The Voice season 17 Battles continue with coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Gwen Stefani, and featuring special celebrity mentors who will help the teams prepare for competitive duets.
Former Fifth Harmony member and X Factor USA alum Normani will help Team Kelly. Country and pop singer Darius Rucker lends a hand to Team Blake. R&B singer and former The Voice coach Usher assists Team Legend. And Black Eyed Peas member, producer and The Voice UK coach will.i.am joins Team Gwen.
Carson Daly hosts.
The Voice 17 Spoilers: Second Week Battle Pairings and Songs Revealed!
The Voice Season 17 Contestant List Spoilers: Blinds, Battles, Knockouts
The Voice Season 17 TV Schedule: Blinds, Battles, Knockouts, Lives
New this season: Each coach gets One Steal and One Save (instead of the typical two steals).
Cliff hanger held over from last night’s episode...James Violet LEAVES Team Gwen Stefani for Team John Legend! OOPS She still has a save.
Cory Jackson vs Zach Bridges – Team Blake – Should’ve Been a Cowboy by Toby Keith – Newly married, Zach works full time as an X Ray tech in Mississippi. He sang a Blake song and got him to turn. Cory grew up on a cattle farm in Arkansas. He’s a classically trained country singer. The song choice is rangy–Blake sang it with Toby last year. The singer who convinces Blake that they REALLY want to be a cowboy is the singer he’ll choose. Kelly is up on her feet. SHE IS SO EXCITED. These guys are pretty similar. Who to choose. Cory has the prettier voice. His high harmonies are sweet. Kelly wishes there was a duo button. She can’t choose. John calls them both stars. In this moment, he would pick Zach. Cory kept stealing the show for Gwen. “As always Kelly contributed nothing,” snarks Blake, regarding her indecision. Blake Picks Zach. I’m not surprised that Blake found his gruffer, rootsier sound more appealing. Cory is eliminated.
Dane & Stephanie vs Marybeth Byrd – Team Legend – Burning House by Cam – Marybeth works a food truck with her dad. She sang “Angel From Montgomery” in her Blind Audition. The duo is comprised of twins, including a trans man. Already, I am rooting for Marybeth. Dane is holding back, they say. He’s afraid his voice, which is still transitioning, will crack. He still needs to work on his confidence. John wants Marybeth to vary the melody. He encourages her upper range. Oh. She tells a sad story. Her cousin Luke, who wanted her to audition for The Voice, committed suicide. Stephanie may be holding back to accommodate her brother, who is still working out his transition, says John in an aside. This duo is cannon fodder from the get go, actually. Tne harmonies between the three are gorgeous. Wow. But Marybeth is the star here. Her soaring high notes can’t be denied. Gwen calls the duo “magical.” But she loves Marybeth’s style of singing. She’s not going to pick. Kelly compliments Dane. “I will buy every record you release.” She picks the duo. Blake is blown away by the duo’s growth, but predicts Marybeth will be in the finale! John Picks Marybeth Dane & Stephanie are Eliminated Kelly would have stolen the duo if she had not already used her steal!
Jessie Lawrence vs Rose Short – Team Gwen – Can’t Feel My Face by the Weeknd – So Gwen will finally use her Save here, right? Rose was a corrections officer. Jessie spent his childhood in foster care. He was homeless at one point. Jessie cried at the sight of Will. Over the course of competition, Jessie and Rose have grown close. Will loves how Rose it totally herself on stage and feels Jessie needs to find the same “naturalness.” The group has a little chat about self-confidence. Rose really struggles with that. Still, Will thinks Jessie will need to step it up to match Rose’s presence. This battle is fairly evenly matched, although Jessie’s enunciation is distracting and Rose’s upper register is mad crazy good. Kelly calls it sexy and cool. Blake confesses that Gwen has talked A LOT about their pairing at home. He won’t pick anyone. John calls Rose a superstar soprano singer, and she starts crying. He would pick Rose. She mentions that Jessie was a one chair turn. Gwen Picks Rose AND She Saves Jessie And then Blake STEALS Jessie Just for giggles, of course. He says, out loud, that he’s merely showing his respect. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Jessie picked Blake? However, Jessie Stays with Gwen.
Monday is another half and half episode. The Battles END and the Knockouts BEGIN with Taylor Swift as “Mega Mentor”
RESULTS:
Advancing to the Knockouts
James Violet – Stolen by Team Legend from Team Gwen
Zack Bridges – Team Blake
Marybeth Byrd – Team Legend
Rose Short – Team Gwen
Jessie Lawrence – Saved by Team Gwen
Eliminated
Cory Jackson – Team Blake
Dane & Stephanie – Team Legend
