L-R: Oliv Blu and Kayslin Victoria perform; Tyler Golden/NBCThe battle rounds concluded on The Voice Tuesday night with each coach solidifying their team, and Blake Shelton using his final steal.
Each coach enlisted help from a guest advisor during rehearsals: Charlie Puth for Team Adam Levine; Brooks & Dunn for Team Blake; Khalid for Team John Legend; and Kelsea Ballerini for Team Kelly Clarkson.
Here are the highlights:
Team Adam singers Patrick McAloon and Andrew Jannakos took on “Free Fallin’,” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The emphasis in rehearsal was on hitting the B flat note that comes at the height of the song’s chorus. Charlie Puth advised them to “hit it like you’re yawning,” and Adam was adamant they had to practice until they nailed it.
Patrick, an experienced musician who’s toured around the world, has a precise voice with a high pitch. For Andrew, whose blind audition was his first time, ever, on stage, his range is naturally lower. But during their performance, Andrew reached for the high notes and took off. The coaches were impressed by Patrick but shocked by Andrew, whom they felt leveled up from his more timid blind audition. Adam declared Andrew the winner and Blake kept his final steal of the battle rounds in his pocket.
Next up, Brooks & Dunn’s new favorite duo, 16-year-old Cecily Hennigan and South African native Selki. As the only coach who turned for Cecily during the blinds, Blake had promised to give her a song that would showcase her talent. His selection was Avril Lavigne‘s “Head Above Water,” because it combined intimacy and range. The angsty tune also perfectly matched Selki’s style.
The battle ended evenly and came with regret: the coaches thought the song lent itself a bit more to the more experienced Selki. They also lamented not having any steals left for Cecily and not turning for her during her blind audition. “We all regret that now,” said John. But it was Blake who had to make the tough call, and he chose Selki.
Two more from Team Blake, Carter Lloyd Horne and Lili Joy, dueled on the classic “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher. Blake picked Carter.
Alena D’Amico and Karen Galera performed “Imagine” by John Lennon. Kelly went with who she felt handled her nerves better, and named Karen the winner.
The last performance was from Team John contestants Kayslin Victoria and Oliv Blu. Kayslin, who’s 16, is the youngest member of the team, but her voice is clear as a bell and mature beyond her years. John also liked that she has more confidence than maybe any other singer on Team Legend. Oliv sang an Erykah Badu song for her blind audition to match her neo-soul influence.
They rehearsed the Khalid hit “Location” with some extra help from Team Legend adviser Khalid, who joined in to sing, dance and help them capture the song’s vibe. He was blown away by Kayslin’s powerful voice and thought the unique jazz-inflected quality of Oliv’s voice was missing from the current musical landscape.
Coaches Adam and Blake said it was too close to call, which didn’t give John much to work with when it came time for his decision. Kelly, though, called Kayslin’s voice “gigantic,” which is what eventually won out. After agonizing, John declared her the winner.
As Oliv said goodbye, while the audience yelled for someone to steal her, Blake waited until the last possible second to poach his final artist. “There’s really nobody else in the competition who fills Oliv’s lane,” he said after the steal, citing her jazzy influence.
The Voice returns Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC with the debut of a new round of the competition called the Live Cross Battles, where singers will face off without knowing their competition before they hit the stage. Coaches can save or steal contestants, but everyone else will be subject to America’s vote.
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