Nick: Big day, battle rounds.
Think Blake just finished his mandatory nap --
as an old man, he requires it -- and John should be --
Oh, there he is! You got a new haircut. I like it.
I got a new haircut, some new shoes.
I don't think those shoes are new.
They're a little beat up. I was gonna ask,
did you walk through a construction zone to get here?
I did, I did, I did. You blew through your entire wardrobe budget?
As always. Where's Kelly, though?
I don't know. She's probably on her talk show.
Yeah.
Daly: Give it up for our coaches,
John Legend, Nick Jonas... Whoo! Yeah!
...and Blake Shelton!
Whoo!
[ Cheers and applause ]
And sitting in for Kelly Clarkson
during the battles, two-time Grammy nominated
country and pop artist,
she was also our fifth coach... No Kelly?
...for "The Comeback Stage," Kelsea Ballerini!
* But you're the one that I want *
* If that's really so wrong *
Nice. Boys, take your seats.
Welcome, Kelsea. Kelsea: Hi, guys!
Thanks for having me! How are you?
This is shocking! Two Nashville people?
Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Oh, my gosh.
[ Laughs ]
Welcome to the battles, everybody.
Unfortunately, our own Kelly Clarkson
was not feeling well this week.
And while she did not test positive for COVID,
as you can imagine, we've got some very strict guidelines on our set.
Kelly's staying at home, but she's watching the battles remotely.
She's gonna be checking in with you.
How are you feeling about being here?
This is incredible. I'm such a fan of Kelly's.
I'm actually in her fan club,
and I've gotten to open for her on tour.
I was her adviser a couple years ago on this show.
So I feel like we're kind of kindred, and I know what she likes.
Just pretend I'm Kelly. You're gonna be awesome.
John, any advice for Kelsea?
No, no advice.
We're still trying to defeat you, Kelsea,
as though you were Kelly Clarkson.
Just know that Blake's gonna try to play mind games with you.
In all of the advice I've gotten from Kelly,
the -- the main one is keep the rivalry going.
I was just about to say
that I like this show better already
with you here...
You're gonna get me in trouble. ...instead of Kelly.
But now I take it back. Bring it on, Kelsea.
Bring it on. Kelsea, welcome.
You're already fitting right here.
Thank you, thank you. Let the battles begin!
Kelly: Welcome back to the show.
You've been here before. I'm happy to be here.
Thank you for having me. I am so happy!
This season I brought in one of my favorite people, Luis Fonsi.
I think people probably know him best as "Despacito."
* Despacito*
* Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito*
I kind of have a leg up this time
because you're a voice coach.
Yeah, I've done this before a few times...
Yeah. ...but it's the first time I do it in English.
Oh, that's true. So it's exciting.
I've had the pleasure to be a coach
in Chile, in Spain, U.S. "La Voz,"
and I've also been a mentor in Colombia, Mexico, Peru.
This is one of my favorite parts of the show... Yeah.
...because this is when, you know, kinda we get in there and...
Yeah. ...and have fun with them.
Also you find out how much you have screwed yourself...
...by pairing people, like,
you -- you're like... Yes! Yes!
..."Wait, I didn't know that you were that good."
That surprise element is crazy. Yes!
I know. Well, I'll do my best.
All right. Don't fail me, Luis. N--
No pressure! Okay, let's do it!
Okay, this is too dope!
This is Luis Fonsi! What's up?
How you guys doin'? Say hi!
I just got so happy when I saw Luis Fonsi.
He's like super huge in my country.
Where you guys from? I'm Dominican.
Okay! Neighbor!
The same way that he started off with Spanish music
and then crossed over into the English lane --
it's the same thing I want to do.
[ Conversing in Spanish ]
Oh, it sounds so sexy.
I took five years of Spanish and it's...[laughs]
My dad is very big in Spanish Christian music.
Like him, I'm a songwriter.
I have hundreds and hundreds of songs.
They're not all good, but they're there.
* And if you love me *
I'm often insecure about my music.
Even the way that I look,
but "The Voice" has for sure
helped my insecurities.
And it's so melancholy and I love that.
These coaches just made me realize
how much potential I have to grow.
So, this is a little different.
It's a very broken-down rehearsal.
You get to hear really what's happening vocally.
Um, so I love it. Yeah, absolutely.
The song "pov," Ariana Grande,
and I was like, "They're gonna think I'm crazy,"
but I think that's really cool to take massively popular songs
that people know,
but you put your artistic spin on it.
I think that's when you win.
* You've got more than 20/20, babe *
Wow. * Made of glass the way you see through me *
Yeah. [ Sighs ]
Gean and Ryleigh -- their individuality is so apparent.
* The way that you love me *
But at the same time, they're both very quirky
and very smart singers as well.
So it's exciting to me.
Okay, I quit. I gotta go. First of all...
I quit! Ah -- No! And first of all,
you two, you're welcome for giving you this song!
You sound so damn good! [ Stammering ]
I don't even -- I don't -- I mean, I don't even
really know what to say, I'm just -- I'm in awe.
You guys are so young, but it's so mature.
You know what I'm saying? It's so like you've been there.
You've lived it. Like, I believe it.
I get it. It's so truthful.
Ryleigh: This song is the perfect representation
of having other people finally see me
for who I truly am.
* Stops you leaving *
You have the kind of tone and voice that speaks to my soul.
Whoa! Whoo!
Stop! Oh.
Kelly, I'm gay! Yes!
I've been on this journey of me finding myself.
And I feel like the perfect place for me
to feel more welcomed into the LGBTQ community
was a drag show.
I performed at the Boston Planetarium
very shortly after I came out.
It was just the right time that I needed it.
That's why I think I relate to this song by Ariana Grande.
She's gone through so much in the past couple years,
and I think part of her spiritual healing
is trying to see herself from other people's point of view.
That's just such a powerful statement.
What are we thinking once we get full band?
Acoustic? Thank you!
Yeah. I'm afraid it's gonna get overwhelmed by music.
And I want them to hear the breath.
Gean, you're just a hair flat on that top note.
Yes. Maybe just put a little bit more air to it,
or just maybe whisper it.
I love that idea.
* You've got more than 20/20, babe *
Like, just that intimacy. 'Cause you have so much power.
Yeah. It's like a beautiful slap in the face. You know what I mean?
It's like, pssh, oh, give me some more!
Yeah, yeah, it was like, it's okay, I'm into it somehow.
Like that control power... Okay.
...is -- it keeps people like on their edge of their seat.
What are your notes, Ryleigh?
* Couldn't believe it * * Couldn't believe it *
Is that it? * Couldn't believe it *
* See it for myself * Like, make sure you lean --
* Couldn't believe it *
* Na-na-na need myself, da-da *
I want to feel like what he was saying, that push and pull...
Mm-hmm. ...and that tension.
Ryleigh's voice is like tasting honey.
It's like eating ice cream on a Sunday.
It's something that's pushed me even more.
This is us being, by the way, just, like, super picky.
Yeah. This is, like, advanced level.
Yeah! It's really great.
But on that day, I want you all to be vibin' so hard.
I've seen y'all on stage and you come alive in a different way
and you're both very intense. Gean, man, you're a Latino Latin lover.
Bring it! Kelly: Gean and Ryleigh, they almost bring each other up
to like another level when they sing together.
Why did you put these two voices together?
I didn't -- I -- Here's the thing!
Why?! Because I want you to be able
to be the best version of you.
I was so impressed with the level of artistry.
I did not see that coming. Thank you.
Bye, guys. Amazing.
I don't know how Kelly is gonna choose.
What a beautiful battle. Tough one.
[ Cheers and applause ] [ Ringing]
Kelsea: Hello, Kelly Clarkson.
Kelly: Oh, my gosh, Kelsea, thank you so much.
This is one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to do,
so, um, I'm more than happy to keep your seat warm.
Even though, unfortunately, Kelly's not able to be here,
it's still such a blessing to be able to perform
in front of the coaches and a new superstar.
I need the rundown because I want to do you right.
Gean and Ryleigh are one of my best battles.
I'm probably gonna get flak from the other coaches
for even pairing them. [ Laughs ]
Ryleigh: Kelsea's been on the show before.
She was an adviser for Kelly, and I feel like she might know
what she would do in that situation.
So I feel like it's gonna be a good fit.
If I could give you any advice --
Don't trust Blake. Okay.
Right there. I just laid it down.
Okay, I'm gonna embed it in my brain
and take it to the seat.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Kelsea, if you really want to be like Kelly,
you have to talk a lot. [ Chuckles ]
Let's go, Gean! All right, Gean!
