Singer-songwriter Sydney Millevoi of Secaucus wowed the judges on NBC’s The Voice with her cover of Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me” in last week’s knockout round, putting her in the Top 9.

“I’ve been a very big Demi fan for a long time,”Millevoi, 23, tells New Jersey Monthly, noting Lovato’s powerful vocals and her desire to showcase her own. “For the knockouts, I really wanted to put it all out there on the stage.”

She adds that it “feels crazy” to have made it to the Top 9, a spot she secured after beating teammate Natasha Blaine. Tonight’s episode at 9 pm ET will reveal who will join her in the semifinals.

At the start of the season, Millevoi performed Jessie J’s “Mamma Knows Best,” earning her a spot on John Legend’s team.

While she was preparing for the knockout round, Millevoi says that Legend reminded her not to lose sight of why she is competing: her love of singing. His advice, she says, helped her push past her performance nerves.

Millevoi’s musical journey started at a young age when her mother, opera singer Gina Millevoi, put her in singing lessons. She later started writing her own music, which she describes as “just a really good listen for ear-candy purposes, and if you want to have a good story.” She’s heavily influenced by pop and R&B fusion, and draws inspiration from Kehlani, Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, John Legend and fellow Jersey native Whitney Houston.

Millevoi is currently getting her masters at New Jersey City University, where she’s studying vocal performance. She also sings in a wedding band.

What can viewers and fans consistently expect from her performances? “I’m always going to give you a big vocal moment,” she promises.

“Music is so healing, at the end of the day,” she adds. “That’s the whole point of why I did it in the first place—to just share community and help people out. Having people turn on my music when they’re having a little bit of a hard day, needing an escape—that fills my purpose.”

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