‘The Voice’ Recap: The Battles Kick Off With Saves And Steals
NBC Reading Time: 4 minutes
This week on The Voice Season 17, the blind auditions wrapped up and the battles began. The coaches put the finishing touches on their teams and welcomed this season’s advisors to rehearse duets between their artists.
Blake Shelton welcomed Hootie & the Blowfish singer Darius Rucker, Gwen Stefani teamed up with Will.i.am, John Legend was joined by Usher, and Kelly Clarkson chose Normani as her advisor. This season also introduced the save option during the battles, so coaches have a chance to keep both artists in a battle.
‘The Voice’ Blind Auditions Wrap Up
Zoe Upkins (Team John)
This young singer credits her late godmother with encouraging her to sing. She performed “Angel of Mine” by Monica for her blind audition. John, Blake, and Kelly all turned around. John serenaded her with a new rendition of “The Boy Is Mine,” changing the lyrics to “Zoe is mine.” It worked, because she chose him as her coach.
Matthew McQueen (Team Blake)
This 21-year-old performs in bars around Austin, Texas. His sister and grandmother both dreamed that he would join Team Blake. Matthew performed “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi for his blind audition. Kelly and Blake both turned around for him. Kelly called his rasp “sexy,” but Matthew chose to go with Blake.
Gracee Shriver (Team Kelly)
This teenage singer performs at a local restaurant and hopes to pursue music as a career. She sang “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves for her audition. Both Kelly and Gwen (the only coaches with spots left) turned their chairs. Gwen called her voice a “character voice.” Gracee chose to join Team Kelly.
Caroline Reilly (Team Gwen)
This 16-year-old got the final spot on Gwen’s team, and the final spot in the competition. She performed “Somebody to Love” by Jefferson Airplane, and Gwen said she couldn’t figure out how old she was by her voice. Caroline performs classic rock in a duo. Gwen said she was “what I’ve been waiting for.”
‘The Voice’ Battles Begin
Khalea Lynee vs. Zoe Upkins (Team John)
Four-chair turn Khalea went up against fellow R&B artist Zoe, who is around the same age as her daughters. They performed “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy & Monica, and brought plenty of attitude to the performance. John chose Khalea as the winner, and hit his button to save Zoe, while Kelly and Gwen hit theirs to steal her. Zoe chose to stay with John.
Josie Jones vs. Kat Hammock (Team Blake)
Blake said both of these teenage singers are “rootsy with their music.” They performed “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver, which Blake said “transcends genre.” Blake called it “the opposite of a battle” because of how sweet they were. Blake chose Kat as the winner.
Melinda Rodriguez vs. Shane Q (Team Kelly)
Kelly assigned these two to sing “Too Good at Goodbyes” by Sam Smith. They were lucky to have Normani to advise them, since she recorded with Sam Smith. “You’re welcome, America!” Kelly declared after they performed. Kelly chose Shane as the winner, but hit her button to save Melinda. John hit his button to steal her. Melinda chose to stay with Kelly.
Alex Guthrie vs. Injoy Fountain (Team Kelly)
Kelly described these two artists as “soulful singers.” They teamed up on a performance of “Home” by Marc Broussard. Kelly said she’s “in love with both of you” and it “breaks my heart” to choose between them. Ultimately, she chose Alex as the winner.
Myracle Holloway vs. Elise Azkoul (Team Gwen)
These two singers performed “Breathin” by Ariana Grande. Gwen said they both gave her the right “emotional vibe” for the song. She also took the time to help the artists with their style. Gwen said they’re “both equally gifted,” but chose Myracle as the winner.
Katie Kadan vs. Destiny Rayne (Team John)
These two singers performed Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.” John said it was a great combination of big notes and tender moments. They received a standing ovation from all four coaches. John called the performance “spiritual” and chose Katie as the winner. Blake and Gwen both hit their buttons to steal Destiny. She chose to join Team Gwen.
Do you think the coaches made the right decisions in the battle rounds? Are there any artists you were disappointed to see eliminated? Let us know in the comments.