Her dress is cool! Style icon.
Let the battle begin.
**
I really like this song. I love this song.
**
* It's like you got superpowers *
* Turn my minutes into hours *
* You got more than 20/20, babe *
* Made of glass the way you see through me *
* You know me better than I do *
* Can't seem to keep nothing from you *
* How you touch my soul from the outside *
Yes!
* Permeate my ego and my pride *
* I wanna love me * * Ooh *
* The way that you love me *
Yeah. * Ooh *
* All of my pretty, and all of my ugly, too *
* I'd love to see me from your point of view *
Hey! * I wanna trust me *
* The way that you trust me *
* Oh, 'cause nobody ever *
* Loved me like you do *
* I'd love to see me from your point of view *
* I couldn't believe it *
* Or see it for myself *
* Know I be impatient *
* But now I'm out here falling, falling *
* Frozen slowly thawing *
* Got me right *
* I won't keep you waiting *
* Waiting *
* All my baggage fading *
* Safely *
* But if my eyes deceive me *
* Won't let them stray too far away *
* I wanna love me *
* The way that you love me *
* For all of my pretty, and all of my ugly, too *
* I'd love to see me from your point of view *
* I wanna trust me *
* The way that you trust me *
* 'Cause nobody ever loved me like you do *
* I'd love to see me from your point of view *
Oh, my goodness! Beautiful! Wow!
[ Cheers and applause ]
Well, if Kelly was here, I would tell her,
why did you pair these two together?
It's awful. Like, what is she doing?
Maybe that's why she's not here ultimately.
Maybe she realized what a horrible mistake she made
and didn't want to deal with this decision.
Lucky me. Lucky Kelsea.
Gean, I've never seen anybody perform the way you do,
and you're so intense.
It's like you're performing from a different dimension.
I don't know what's happening to you physically
when you're singing, but it's cool to see.
Ryleigh, we sit here in these chairs
and we wait for, season after season,
somebody who doesn't sound like anybody else
that we can really think of.
You're the kind of artist that we need on this show
to keep it new and fresh and different.
I got to say, I'd probably go with Gene
because I don't know what's going on with you
and I want to see some more of it.
Ryleigh, your voice is just magical to listen to.
And I'm so frustrated that we didn't get to work together.
You know, as a songwriter, you're the kind of artist
that I would die to write songs for, to write with.
Oh! Ryleigh, I'm writing that down.
He said it on television. So, yep. Book it.
And, Gean, I have to agree with Blake.
Y-You tap into something else. It is like you're in the Matrix.
You're in a different world and you can't coach that.
I would say that you've got the hardest job here today,
stepping in and taking over for Kelly.
I love that this is her first battle.
It's my first battle.
Yeah. So after you're done today,
just go have a conversation with Kelly...
Yeah, I'll call her. ...and tell her how she messed this whole thing up.
I was looking at this and realizing
I didn't turn for either of you,
and starting to question myself as a human being.
Like, am I doing this right?
Both of you have really unique approaches and unique voices.
Gean, just open up your vowels a little bit more.
It felt like you were squeezing 'em a little bit,
but your range is so cool.
That isn't enough for me to not want you on my team
if -- if I had a chance to steal you.
Yeah. But I thought Ryleigh
gave a slightly better performance today.
This is a tough decision for Kelsea.
Kelsea, welcome to "The Voice."
This is a tough one for you. Wow!
Way to throw me in! Before we find out the winner,
just give us some thoughts on the battle.
Kelly's told me all about you.
Um, she's so sad that she can't see this in person.
And I feel super stoked that I can.
I think Blake is on to something, though,
that she just didn't want to have to pick.
And so now that's why I'm here.
Gean, I noticed there was a little pitch issue
in the beginning and then you corrected it.
And I was wondering if that was maybe just a nerve thing.
And, Ryleigh, Kelly was telling me that music's kind of been
an outlet for you... Yeah.
...and it's been something in your life
that helped you get past things.
And I relate to that so deeply.
I can hear parts of your story in the way that you sing.
And it makes me want to buy your record.
Thank you! Since I'm keeping the seat warm for Kelly,
I'm gonna call her. I don't know you could phone a friend!
Wait. That's illegal! Oh, my gosh.
This is unprecedented.
You two have changed this show forever.
[ Ringing] Can you ask her why she's not here?
[ Laughter ]
Kelly: I'm so sorry, Kelsea!
[ Laughing] This is so bad!
And either way you go, it's great.
You should feel safe picking whoever
'cause I don't think either one of them are going home.
Okay, well, then I know what I'm gonna do.
Kelly sounds just fine to me.
Yeah. She's laughing. She's talking.
You gotta insert a little extra rasp.
[ Wheezing ] I think I heard ocean waves
in the background.
Well, Kelsea, this is a difficult one.
Who is the winner of this battle?
The winner of this battle...
**
...is Ryleigh. Ryleigh Modig, Congratulations.
Thank you! You are moving on to the knockouts!
Kelsea: The decision was so tough and so close,
but there's just nobody on the show like Ryleigh.
She nailed every lick and every note.
And that's why I, on Kelly's behalf, chose Ryleigh.
I can't -- I don't even have words for how I'm feeling.
I'm just so grateful. Ahh!
Coaches, let me remind you, Gean is available to steal or save.
Whoa!
We got a steal! [ Shouts indistinctly ]
Wow.
Yay! [ Laughs ]
John Legend, Nick Jonas... Let's go.
...both used their steal!
John: Gean, I made a mistake
in not turning for you... Yeah, you mentioned that before.
...in the blinds.
You have a home on Team Legend
and I would love to work with you.
You know, Nick is a very good coach,
but he's very inexperienced. Blake: Wow.
He's never won this show, and I just worry that putting
your career in his hands might be a mistake.
Ouch. Please forgive me, Gean,
and come to Team Legend.
I just want to make it clear
that I did turn for you. Mm!
From the beginning, I believed in you.
Blake blocked me, which was disappointing.
I still don't think that was me, by the way.
That was you, no doubt.
John's only point is that I'm inexperienced.
This is my second season.
I won on my first season.
But that's neither here nor there.
[ Laughs ]
We can't all be John Legend. That's a fact.
But some of us have a lot to prove.
And I have this really cool song that I sing for people
that join my team, and I would --
The song is cool, I'll give you that. I would love to sing it for Gean.
Daly: All right, Gean, who do you pick as your coach?
Whoo!
**
After doing some thinking...
I think that I fit best on...
**
* This is "The Voice" * Daly: Welcome back to the battles
at Universal Studios Hollywood.
All right, Gean, the time has come.
It is up to you. Who do you pick as your coach?
Whoo!
I think that I fit best on...
**
...Team Legend. Yes!
Daly: John successfully steals Gean away!
I had to steal Gean. He has that fire.
He has that range. I needed him on Team Legend.
* You know I had to steal for you *
* Kelly didn't even show up for you *
* It's Gean and John Legend *
Welcome, Gean! Thank you, thank you.
Thank you. That was pretty sick.
Nick: I knew the gloves were gonna come off on this one.
This was the toughest-fought battle
and it wasn't even the people on stage.
It was John and I. Damn.
It's a bittersweet thought that Gean has another home
because he's so talented.
But at the end of the day, at least, he's still here.
We should all write a song about a sad guy named Gean
and call it "Blue Gean." Yeah.
* Blu-u-u-e *
There you go. Exactly.
**
How you been, buddy? You look good. Good. Good to see you guys.
You too, man. This is awesome. Wow.
Thanks for having us.
This season, I decided to bring in
Dan + Shay as my advisers.
You guys are the first artists I think
I ever really mentored.
"Ten Times Crazier" tour. Yeah.
It's been unbelievable watching you guys take over.
* When I taste tequila, baby, I still see ya *
When you think about "Tequila" and "Speechless"
and then "10,000 Hours,"
they've become more than just country stars,
they're global pop stars now.
I still think I would have been better for "10,000 Hours"
than Justin Bieber, but... You never hit us back, man.
...you know. It would have been great to get even an e-mail.
I don't think I have your phone numbers.
Well... On purpose.
[ Laughter ]
Oh, my goodness! What?!
Whoo-hoo! What's up! What's goin' on?
Yes!
Look at these guys!
It's a party in here, man.
Big party in here! Wow.
Dan + Shay -- these dudes are like legit.
They're Grammy Award winning artists.
This whole thing is unbelievable.
Thank you! That's incredible.
Took a long time. I feel pretty stupid
for having this now. [ Laughter ]
What is happening right now?
We're 20 feet away from Dan + Shay. This is so cool.
