Silky strong D.Smooth heads into 'The Voice' live semi-finals

If Blake Shelton starts waving a microphone back and forth as he sings, there’s no one to thank “b-u-u-u-u-t” a Montgomery resident.

D.Smooth broke out that move on the last line of his stage-presence packed version of Khalid’s “Location,” Monday on NBC’s “The Voice.”

“Whatever trickery that was with the microphone at the end, I’m going to be doing that now, just so you know,” Shelton told him afterward.

“I told (Shelton) to just give me some credit,” D.Smooth told the Advertiser by phone from Los Angeles, where he’s preparing for season 23’s live semi-final show on May 15.

Getting there’s been a long, silky-smooth process with celebrity coach Kelly Clarkson.

“He has such a cool gift, y’all. He just stands out to me,” Clarkson said on Monday’s Playoffs show after putting D.Smooth into the live semi-finals.

D.Smooth’s fate is leaving Clarkson’s hands and going to America’s votes, which will be calculated during the episode. Votes can be cast online, and through the official “The Voice” app.

Is there any difference between doing a live TV performance and recording one? Not for D.Smooth. He’s carrying the same mindset he used in earlier appearances — keeping focused, singing, and slowly revealing new layers of himself.

“To us as the performers, it’s just a camera,” D.Smooth said. “We can barely even see the camera when we’re up there… No extra nerves or anxiety going on.”

Alabama family to visit California

Back in his hometown of Mulga, just north of Birmingham, D.Smooth said it’s been a blessing to have support and to reconnect with friends.

“A lot of people have been reaching out,” he said. “Old teachers and people I ain’t talked to in years, classmates.”

Monday at 7 p.m., he’ll have a piece of home with him on “The Voice.” D.Smooth’s parents and sister are flying to California. “I’m so excited to see them,” he said.

Could we get a Montgomery showdown in finals?

D.Smooth said it’s a privilege to make it to this point on “The Voice,” and to share this season with three other Alabama talents. Montgomery native J.B. Somers and “singing dentist” Auburn University at Montgomery student Jerome Godwin III both competed.

Like D.Smooth, Montgomery native Ryley Tate Wilson, 15, of Niall Horan’s team is also in the live semi-finals. Ryley Tate won Horan over with a powerful, spot-on version of Billie Eilish’s “When the Party’s Over.”

“It’s really a blessing. That’s been my bonus family,” D.Smooth said of “flight buddy” Ryley Tate and his parents. “Even when we’re at home, we’re always together. I’m always going over.”

Both D.Smooth and Ryley Tate received their teams' Playoff Passes to skip the Knockouts performances. D.Smooth said from his point of view, the goal is to end the series with a Montgomery showdown in the finals between himself and Ryley Tate.

“Alabama, please rock behind Ryley Tate and D.Smooth,” he said.

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Silky strong D.Smooth heads into 'The Voice' live semi-finals