The Voice 24 Recap: Playoffs Part 2 – Team Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire Build their Live Shows Teams!
The Voice season 24 Playoffs continue tonight with Part 2, featuring Team Gwen Stefani and Team Reba McEntire. Also sitting on the coaches panel are Niall Horan and John Legend. After the respective coaches six team members perform, they choose 3 artists to move on to the live shows Carson Daly returns as host.
The coaches left the Knockouts with 5 members apiece. However, in a new twist, the coaches each chose an eliminated Knockout contestant from any team, resulting in a Top 24.
The Voice 24 Spoilers: Top 24 and Top 12 Contestant Lists and RESULTS
The Voice Season 24 Full Schedule CONFIRMED
The Voice 24 Spoilers: Battle Round Contestant Matchups and Results
Reba announces that her team member Tom Nitti had to leave the competition for personal reasons. Therefore, only 5 singers will compete for 3 spots on her team (including the Super-Save contestant).
The Voice’s Tom Nitti Explains WHY He Quit the Show Before Playoffs
Jordan Rainer – Boondock by Little Big Town – Team Reba
Jordan loves swampy music. She’s from “red dirt” country in Oklahoma. Reba looks DELIGHTED as Jordan rehearses with a banjo. She gives Jordan a few technical tips, including a suggestion that she sing acapella. Reba loves her wit. “The Voice needs you!” she declares.
Wearing her signature dark glasses, Jordan picks her banjo while easily navigating the classic song. She brings a quirky yet traditional vibe to the competition. No wonder Reba loves her.
Niles calls her stage presence “natural.” Gwen thought the song felt “so you.” John believes the artists who have a clear idea of who they are will survive. He loves her outfit. Reba is so proud of Jordan, she’s teary.
Ms Monet – Until You Come Back to Me by Aretha Franklin – Team Reba’s Super-Save
Reba brought back Ms. Monet after eliminating her from the Knockouts round. Ms Monet has been singing backgrounds for big artists over 30 years. Reba calls Ms. Monet a “true performer…I’ve just been schooled.”
Ms. Monet’s tone is deep and unique. But she is over-excited on stage and loses control of her vocal. She goes for the whistle note, but doesn’t quite make it. She needed a coach who could help her rein in parts of that performance, because she certainly had her moments. Again, her tone is really unique!
John thought she needed it to dial it back a bit. He would have been a better coach for her, actually. Niall calls it the most confident he’s seen her. Reba thinks Ms. Monet has something to “teach all of us.”
Jacquie Roar – The Chain by Fleetwood Mac – Team Reba
Jacquie wants to pursue the “rock country” genre and once sang in a band that was very Fleetwood Mac-like. Reba advises Jacquie to “march” on to stage during the opening verse
Jacquie takes Reba’s advice. It’s a dramatic performance. Her sturdy rock voice slices through the song. Her raspy voice carries urgency and passion. Jacquie never strays from the iconic melody, but nevertheless she puts her own stamp on it.
John calls it his favorite performance of hers, and thinks she made an “emphatic” statement. Gwen is regretting letting her go. She calls it the perfect The Voice competition moment. Reba admires her ability to stay on pitch, even while executing choreography and making tricky vocal transitions.
Noah Spencer – Jolene by Ray LaMontagne – Team Reba
Reba stole Noah from Team Niall. Reba was confused for a moment, thinking his pick was the Dolly song. She doesn’t seem to be familiar with the song. She helps Noah with expression and how to connect to the audience.
Noah’s main competition on Team Reba was Tom, who dropped out. Both could sing a gritty song with passion. Now, Noah’s got the lane to himself. He has the ability to tell a compelling story with his gritty voice.
Niall is glad Reba stole him. He loved the song choice. “super impressive,” he calls it. Gwen calls his energy “mysterious” yet available. She believes him when he performs. Reba thought he turned it up to 10 from rehearsals.
Ruby Leigh – Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt – Team Reba
Reba calls 16 year old Ruby an “old soul.” Ruby connects to Linda Ronstadt because they both started in music at a young age. This song is a bit of a deep cut. Her parents must be Linda fans. Reba gives Ruby tips on breath control.
Her tone on the first verse is so pretty, before she opens up to sing full voice. Her phrasing is mature for a teen. She says she doesn’t connect to the lyrics. Regardless, she’s found a way to interpret the song in a meaningful way. Her vulnerability makes the performance. She’s going to be crazy good in a few years.
Gwen thinks Ruby can save the world! Niall calls it the best version of the song he’s ever heard. I wouldn’t go that far! He congratulates her father in the audience. He says if Reba doesn’t advance her she’s getting fired and losing her title as “queen” of The Voice. Reba becomes teary again as she remember her mother’s reaction to her own performances.
Team Reba Results
The first artist moving on is Jordan. Jaquie is next to advance. Reba’s third artist is Ruby. An all female team. I’m a little disappointed that Noah didn’t advance, but the three who did deserved it!
Top 12
Jordan Rainer
Jacquie Roar
Ruby Leigh
Eliminated
Ms. Monet
Noah Spencer
Stee – Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon – Team Gwen
Stee performs this song with his band, which performs wedding and corporate gigs. Makes sense. He’s probably got a deep bench of crowd pleasers in his repertoire. However, Gwen wants him to perform with more edge and fewer dramatics. Ditch the corporate vibe, basically.
Obviously, Stee has honed his ability to get a crowd going. He’s a perfect combo of great R&B vocals and charismatic stage presence. This song is a little corny. Gwen gave Stee good advice. A too polished performance may please the CEO, but can lack soul.
John compliments his polish and professionalism. Reba likes that he knows how to make an audience feel good. Niall loves his happy vibe. “You’re great.” Gwen can’t believe that she stole him from Team Legend. Gwen thinks she managed to “unpolish” him.
BIAS – Where I Find God by Harry Fleet – Team Gwen
BIAS doesn’t consider himself fully country, but this week he’ll lean into his roots, which is Christian and Country music. Gwen advises him to show emotion and connect to the lyric.
A small town talent rooted in traditional sounds, BIAS still manages to bring a quirky style to his performances. Here, he really lets loose. He almost loses too much control, but the performance is so emotional, it works.
Reba calls it a great performance. Niall thinks he gets better and better and loves his pure tone. John calls it his favorite performance from BIAS. “Took us to church.” He calls it the exact right song and the exact right delivery. Gwen calls his originality “pure.”
Rudi – My All by Mariah Carey (English/Spanish) – Team Gwen
Gwen eliminated Rudi at the Knockouts, but then saved her. John and Reba tried to steal her! Rudi’s Aunt Mary passed from cancer a few days before this performance. Her aunt pushed her to sing Spanish music, so she will perform a bi-lingual number in her honor.
Singing in Spanish is a big risk! At least she’s not vying for viewer votes. She switches back and forth between the two languages. It sounds very pretty, but old fashioned. Her adlibs and tone are beautiful. She builds the song to a crescendo before bringing it back down.
Niall says she always “smashes” it. John calls it a “challenging” song. He thought the breathing was tough at the beginning, but again, gives her credit for tackling a hard song. Reba calls it “sexy.” She loves the lower end of her voice. Gwen can hear her record. “You could do any song,”she says.
Tanner Massey – Impossible by Shontelle – Team Gwen
Tanner is one of the weakest vocalists, from a purely technical standpoint. But he’s cute and delivers lyrics with emotion. He’s so earnest. Gwen understands his appeal. She’s not worried about him being perfect.
He enters the stage as he sings. Once he’s center stage, he pours on the emotion. His pitch is better this time out. He’s the perfect star for social media. He’s got the look, sound and personality for modern pop.
John notes that he started off wobbly pitch wise, but then got back on track. Reba calls him “cute as a button.” Niall is glad he’s still in it, despite eliminating him. Gwen loves working with young singers. She is sad about the messed up beginning. Having him walk on to stage as he sang probably distracted him.
Lennon Vanderdoes – Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard – Gwen Stefani Super-Save
Gwen brought back Lennon from Team Niall. Every contestant from that last dramatic Team Niall 3-way Knockout found their way into the playoffs. Gwen reminds him to enunciate the lyrics. She confesses that she wanted Lennon on her team from the beginning.
Lennon’s high, sweet tenor is really special. I’m glad Gwen brought him back and think he would be a worthy Top 12 contestant. His song choice is perfect–a beautiful melody that highlights his tone and allows him to express mature emotion. Tanner is more marketable than Lennon, but not nearly as interesting.
Niall reminds the audience that Lennon made John cry in the Knockouts. John calls the performance “truly beautiful” and “consistent.” Reba says, “There’s nobody like you in this competition.” She notes that she could pick out his voice easily if she heard him on the radio. Gwen calls the performance “amazing” and “artistic.”
Kara Tenae – Rain by SWV – Team Gwen
NBC previewed this performance last week. The song choice is one of her favorites of all time. The iconic girl group inspires her. Kara admits that she’s nervous in front of Gwen. It’s interesting that Kara seems insecure off stage but NEVER on stage.
Kara delivers the best technical performance of the night. The vocal is perfect in every way. Her phrasing, intonation are literally pitch perfect. She evokes the song without being a copy. She delivers a sultry performance and is the total package.
Niall notes that she never over-performs. True. Every adlib is intentional. John calls the performance “magical” and “savvy.” Gwen thinks her vocals have improved over the course of the competition and calls her a “pro.”
Team Gwen Results
The first artist moving on to the Top 12 is BIAS. The next artist moving on is Kara Tenae! And the last artist moving on is Tanner Massey. I wish she had chosen Lennon over Tanner, but understand her decision. Tanner will be popular during the Lives.
Top 12
BIAS
Kara Tenae
Tanner Massey
Eliminated
Rudi
Stee
Lennon Vanderdoes
Tomorrow, John Legend puts together his team to round out the Top 12.