What led you to pick this song? Why did you pick this?
Well, I just thought, like, well, Blake's --
Blake's definitely not gonna pick anything good, so...
I gave Aaron and Connor
"I Ain't Living Long Like This" by Waylon Jennings.
I think all you can do as a coach
is throw something out there that is close to the middle
and then see who can thrive.
It's very rockabilly, and I felt like both of these guys
could really dig in and make it their own.
You do more of a folk thing -- I do, like, folk, kind of
Red Dirt, country, singer-songwriter stuff. Mm-hmm.
Getting to do this classic Waylon song,
it feels to me right in my wheelhouse
of the kind of music that I write.
* And let's forget *
My wife and I have been singing together
for almost 20 years.
We spent two years writing country music
for a publisher in Nashville.
I've never done solo things like this,
but she is so faithful to stand by me
and encourage me and support me.
* As I try to make my way *
And I think this experience
has helped me and my confidence to see,
like, I-I have what it takes to do this.
This feels really natural. Like, I like this song.
Cool. And he's like, "And I don't feel comfortable at all."
[ Laughter ]
No, that's the thing. He's like, I'm happy for you
that this is so in your wheelhouse.
That's really great. I know, right?
Blake's pushing me to really step out of that box.
Where are you from, man? Uh, I'm from Ohio,
right on the river... Okay.
...so really close to, like, West Virginia.
I grew up playing blues and rock and soul.
You ever go to Jamboree in the Hills?
Oh, yeah. I remember going there.
I don't remember leaving. No, we're still there, actually.
Yeah, you don't want to leave.
Gallipolis is a farm town full of really genuine people.
Just the magic and that little culture there,
just, I think that's why I like the bluesy, rootsy stuff,
is I can connect with that.
* You gonna know my name by the end of the night *
Outside of music, tennis is one of my second loves,
and right now, I currently work as a full-time tennis coach.
Just like, as a musician, it's a lifelong pursuit
to always get better.
* I look for trouble and I found it, son *
Blake: Connor's just got this sneaky voice.
You know, it's raspy. It sounds weathered.
But it's got more power than you think it does
when you listen to his range.
* Living long like this *
I love how Aaron can really dig in
and be aggressive with his vocals.
He's not bashful. He gives every lyric all he's got.
Cool. Yeah. Y'all are amazing, man.
Killin' it. First of all, you're both so unique.
There's nobody else like either one of ya on this season.
Thank you. Both your voices give it kind of a new edge.
We just got to figure out some cohesiveness
between the two of you. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got to get together, and I don't know anybody better
than these two. Yeah!
These guys are the masters of harmony.
Connor, your voice has an amazing low, kind of raspy,
like a Ray LaMontagne kind of thing. Yeah.
When you sang high above him, that was a really good moment.
And I feel like we should lean into that.
Yeah. And I like the last note that you --
* Livin' lo-o-o-ng * Yeah.
Whatever that note is, just both do it.
That's a good note, I think, to do unison.
If the other ones are harmonized,
and then that one is just you guys both pushing full throttle.
Nobody does harmony and duo like Dan + Shay.
It's humbling to me just to think
that they're helping us craft this song.
If you're saying, "Can I, baby," split into harmony there.
* Can I, baby? *
* Baby * Ooh!
I kind of feel like being in the studio with them,
working on an album, like, they're producing the thing.
The one thing I would just say on your runs,
like, make 'em purposeful,
'cause I know how it is in the moment.
Like, this is nerve-racking.
I can't imagine how you guys are feeling.
So when you get up there, don't try to overdo it,
especially when you guys are doing harmonies.
Definitely. I'm used to like kind of being like a front man,
like a three-piece kind of trio thing.
Yeah. So you get a song,
and you're trying to figure out the harmonies.
How do you break that down?
We've been doing this forever together.
If I sing something, I immediately know
all those parts and that's just time,
and you'll get that, like, you know, if you do it a bunch.
Yeah. What I ended up learning to do over the years,
it's like I will learn the harmony part as my melody.
I don't even think of it. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.
I think if you learn the song, like just your part...
Yeah, yeah. ...it'll just be second nature to you.
And you're not thinking, like, "All right,
he's gonna hit this note and I'm up here."
* Live at all *
Dan: That was an exciting pairing, and they both have star power.
There was some magic there, and the blend of their voices
was really cool, and when they feel confident
and prepared, they're gonna go in and just absolutely crush it.
That's already way better.
You guys are unbelievably talented,
and it's -- this is fun to watch.
You know, when you get out there that night, be yourself
and shine and -- and bring some energy.
It's not gonna pay off for anybody
if this doesn't sound like a perfect duet,
so I'm looking for that artist that I feel like
puts in that extra work to make this thing happen.
We'll have the full band there and that'll just take it up
to the next level. Yeah, so thank you so much --
All right, cool. Thank y'all.
You guys are awesome. Thank you, guys.
Appreciate it. That was awesome.
I'm very happy I'm not Blake for multiple reasons.
[ Laughs ] No, that's definitely a decision
I would not want to make, and I'm glad I don't have to.
I can't imagine being in their position.
Man, that's tough. Oh, I mean, imagine, like,
to just be sitting in front of guys
that they hear on the radio every day and...
Yeah. ...the cameras everywhere.
I couldn't do it. No way. We wouldn't a--
Daly: Who would you pick as the winner of this battle?
Get the "Voice" official app now and play along.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back to the battles.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Whoo!
Yeah!
Connor! Yes!
Connor from Ohio.
Let the battle begin.
[ Cheers and applause ]
**
* I look for trouble and I found it, son *
* Straight down the barrel of a lawman's gun *
* I tried to run, but I don't think I can *
* You make one move and you're a dead man, friend *
* Ain't living long like this *
* Ain't living long *
* Can't live at all like this *
* Can I, baby? *
* Slapped the handcuffs on behind my back *
* Then left me reeling on a steel reel rack *
* They got 'em all in the jailhouse, baby, yeah *
[ Cheers and applause ]
* Ain't living long like this *
**
* Can't live at all like this *
* Can I, baby? * Come on!
* I live with Angel, she's a roadhouse queen *
* Uh-huh * * Makes Texas Ruby *
* Look like Sandra Dee *
* I want to love her, but I don't know how *
* I'm underneath the jailhouse now *
* Ain't living long like this *
* Can't live at all like this *
* Can I, baby? * Yeah.
* You hear the story about the jailhouse rock *
Uh-huh! * Don't want to do it *
* But just don't get caught *
* They got 'em all in the jailhouse, baby *
Come on!
* Ain't living long like this *
Yeah!
* Can't live at all like this *
* Can I, baby? *
* Can't live at all like this *
* Can I, baby? *
Whoo!
[ Cheers and applause ]
Wow.
John: All right. Kelsea: That was fun!
Nick: Whew!
Well, that was a barn burner for sure.
I think it was good coaching to put you guys against each other.
So, Blake, well done. Thank you.
Connor, your rasp's kind of an identifier for you.
It's something that I think will set you apart.
Thank you. And you clearly have fun performing.
I do. Aaron, there was real
professional quality to the way
that you approached the vocal on this song.
And I really appreciated
that you were swinging for the fences.
Made me feel like it was fairly even.
Both you guys, great job.
I really just had a fun time listening to the whole thing.
Aaron's voice was a little more electric to me
and it felt like it was more suited to this particular song.
But there's something cool about your voice, Connor.
Yeah. I was thinking about what it would feel like
for you to just sing a stripped-down ballad
with just you and the guitar. Yeah.
I'm more intrigued by the possibility of hearing
what else you could do.
It's a tough decision.
Only John Legend could hear that performance
and also be imagining an acoustic, broken-down version.
[ Laughter ]
I can't believe I'm gonna say it,
but I really think that song was perfect, Blake.
It was an accident. You did a good job, Blake.
He stumbled upon greatness. That's right.
Aaron, you were able to kind of bring this,
like, rough, smoky tone with your acoustic and jam out.
Connor, when you were singing, you were still acting
like you were on stage solo by yourself at your concert.
I just thought it was really strong that you were
still kind of claiming your space in your moment.
Daly: Thank you, Coaches.
Buddy, give us some thoughts on that battle.
Aaron, it says here that, you know, he's a jack-of-all-trades,
from teaching martial arts
to creating essential oils for men's beards.
[ Laughter ] That's a bio, my friend.
Yeah, it really is. That's a bio.
I don't know how you managed to do anything else
when you're so good at that.
Thank you.
And then Connor,
who works full time as a tennis coach.
[ Chuckles ]
They call me Backhand Blake back in Oklahoma.
