis Presley wanted to cover Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” but Parton couldn’t agree to give up half of the publishing royalties, despite her admiration for Presley.
When Houston’s version came out, Parton noted it earned her enough money to “buy Graceland.”
In 2012, upon Houston’s passing, Parton expressed her deep gratitude for the late singer’s rendition.
A year later, Laura’s performance on The Voice Kids garnered significant attention, amassing 226 million views on YouTube, making it the most-watched video by an Austrian artist.
Despite being eliminated in the knockout battles, Laura’s audition remains iconic.
Watch the video here:
