The Voice 24 Recap: Battles Premiere with Videos
The Voice season 24 Battles kick off new coach Reba McEntire alongside returning vets John Legend and Gwen Stefani and sophomore coach and current champ Niall Horan pair up their team members for unforgettable duets. The coach picks a winner to move on to the Knockouts, leaving the loser to be eliminated or stolen. Carson Daly returns as host.
The Voice 24 Top 56 Blind Auditions Contestant List
The Voice Season 24 Full Schedule CONFIRMED
The Voice 24 Spoilers: Battle Round Contestant Matchups and Results
Deejay Young vs Ephraim Owens – Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake Team Legend
John calls both singers “great tenors.” Ephraim got 4 chairs. His daughter charmed the coaches when she joined him on stage. Now, Ephraim and his wife are expecting another baby. Deejay toured with the Broadway show Hamilton for 4 years. His Nana passed away a few years ago.”I know she’s with me,” he says. John says Justin didn’t release his songs to singing shows until only recently. Ephraim isn’t as polished as Deejay, but he has power, says John. But he advises him to sing with more finesse, for Deejay to change up the melody. Don’t sound too happy, John suggests to both singers.
Both artists sing incredibly in their upper registers and harmonize well. But I prefer Ephraim’s heft and grit. He brings urgency to his performance. That, even though Deejay is the better performer. He brings the dance skillz!
Reba loves the way they engage the audience together. She appreciated Ephraim’s attitude. She’s pick him. Niall compares the performance to a dance movie. He loved the harmonies. He would lean to Deejay because “insane runs.” Gwen calls Ephraim commanding. She can’t pick. John notes they have different voices, but managed to sing in sync. He believes both could do well in the competition. However, John picks Deejay. Ephraim is eliminated.
Jordan Rainer vs Jackson Snelling – The Heart Won’t Lie by Reba McEntire – Team Reba
NBC previewed this battle earlier today. Reba put two country singers with opposite styles together. She is funny presenting herself as a mentor newbie when she guest mentored on The Voice at least twice, and as recently as season 23. Jordan reveals that she hung out with Reba at a barbeque and has crossed paths with her a few times. Not that Reba remembers her. Reba believes that connection is more important than singing perfect notes. Her version of the song is a duet with Vince Gill. Jackson, a former American Idol contestant, listened to the country icon with his late dad. Reba suggests that Jordan lose her trademark dark glasses. She delivers some tips on dealing with nerves.
Jordan leans into the sweet spots of her tone. She’s even better than her Blind Audition of “Fancy.” Jackson is holding his own against a more experienced singer. But she is dominating this duet.
Niall calls the performance stunning. He appreciated hearing another side of Jordan’s voice. He’d choose her. Gwen calls Jackson’s voice “warm, strong and perfectly tasteful.” Gwen liked hearing the “airy” parts of Jordan’s voice. She’d pick her to see what she’d do next. Jordan gets quippy about her ex-husband. It’s like she’s a mini-Reba. Going on this moment, John would pick Jackson. Reba thanks them for being “coachable.” Reba picks Jordan, Jackson is eliminated.
Lennon VanderDoes vs Tanner Massey – She’s Always a Woman to Me by Billy Joel – Team Niall
The two artists are thrilled to battle against each other. Lennon shocked the coaches with his unique, high tenor. Niall put together his two “sweet” singer-songwriter voices. Tanner grew up pursuing both music and acing gigs. Niall advises Tanner not to rush it. The song hits Lennon, because he’s married to a woman whose support has enabled him to pursue music.
Lennon has an unusual voice. He stands out, but might not be everyone’s cup of tea. On the other hand, Tanner’s voice is trendy, current and TikTok ready. He’d probably do better in the voting rounds than Lennon. Personally, I prefer Lennon. It’s not just his tone that’s unique, but also the way he approaches phrasing and melody.
Gwen thinks they are both “mind blowing.” She notes Lennon is different, but she can’t stop listening to Tanner. The song inspired John to write “All of Me.” He would lean “ever so slightly” to Tanner. Reba compliments Tanner’s stage presence. Niall calls Lennon’s tone “captivating.” But Tanner sings with unique flairs. He regrets putting them together. John calls Tanner’s voice “magical.” Gwen notes her experience parenting a teenage boy who is also a singer. Niall picks Lennon, John and Gwen STEAL Tanner, Tanner picks Team Gwen