Tennis is just a... Natural sport for you?
Yes. Yes. And so we have that connection
that I didn't even realize. You are an athlete.
Yeah. Yes, I am. An athlete through and through.
* Backstreet Blake, all right *
Oh, my gosh. That is good.
But by the same token, it's like,
how does Connor do anything else other than this?
And Kelsea's right -- once you're in the zone,
somebody could walk up and just be like, "Hey, Connor, listen,
hey, there's a tornado coming. Stop, stop."
And you couldn't get him out of the zone.
You just couldn't.
That's your tennis coach coming out in you.
That's right. Daly: Backhand Blake,
the time has come. [ Laughter ]
Who is the winner of this battle?
I know I got to make a decision here, uh...
If I'm being honest with myself,
it's a little bit more in Aaron's wheelhouse.
But, Connor, I-I know how much work you put into this.
I got to give it up to Connor.
Connor Christian is moving on to the knockouts.
Blake: Connor had a bigger challenge to face with that song,
and I thought he stepped up to the plate.
He just can't hold himself back when he's on stage.
We got to find songs moving forward
that he can just let loose and be Connor.
Good job, bud. Thank you, guys, so much.
Getting to continue on Blake's team is an absolute blessing.
Time to crank it up and keep the rock 'n' roll coming.
Daly: Aaron, anything you'd like to say to Blake?
This whole experience has been amazing to me.
It's gonna let me go home and keep doing music every morning
before I brush my teeth with a lot more to think about.
Thank you, man. Thank you. Great job.
Give it up for Aaron Konzelman
one more time, ladies and gentlemen. John: Yes, Aaron.
What a lovely guy. That was fun.
You didn't know they call me Backhand Blake?
No, I did not know that. What were you singing?
I couldn't hear you. I said Backstreet Blake.
Oh! [ Laughs ]
I just don't want to ever think about Blake playing tennis.
I don't know. I didn't have an image.
I just went to, like, no.
Back Alley Blake.
All the backs -- Backwater Blake.
Backwash. Backwash Blake.
Yeah. Daly: Coming up...
Nick: Darren Criss. Whoa. Dude. Holy cow!
I picked Brandy's song, and look who's here, y'all!
[ Screaming ]
Brandy's just giving y'all the blueprint.
Yes. * You're so fine **
* Girl, I just got started lovin' you *
Wow! Blake: Whoa!
Daly: That's the sound of a steal!
Whoo! Did I get it?
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back.
I'm calling Kelly. You're calling her?
I'm calling her. She calls her.
[ Ringing] She's on a beach in Hawaii right now, Blake.
I hope she doesn't pick up your call.
Kelly: Hello? Hello, Kelly? It's Blake.
I'm sorry I couldn't hear you over the seagulls.
[ Laughter ] Oh, my gosh. Whatever.
I am sick. Leave me alone.
Well, I just wanted you to know that Nick and John don't think
that Kelsea's doing a very good job. Mm.
And I should, as your friend, tell you that
I don't think she's doing a very good job.
They're trying to fire me.
So you're basically sayingI'm doing a bad job,
and I'm tellin' her to make all the wrong moves?
That makes total sense.
You are just a reflection of how terrible of a coach Kelly is.
Wow, well... I told you, do not trust him.
You're breaking up. Whatever.
Hello? Hello? Oh, we lost her.
John: Oh, we lost her. Yeah.
Anyway, I think you're doing a great job.
[ Laughter ]
Dana: Who you think the adviser is?
Well, you know it's driving me crazy not knowing.
I'll probably pass out. Like, "Who's that?"
Don't fall 'cause I can't pick you up.
We out here freewheeling.
You just gonna leave me hanging like that? I'mma be like, "Get up."
There he is.
Oh, man! Darren.
Nick! I brought my good friend
Darren Criss as my team's adviser.
**
Everyone knows all the amazing work he's done
as an actor from "Glee" to "Versace."
He won the Emmy, the Golden Globe,
but there's so much more to him.
He's done Broadway, written musicals.
He brings so much to the table,
and I think it's gonna be an invaluable asset to my team.
A lot of people don't know that we go back
almost like seven, eight years. Yeah, we've notched in some hours.
I have a very funny history with Nick
because we had a similar hairdo in the 2000s,
people would make references that I would be
the bonus Jonas, but I never thought
that we would actually be friends in real life.
So doing anything for Nick
is fulfilling some kind of weird destiny.
And can't say no to Nick Jonas. He's, like, super famous.
If you need a sub, like, I'll just put on a wig.
I can be Kevin or Joe.
I think you could pass as a Kevin.
Thank you. [ Laughs ]
Well, the first two artists... Let's talk about Team Nick.
We have Devan... Okay.
...and we have Dana Monique.
Both of these artists bring something really unique
to the table, very different voices,
but they're kind of powerhouses in their own right.
Hey, hey. Hello, hello.
Whoa. Dude. Holy cow.
You see this? No!
Nick brought in Darren Criss, honey, from "Glee."
My daughter, if she knew that you were in this room...
[ Chuckles ] ...I would just have to leave her here.
Well, then, let's not tell her 'cause I don't want to
ruin this moment. For you and I.
Yeah, 'cause I think we got a really good vibe going here.
[ Laughs ] Devan: Darren is an actor, he was on Broadway,
movies, and writes his own music.
When you're standing in front of a megastar,
it's really hard to think straight.
I have one question before we get into it.
John sang to try to get you on his team.
* I think you are the one for me *
* Team Legend is where you want to be *
[ Laughs ] Gosh.
And you still decided to come to Team Nick.
You said I have something to prove.
Mm. And...
[ Exhales sharply ]
**
I've been a background singer since I was in the 10th grade.
Yeah. And, you know, sometime when you're in the back,
you kind of get lost.
And that's where I was -- as a mother, as a performer.
And so when you said that, I was like, he doggone right.
[ Laughter ] Let's get it.
I love that. How many kids do you have?
I have two.
Dana: My daughter is Amaya. She is 17.
She can sing. She's a writer.
And my son Jaden is 18.
Aah! I have an 18 year old! Lord.
And he is a rapper.
So music runs deep in our family.
Even though I'm accustomed to doing this all the time,
you know, this is on a different level.
* Hey *
I'm definitely here to learn, and I think being with Nick
gives me the opportunity to expand,
you know, stretching me to my limits
and I-I'm really excited about that.
This environment and this specific work session
is so important for the growth of these artists.
We've actually broken it down, it's guitar,
it's piano, it's the vocal. Right.
And so you get -- you get the voice in its purest form. 100%.
I was kind of expecting a full band, let's go.
And then it was just the piano, and so I felt very vulnerable.
I gave Devan and Dana Monique "Stuck With You,"
by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber.
* Still layin' in your bed, singin' *
* Ooh, ooh, ooh *
They both have kind of more classic styles.
* I'm stuck with you, stuck with you *
And to set it against this more modern record
is gonna be really cool.
Justin, Ariana, they have classic influences
that give them the ability to do modern records
that feel new, innovative, and it came at a point in time
when people needed to be uplifted.
Yeah. It does have a feeling of hope to it.
"Stuck With You" was kind of the quarantine song.
When COVID first happened, I was really having a hard time.
I have all my plants and I have my dog and my cat,
but I'm single and it was a challenge.
I started to just hone in on doing music
and then I sent in a video
and didn't think it was gonna turn into this.
Like, what the heck? Like...
* I'm caught between your love *
Nick: We're here in this first stage of the competition
to find a lot of potential
and someone that we can work with to help them grow.
Devan: I'm excited to see who else I can become,
'cause I'm different now than I was when I first got here already.
It's crazy. It's wild. Like, whoa.
* I'm not one to stick around * Tell 'em!
Nick: Devan has a really cool tone.
You can hear elements of Sam Cooke
and even, of course, John Legend. * But you never let me down *
There are certain things he does that just kind of stand out.
* So lock the door *
Dana's like a walking hurricane.
* And throw out the key * She's an undeniable person.
* ...no more, it's just you and me *
What's funny is, if she didn't have a good voice,
I'd still be on board because she has such charisma.
Come on, man! Team Nick's pretty stacked, huh?
Pbht! My mom was like,
"Who are you battling?", and I said, "Aretha Franklin.
How would you feel if you had to battle Aretha?"
I would do anything to be able to have that instrument, man.
And the coolest part is watching when two vocalists
can push each other to be that much better.
Dana, that verse --
it's the opposite of what we're gonna hear
from you the rest of the song. Mm-hmm.
It's the subtle, soft moment, and it's actually quite fun.
