“Honestly, I was very nervous at first, because I’ve never heard this song even once before… This song talks about heartbreak, and when I sing this song, I think of the thing my mom felt when she lost my dad,” a tearful Vasquez confessed to Coach Michael Bublé and a Team Bublé Playoff Mentor Carly Pearce. “He told me: ’Take care of your mom for me.’ …Everything I’m doing right now, I am doing what he said — to take care of my mom.”

Sofronio Vasquez sings “Crying” by Roy Orbison on The Voice Season 26 Playoffs

Sofronio’s family-focused guiding light shone through as he took the Playoff stage, where his warbling vibrato paid perfect tribute to the sweet and earnest longing that signifies Orbison’s country-touched ballad. “Magnifico!” beamed Snoop Dogg when it was all over, likening Vasquez’s performance to the finale credits for “some big $100 million movie.”

“The way that you build it and pulled back — you have all the perfect timing, emotionally,” added Gwen Stefani. “It just kept building to a place I didn’t think was possible. Honestly, incredible performance!”

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Even bigger praise came from Reba McEntire, who’s spent her entire country career fully aware of how daunting a challenge it can be to take on such a time-honored Orbison classic. “To tackle that song? That took guts!” she said. “And Michael has a very tough decision — but if he doesn’t choose you, I’m gonna be shocked!”

Bublé did, in fact, pick Vasquez as one of the two Team Bublé Artists (alongside 17-year-old sensation Shye) who’ll be among the Top 8 Season 26 performers as the competition narrows into the upcoming Live Shows.

“His performance, vocally, was flawless.” said Bublé. “I was dumbfounded by the ability to really reach and connect to an audience… [Sofronio’s] growth has been exponential. He is a superstar, everything about him!”