It's so fun. I think the more fun we watch you have during this performance
and your personality coming out,
the more fun we're gonna have.
Yeah. And then on the,
* Stuck with you, stuck with you, stuckwith you *
Because your voice has done it twice,
the pitch police might come out on that third one.
If I get lazy on the third one, yeah.
So you want to spend some extra TLC on that one
'cause you don't want to falter
after this really powerful moment.
Devan, I think that you should feel confident.
I get the sense that just generally this challenge
has weighed on you a bit.
And I can see that right now you're even a bit emotional,
and it's okay to be emotional, let that happen. You got it.
Devan: Nick made a huge impact on me by telling me
that I need to work on my confidence.
I didn't think he was gonna see that.
Inside I was buzzing like crazy,
thinking about Dana and she's so good.
I can't sing like that, you know?
When I have sung next to Kelly and John
and Blake in the past, I started to feel insecure, too.
But I know that I have something that is uniquely me as well.
And I think you've got to find
a way to know that you're excellent.
Mm-hmm. Darren: Everybody here has chops.
Runs for days, licks for days, but that's only so important.
Can you sell it? Do we believe you?
You know, we're not just copying Ariana and Justin licks.
They ain't here, you are.
Actually, surprise, they're -- No.
Here they are! Come on in! Don't do that!
Devan: I went from being very unsure about myself to now
I feel like I can do this.
* Tonight *
Whoo!
* Lock the door *
* Throw out the key *
Nick: Dana has confidence for days and she can sing anything,
which is exactly what you want on your team.
* I still wouldn't change all this *
* Lovin' you, hatin' you * But Devan, that next take we did
he came to life, and that growth in real time
is so gratifying for me as a coach.
I believe this is gonna be one of my toughest decisions.
Come on! Throw all the papers.
Man!
Whatever just happened... Bottle that.
Okay. Because if you do that,
you're gonna have these other coaches real jealous.
Dana: Devan conquered this thing.
So I'm like, "Hey!"
I'll take one of those. There you go.
When we do the stage rehearsal, I'll be on video chat
so we can talk through. Yeah.
But it already feels just kind of magical.
**
Devan: Stage rehearsal was just crazy.
There's fog and lights and the whole band
and I had to, like, kind of get it together.
* Nothin' I, nothin' I, I can do *
Dana, Devan, how's it feeling now that we're on the stage
doing this thing almost for real?
After a few takes, I feel good now.
I feel more confident about
w-what we're gonna bring to the table, so...
It was so cool to see two very different singers
working as a team
and making each other better along the way.
Dana: I need to stay extremely consistent
and keep providing impactful moments.
I've done a lot of work. I'm ready to sing my heart out.
I think the world is gonna love it.
Thank you, Nick. All right. See ya!
All right.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Let's do it.
Look at that jacket.
Ooh-hoo, that jacket is fly! Yeah, it is.
The battle starts right now.
[ Cheers and applause ]
**
* I'm not one to stick around *
* One strike and you're out, baby *
* Don't care if I sound crazy *
* But you never let me down, no *
* That's why when the sun's up, I'm stayin' *
* Still layin' in your bed, singin' oh *
* Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh *
* Got all this time on my hands *
* Might as well cancel our plans, yeah *
* I could stay here for a lifetime *
* So lock the door *
* And throw out the key *
* Can't fight this no more *
* It's just you and me *
* And there's nothin' I, nothin' I, I can do *
* I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you *
* So go ahead * * Go ahead *
* And drive me insane *
* Baby, run your mouth * * Run your mouth *
* I still wouldn't change being *
* Stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you *
* I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you *
* Whoa *
* Baby, come take all my time *
* Go on, make me lose my mind *
* We got all that we need here tonight *
* Tonight, tonight *
* Yeah, yeah *
* Lock the door *
* Throw out the key * * Throw out the key *
* Can't fight this no more, it's just you and me *
* Just you and me, yeah * * And there's nothin' I *
* Nothin' I'd rather do *
* I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you *
* So go ahead * * Go 'head *
* And drive me insane *
* Baby, run your mouth * * Run your mouth *
* I still wouldn't change this *
* Lovin' you, hatin' you, wantin' you *
* I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you *
* You *
[ Cheers and applause ] Whoo!
Yes!
Wow.
**
Devan, if I could pick a winner just based off badass jackets...
I love that jacket. ...that was a knockout.
And, man, I'm sure when you got paired against her,
you were like, "What the hell?"
Like, we all know she's incredible.
But, man, I thought you did a good job
of stepping up to the plate. Thank you.
Feel like it made you better.
And I can't really pick it apart.
I guess the only thing I can really say is,
but it's Dana, and it's just,
her voice is just so powerful and so complete.
I would pick Dana in this moment.
I just think she's incredible and -- and long overdue
for an opportunity like this.
John: Devan, you really are a great vocalist.
Thank you. You have so much fire.
My only concern, there was a little bit of accuracy issues
when it came to some of the pitch.
Dana, you just look natural up there.
And when it came to execution,
I felt like you were just on point the whole time.
Thank you.
I fully forgot that I was supposed to be,
like, taking mental notes, I was just enjoying it.
So what I will say is that, Dana,
you just exude so much confidence.
It is hard to look away from you. I'm just a fan.
And, Devan, your flip to falsetto,
I heard it only a couple times,
but it was like magic when you did it.
I feel like when you have a voice like that,
you can hit every note in your chest voice.
But when you flip up to your head voice,
it's just something special. Thank you so much.
I loved hearing that, but I'm not
gonna even pretend like I could pick between you two, so...
Daly: Thank you, Coaches.
Nick, you've got the final decision.
Give us some thoughts before you tell us who won.
Dana, you're really special.
You know, t-there's just something magical
about your voice and your presence on stage.
And there's a joy that surrounds you
and you just made the environment,
the working environment so much more fun to be in,
which is, I think, of all the things,
the highest compliment I could give you. Thank you.
Devan, you came and you worked your butt off.
Yes, he did. And it was a tough battle here.
I feel like I mishandled this pairing,
and I'm kicking myself for it
because you -- you really are a great vocalist
and you do have a very cool jacket on today.
I'm kind of jealous. I feel like the pants are underrated.
The pants are underrated. I also like the pants quite a bit, too.
Those are cool.
You have a lot to be proud of.
You came a long way from that first blind audition to now.
And I think you should be really proud of this performance.
Thank you, Nick. Daly: Nick, tough one.
But the time has come.
Who is the winner of this battle?
**
The winner of this battle...
**
...is Dana.
Daly: Dana Monique, congratulations.
You're moving on to the knockouts.
Dana Monique is a force of nature.
Congratulations, Dana. Thank you.
She came out today and proved
that she's got the kind of voice
that I think could end up in the finale.
Whoo!
This means I'm going to the knockouts, mm!
Daly: Coaches, let me remind you,
Devan is available to steal or save.
Devan, what would you like to say to your coach?
I can't believe that you were my coach,
and that I got to learn so much from you.
And it's just been a dream come true.
Thank you for everything.
Daly: Give it up one more time
for Devan Blake Jones, everybody! All right, Devan!
Nick: Thanks, Devan. Thank you.
Whoa!
Devan Blake Jones, get back here!
We've got a save!
[ Cheers and applause ]
[ Sobbing ] Whoo!
Can't go anywhere yet.
Aww. Thank you, Nick.
I was not saying goodbye to you today.
I have a lot of belief in you,
but listen, I gave you a-a really tough competitor
in this battle, and I think you showed up and you nailed it.
And I want to keep working with you.
Thank you so much.
Daly: We'll see you in the four-way knockout.
Don't lose that jacket, Devan!
I'm keeping it. It's a keeper.
I had to save Devan because he rose to the occasion
and he deserves to stay in this competition.
And I know that in that four-way knockout,
he's gonna shine and make Team Nick proud.
[ Sobbing ] I'm sorry. Like, I wasn't thinking
that I was gonna get saved, but I'm so thankful right now,
and holy cow, man.
A lot of work to do.
Hey, Blake, have I ever told you, you look like my dad?
Oh, my God.
So I'm going to start calling you "Pops."
We call him Grandpa.
I'm sure your dad's a very good-looking man then.
[ Laughter ]
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back to the battles.
**
Brandy, I am so happy to have you here today.
We have Brandy as our adviser.
She's one of those icons.
She's been an actor, an amazing singer.
She's been in this business since she was a teenager.
And I'm so excited to see what she can share with our artists.
You are like a singer's singer.
This is a dream come true. I always wanted to be a part of,
you know, "The Voice" and Team Legend.
And I just feel like the energy. I'm so excited.
I just don't want to scare nobody. [ Laughs ]
Woman: First up, Christine Cain, you are battling Pia Renee!
Let's go! Yay!
John paired me up with Christine Cain.
She's very laid-back. Our voices mesh well.
It's gonna be a vibe.
All righty, we gotta be real close.
And here we go, here we go.
Christine and Pia --
they're both charismatic, cool women.
I knew they would bring individuality
to whatever song they did, and I picked a Brandy song.
I cannot wait to see what they do with the song.
I'm about to go surprise them right now.
Oh, my God. I hope they're happy to see me.
I'm happy to see them.
So I picked Brandy's song, "Baby."
This was my jam. It's rhythmic. It's nostalgic.
And who better to be our guest mentor for the song
than this young lady right here.
Look who's here, y'all!
Aah! I told you! I knew it!
[ Screaming ]
Brandy is an icon.
Me and my mom used to bump her album "Full Moon,"
and I mean singing it to the top of our lungs.
I'm so happy to see y'all!
It was like, you can't just be walking up in here like that!
Like, you mean a lot to me!
It's an honor for all of us to have her here.
And it means a lot to me, too,
to do my song, "Baby," it's just unbelievable.
I don't want to cry. But I am -- I'm so excited.
Tell them what it was like trying to pick a song
when you're like 15 years old and you're --
Well, see, when you're 15, you don't pick 'em.
Somebody else picks them for you. Yeah.
Yeah! But you also have to connect to it.
So when I first heard "Baby," it was funky.
It was like a timeless, you know --
[ Imitates guitar lick ] Yeah, it just had that groove.
Pia: Brandy was a teenage girl
watching her live the life of a star.
And it's almost like I lived my dream through her.
Being the oldest of eight siblings,
the mantle of responsibility is just automatic.
I was like the other mother, and then I became
an actual mom of my own child at 16.
I had to grow up fast.
So pursuing my dreams now, it's exciting.
It's like, "Oh, my God, you made it."
* You would not believe it because you never *
* Thought that you would be jammin' *
* Yeeeeeah *
No! Oh!
[ Laughs ] * Oh, yeah *
Yeah! Here we go!
* Baby, baby, baby, baby *
Yeah. * Don't you know... *
Brandy: Pia's voice is beautiful, and she can really sing.
She has a powerful voice.
* Yeah, yeah * * I can't keep my cool *
* Baby, baby *
Okay! Hey!
John: Oh, my God. Christine really just knocked our socks off.
She was so in the pocket. She was so cool.
I felt like we saw a new side of her today.
* So fine *
Hey! That's my battle partner right there!
I love that version! Yes, ma'am!
Yeah. I'm stealing everything!
I was 16 when I did "Baby."
You know, I wasn't, * Baby, baby *
I wasn't that.
Christine and Pia's version of "Baby"
is the grown-up version.
And since I'm grown now, I want to do it that way as well.
Well, it's so interesting hearing it stripped down
because it almost brings out a different energy...
It does! ...in the song.
The * Baby, baby * I love that.
It felt like we were in a jazz club.
It did. You were like fully in your,
like, sexy swag,
like, you got the right energy.
It's actually funny because the song is completely opposite
of who I am.
Growing up, I did want to sing,
but I never really had the confidence to pursue it
until recently.
I was actually going to school for music business,
but I had a performance class, part of my curriculum.
I got so much love back that I was just like,
how could I not perform?
* Watermelon sugar high, watermelon sugar high *
So John paired me with Pia.
She has this crazy edge about her
that's like out of this world.
So that shy girl, I don't even know her no mo'.
She don't exist.
Pia, I love where your notes are ringing out.
Your vibrato is so dope. Yeah.
I think you just got to let your guard down, okay?
Okay. It is definitely guarded.
Yeah. I just want you to be looser throughout.
Okay. You saying "Master Blaster" when you came out here
and you were "jammin' until the break of dawn."
And you know that's a way harder song than "Baby"!
And, like, you got to, like, give us all that charisma,
like, you hollerin' at somebody, lettin' 'em know,
you know, they so fine.
I was wanting to make sure that I nailed what I practiced
without getting so loose that I got lost.
Christine is so ready and so eager.
That challenges me not to get lost
in my own thoughts in the process.
Even though you guys are completely different artists...
Yeah. ...you can still have the same kind of character
and that may make it gel a little bit more, I think.
The one thing I would change,
I wouldn't take that lower harmony on [vocalizing].
Mm-hmm. I would go, * Don't know that *
* You're so fine * * You're so fine * * You're so fine *
That's it. Okay.
Who's singing, "I'm not trying to be rude"?
Can you go * Rude * with her?
Yeah. Only because that's something
that happens when I sing it, and I just want that right there.
Brandy's just giving y'all the blueprint...
Yeah. ...for how to do "Baby" right.
[ Vocalizing ] [ Laughs ]
I would say the key to performing "Baby"
is to just let go and have fun.
* Time * Yes!
It's really good.
It's really getting -- You loosened up so much!
Thank you. Uh, yeah. I still think you can afford to loosen up more.
I'm going to see who brings it on stage,
because Christine right now had a better rehearsal,
but I know Pia can do it.
I think once the band's playing and everything,
y'all are gonna even get more hyped.
And it's just gonna be all about vibe and energy.
If Pia steps her game up, then she can challenge Christine
and we'll see what happens.
Are we allowed to talk about "Moesha" at all?
We allowed?
We've been loving you for so long, Brandy.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Let's go!
This battle begins right now.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Pia: Hey, hey! [ Laughs ]
Come on, ha.
* Baby, baby, baby, baby *
* Don't you know that you're so fine *
* Baby, yeah *
* I guess it's time to say, baby, baby *
* How you make me feel *
* When you come to my mind, yeah *
* I can't keep my cool, baby, baby, yeah, yeah *
* I can't hold it inside *
* I can't wait each day *
* Just to see you walk * * Ooh, oh *
* Tryin' to move in close to get to where you are *
* I'm not trying to be rude * * Rude *
* Baby, baby *
* Nothing ventured, nothing gained *
* I'm telling you *
* Baby, baby, baby, baby *
* My, my, my, my baby *
* Don't you know that you're so fine *
* So, so fine *
* Baby, baby, baby, baby *
* Think about you all the time *
* Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah *
* My darling * * My darling *
* Oh, baby * * Oh *
* You're all I need right now *
* You're all I need, baby *
* My darling * * Oh *
* Oh, baby * * Baby, baby, yeah *
* You're all I need right now * * You're all I need, baby *
* Baby, baby, baby, hey *
* Don't you know that you're so fine *
* You're so fine *
* You're so fine, you're so fine *
* My baby * * Baby, baby, baby, baby *
* Think about you all the time *
* 'Cause you're fine, b-b-b-b-baby *
* Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah *
* Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah *
* Oh, yeah *
* Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah *
* Hey, yeah, hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah *
* Baby, baby, baby, baby *
* Oh, don't you know that *
* You're so fine *
[ Cheers and applause ] Yeah!
Ow! All right, all right!
[ Laughs ] Yes.
I feel like I just watched, like, a sass-off.
[ Laughter ]
Both of you look amazing.
You look like, "I have it together. I'm ready to go."
I think as a woman in music,
it's really important to know yourself like that.
And I see that in both of you as well,
which is really amazing.
Pia, the way that you navigated that stage,
you're just so meant to be here.
Thank you for showing up
for what you're meant to do with your life.
Thank you. And, Christine,
I just saw two seconds where you got in your head.
I would encourage you to be really mindful of those moments.
Get out of the head. Get back on the stage.
I am a fan of both of you, but God, I hate picking!
I just wish I could -- Can this turn me around?
If it could, then we would ask Kelly to do it
day after day.
Christine, you're such a good singer,
but at times it felt like you were so laid-back.
And then it goes to Pia and she would explode
with these vocal moments that would really hit the mark.
So for that reason, I think I'd be going with Pia. Okay.
I actually wrote down "explosive."
Oh, yeah? Were you cheating of my...
He was looking at your --
I also look at what you're texting sometimes, too.
Uh-oh. Now I'm in trouble.
We'll talk about that later.
Christine, let me start with you. I get the sense
that you're someone that's been singing for a long time.
Is that true? Not even close.
Well, then I'm shocked because that -- you're singing like
you've been singing for 25 years.
I mean, it truly -- She's 28.
My point is just that it seems like you've crafted your voice
perfectly for what you do and that is an impressive thing.
And, Pia, you've got this natural thing about you.
Your first note was so electric.
It set the tone for the whole performance.
Explosive. It was explosive, in a word.
I think you've got a great choice either way.
John: In the stripped-down rehearsal, Christine,
the way you are so laid-back, it kind of felt like
that was the way you were supposed to sing it,
but it was like a little less
than was needed once the band was here.
Sure. Pia, it's funny.
Everyone's calling you "explosive" and "electric" now.
In rehearsal... I'm guarded.
...you seemed a little tentative.
[ Laughs ] You fixed that.
You rose to the occasion when it was time.
Daly: John, who is the winner of this battle?
For me...
**
...um...
the winner of this battle is Pia.
Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ] Yeah, partner!
Daly: Pia Renee, congratulations.
Thank you, everybody.
This moment means a lot for me,
so I'm very grateful that I'm still here.
Daly: Christine, anything you'd like to say to John?
Thank you so much for just believing in me,
taking time out to coach me, and I appreciate you.
Thank you. My pleasure. Daly: Give me more time.
Christine Cain. Bye. Thank you, thank you.
It was a great battle, but I had to go with Pia.
I love Pia's voice. It's powerful.
It's piercing. She's got range.
She really brought her "A" game for the performance.
That was good. She is crazy good.
That was really special to see. Thank you.
It's really nice to meet you. And thank you for being here
with us. Oh, I'm very happy to be here.
Daly: Coming up... * You say I am *
* Yours **
* Girl, I just got started lovin' you *
You both make me feel I've, like --
Like half a man.
True. That's Nick Jonas.
[ Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh ]
Yes! Yes! Whoo! Daly: That's the sound of a steal!
That was my first steal, and it felt good.
Oh.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back to the battle rounds.
Nick: The two we're gonna hear today are incredible,
but one of the cool things, too,
is that this is my second time hearing them sing.
I paired Awari and Jose.
Both kind of have an R&B, soul,
gospel feel to their voices.
The voices that I always was so terrified.
Jealous of. Jealous, let's be real.
Like, I didn't want to say the word jealous in front of you,
but, uh, yes, it's these guys.
For me and my roots singing in church,
I knew I need these guys on my team.
Hey, look who it is!
Hey. Darren Criss and Nick Jonas.
What's going on? Somebody thought I was tall.
If they set the mic up taller than you,
that means that you have, like, big-dude energy with your voice.
As a smaller gentleman myself, I completely relate.
I'll take it.
Well, Darren's been a long-time friend of mine.
He brings, you know, perspective that not a lot of people bring
as an actor, as a musician, performer.
He's got a lot of depth and knows how to tell a story,
which for a song like this, "You Say," it is so important.
Lauren Daigle was absolutely in touch with her inner source.
I know, Jose, you sang in church, is that right?
Yes, sir.
Jose: I pretty much sang in church my whole life,
but I'm also a pastor.
Right now, I started to do Bible studies
in my girlfriend's house.
She comes as a package deal.
She has 6 kids from the age of 7 to 21.
There's never a dull moment from playing games
to singing together.
It's almost like having my own Brady Bunch.
That's really one of the reasons why I go so hard.
And I want all of them to see that dreams can become reality.
Here I am and -- and I'm ready to go.
Awari, given your soul vibe you gave me in the blind auditions,
I just felt like let's branch it out a little bit more.
Right. Do something that just opened your voice up a little bit.
Gives you the ability to soar.
"You Say" is a very important song for me
because it is literally the soundtrack
of a season in my life.
I was going through a divorce.
I became a single father.
And it speaks all the words my heart wanted to say
but could not say.
In the last eight years,
we moved six times to support my family.
It's been humbling and adventurous.
Being here today, it's not easy, but it just hits differently
because I'm away pursuing a dream.
* 'Cause my heart starts beating triple time *
A year ago, I was in the Air Force as an aviator.
* With thoughts of loving you on my mind * Yeah.
So I'm just taking it one step at a time.
Should we get into it? Sounds good. Let's do it.
Sure. I think you gotta adjust that mic first.
Just a little bit. [ Laughter ]
* I keep fighting voices in my mind *
Awari has like a God-given R&B voice that is really sexy.
It's got this, like, higher baritone, low tenor register,
and he cuts through with this really interesting husk
that he can kind of wield like a sorcerer.
* Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low *
There's a looseness that Jose has,
and talk about vocal theatrics and acrobatics.
This is a skill set that you're just kind of born with.
* You say I am held *
Whoo!
I was really moved by how well
they identified with the song.
That's the magic sauce, man. Yeah!
All right, man. Nice.
So many fun things going on there.
Jose, the breathiness in your tone --
Ben Platt comes to mind, who's a vocalist that I'm envious of...
I love him. He's great. ...and think he's incredible.
And, Awari, Luther Vandross comes to mind,
someone like that, who's just got that big, powerful voice
but also knows how to control it in the softer moments.
You guys can do vocal acrobatics for days.
Just make sure your intervals are close enough
to where you're not rubbing against each other.
Needs to have real intention.
Yeah. You want to hear that...
* Ooh, oh * Just make sure
that it rings out... Yeah, the punctuation.
...and you meant it. 100%.
We don't have an audience on the show right now.
But the audience is the camera and that's how the audience
at home is going to experience this with you.
Just open your eyes, connect -- even connecting with us
in this moment -- imagine we're the camera
and we need to see it and feel it from you.
When we did "Glee" for years and years and years,
it was singing on camera.
I come from a background of like
playing an instrument and playing.
So the camera is dictating the emotional experience,
being able to be sort of a vessel of a certain emotion.
That's one of the most magical things about the sort of
transferability -- trans-- Is that a word?
I like it. Let's go with it. It works.
The transferable nature of songs.
It's already -- It's already trending on Twitter.
Okay, good. #transferbing? I dunno.
* You say I am *
* Yours *
Darren: Nick's got to choose between Awari and Jose,
and I do not envy that decision.
I would pay money to not have to ever make that decision.
Nice, yeah. So good.
The growth we've seen already is insane.
It's gonna be a very special performance
that I think is going to touch a lot of people's lives.
And you should be proud of that. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited that
people get to hear your voice, myself included,
and I think Nick's lucky to have you guys.
This one's gonna be a tough choice.
High fives all around. High five.
Nice to meet you guys.
They've got really unique, different voices,
and right now, they're neck and neck.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back to the battles.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Oh, "You Say."
Goin' with a tearjerker.
The battle starts now.
**
* I keep fighting voices in my mind *
* That say I'm not enough *
Yes, Awari!
**
* Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up *
Okay!
* Mmm *
* Yeah *
* Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low? *
Wow!
* Remind me once again just who I am *
* Because I need to know *
Okay! * Oh *
* You say I am loved *
* When I can't feel a thing *
* You say I am strong *
* When I think I am weak *
* And you say I am held *
* When I am falling short *
* And when I don't belong *
* You say I am yours * * Yours *
* You say I am loved *
* When I can't feel a thing *
* You say I am strong *
* When I think I am weak, oh *
* You say I am held *
* When I am falling short *
* When I don't belong *
* You say I am yours *
* And I believe *
* Oh, I believe *
* What you say of me *
* I believe *
* Taking all I have and now *
* I'm laying it *
* At your feet *
[ Cheers and applause ]
John: Beautiful!
I love that. That was great.
This is a genuinely tough decision, I believe, Nick Jonas.
I feel like, Jose, your voice is a little more fluid
and, like, it feels a little more effortless.
Thank you. But, Awari,
I love how, like, just strong and really solid your voice is.
Thank you. And so, Nick, I might
very slightly edge toward Awari.
I'm not even sure about that. It's very close.
That was so helpful. Thank you.
Kelsea: Yeah. I'll be honest, Awari,
as soon as you opened your mouth, I was like, "Wwwmp."
Your tone is crazy.
Thank you. And your range is beautiful.
Jose, the runs you were doing,
that was like so impressive to me.
Thank you. I can't wait to hear you just,
like, tone it back and you're like,
I'm gonna drop one
and I'm gonna let you simmer on it for a minute.
Yeah. Mm.
You guys are both incredible,
and I don't even feel worthy of saying anything
other than like you should both win.
So I'm gonna not do that.
Sorry, Nick.
So helpful again.
Blake: Awari, I agree.
You're not throwing out a bunch of tricks.
You're just kind of letting the rawness of your voice
be the strength of your voice.
And the other side of that is Jose's approach,
which is what Kelsea's talking about,
all these runs and crazy things that you can do.
I can't actually relate to that ability.
I know all you guys are super surprised
that I don't throw out a lot of runs when I'm singing.
He's the Luther Vandross of country music.
[ Laughter ] Yep.
Fans are tweeting right now.
"Did he just compare Blake to Luther?!
I hate this show!"
But I agree with Kelsea that a little bit goes a long way.
I think it's an easier thing to dial back.
And for that reason, I would go with Jose.
Daly: Thank you, Coaches.
Nick, you've got the final decision.
Give us some thoughts on the battle first.
I thought the performance was phenomenal.
I'll be honest, I think some of the nerves and other things
got to both of you, and I could feel that.
And when you finally opened up and allowed yourselves
to be free in this song, it brought me to church.
And it was a really beautiful thing.
Awari, it's just so incredible to see how willing you are
to jump in when you're in a competitive setting
to cheer on your teammate, knowing you're gonna be going
head-to-head in this battle, is admirable.
So thank you for that.
And, Jose, you have the ability to hit your runs with precision.
You're out here swinging for the fences.
A-And I like that ambition, that passion.
You know, this is a really tough choice. Thank you, I appreciate --
Daly: Nick, tough one here, buddy, but the time has come.
Who is the winner of this battle?
**
The winner of this battle...
is Jose.
Daly: Jose Figueroa Jr., you're moving on to the knockouts.
Congratulations!
Jose: I'm ecstatic to be able to stay on Nick's team.
There's still more to prove,
and I'm ready to continue to prove it.
Coaches, let me remind you, Awari is available to steal.
Awari, anything you'd like to say to Nick?
I just want to thank you for the time and the energy
that you've invested in me and my future.
Thank you, man. Daly: Give it up for Awari,
ladies and gentlemen! Nick: Really tough decision.
Awari and Jose both rose to the occasion.
Good luck, man.
I had to go with Jose because he's been
doing this for a long time.
So I know I can throw anything at him
and he's gonna come with something really special.
Oh! Kelsea: Awari's amazing.
I wasn't sure how he would fit on Kelly's team,
so I'm holding out for the one.
I thought you guys were gonna steal him, honestly.
I was waiting for Kelsea -- I was looking at you!
We're "Shellerini," come on. We're -- We're "Blousea."
The alliance? "Blousea"?
Or "Belsea," whatever. "Belsea"?
Belsea? I had a cow named Betsy growing up,
and I swear to God, that just is too close.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back.
Come on in here. That's Ethan. There's Avery.
What's up, fellas? This is Dan + Shay.
Oh, my goodness.
Dan + Shay was standing right there, so I was like, pshh!
How are you guys doing, man?
I'm kind of just excited to be here right now.
They got like range out the roof and really good harmony.
So I think they can give me and Ethan some awesome advice.
How tall are you, man? I'm not as tall as
I probably look at this moment.
I hate being around Blake, 'cause I'm 6'2".
And so...TV is incredible. [ Laughter ]
It's not. Y'all gonna make my cheeks hurt, y'all gotta quit.
It's just crazy. I never would have thought
I'd actually be here singing in front of all these celebrities.
* Lay me down *
[ Cheers and applause ]
The fact that four of 'em turned for me, it was awesome
because music, it's a huge part of my family and it means a lot.
Since I was around five years old,
we've had foster kids come in and out
and I connected with the majority of them through music.
To share the music with all the kids,
I feel like I'm showing them
that even if you come from this little small county,
you can still end up doing things like this.
You just got to believe in yourself and go with it.
Run with it.
You guys are both super young,
super country.
And I just wanted to figure out which one of you two
has a clear path on my team.
* You don't have to go now, honey *
I gave Avery and Ethan "I Just Got Started Lovin' You"
by James Otto. Yeah.
* Baby, there ain't nothin' * Blake: This song is tricky to sing,
and it comes right out of the gate challenging you
on your lower register.
* I'm thankful for the weekend *
Ethan is this very almost in-your-face, confident cowboy.
* What can I say? *
Avery is more introverted, very thoughtful.
They're completely different as far as their artistry goes.
Girls are gonna go nuts for -- for these dudes, man.
I'm goin' nuts for 'em. I can't imagine being back in your hometown.
You guys are in trouble. I don't really connect with the song.
I'm still pretty young.
I don't think I'm gonna be marrying any--
anybody anytime soon, but Avery's a good storyteller,
so I'm gonna have to do everything I can to make sure
that, you know, I can keep up with him.
You play a lot of shows? I play a few fall festivals,
but like three since I've been singing.
I'm 17.
Man. That's unbelievable.
It looks like he's just been doing this for years and years.
Ethan: Being a junior in high school,
all the places I've performed have been like 20 people.
I mean, not very many at all, so you never expect
that you're going to make it somewhere like "The Voice."
* You look so good in love *
I seen Blake's chair turn around,
somebody that has been on the radio
since I was a little baby, I just about blacked out.
Now, to have him as a coach with Dan + Shay,
you have the best teachers that there are to teach you.
So it's -- it's pretty cool. This song,
it's not a cakewalk vocally.
I mean, this covers both ends of his range.
So you definitely got your work cut out for you here.
I'm not really used to showing that much range
and having that transition from a high note to a low note
in .3 seconds is kind of a hard thing to do.
So it takes a little getting used to.
You have to lay everything that you have out on the table.
No one's gonna give it to you.
That's just not how it works. You know, you got to take it.
That top note in that first run is falling a little bit flat.
Right. You've got the notes.
Like, just the confidence.
You are too talented of a vocalist
to appear like you're too afraid to perform like this.
You got to figure out a way to make that feeling go away.
Today I didn't think I'd be as nervous as I was.
I just got to break out of that shell and have fun
because Ethan, he's not one to mess with in there, you know?
He -- He can't be taken lightly.
You don't need to be shaking your hips,
you know, like Blake Shelton does up there.
Right, right. It works for him.
But it can be as small as just one little smile,
just like that, you know? Yeah. Definitely, man.
He's got the swagger. It's in there.
When you get to perform on this stage,
these are like Grammy type productions -- enjoy it.
I had songs on the radio for seven or eight years
before I was ever even on
"The Late, Late, Late Show" or whatever.
And that was a big deal, you know, and you guys
are starting at that level, so...
And that was in the '20s and they didn't have that much radio.
"'20s."
* This is gonna take forever *
It's cool to see country represented so well like that.
You know, both Avery and Ethan are incredible singers.
* Oh, yeah * There's a lot of competition out there,
especially in the country music world.
I think he's gonna push each of them individually
to be that much better, and they both got to bring the heat,
you know, in the battle round.
You guys, incredible. You've got four chairs to turn.
That's amazing, man. Now let the world see it.
Make it hard for me by doing the best that you can.
It's not that hard to make me look stupid.
I-I promise. Ask Dan. Ask Shay.
[ Laughter ]
**
* Girl, I just got started lovin' you *
Ethan, Avery, what's up? Ethan: There he is.
Think it sounds a lot better with the full band.
The trick to that is you've got to remember to project
more than you normally would. Right.
Let the microphone do its thing.
Yeah. How about you, Avery?
You feelin' loosened up a little bit? I had fun out there.
Think you might even unbutton your top button or...
I might. I don't know! [ Laughter ]
Well, cool. Well, good luck to you guys.
We're gonna do this. Sweet.
* This is "The Voice" *
Daly: Welcome back to the battles.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Blake: Avery! Four-chair turn.
Yeah. Ethan!
[ Applause ]
This battle begins right now.
**
* Mm *
* You don't have to go now, honey *
* Call and tell 'em you won't be in today *
**
* Baby, there ain't nothin' at the office so important *
* It can't wait *
**
* I'm thankful for the weekend *
* But two days in heaven just ain't gonna do *
**
* This is gonna take forever, darlin' *
* Girl, I just got started lovin' you *
**
* What can I say, I've never felt this way *
* Girl, you're like a dream come true *
* After all the love we've made, it sure would be a shame *
* If we let this moment end so soon, ooh *
* So won't you lay back down beside me *
* Girl, just like I know you're wantin' to *
**
* And trust me when I tell you, darlin' *
* Girl, I just got started lovin' you *
Wow!
* What can I say, I've never felt this way *
* Girl, you're like a dream come true *
* After all the love we've made, it sure would be a shame *
* If we let this moment end so soon *
* Well, I'm thankful for the weekend *
* But two days in heaven just ain't gonna do, ooh-ooh *
* This is gonna take forever, darlin' *
* Girl, I just got started lovin' you *
* Oh, yeah *
* Come back and let me hold you, darlin' *
* Girl, I just got started lovin' *
* You *
[ Cheers and applause ]
Yes! Yeah!
John: All right, all right, all right.
Yeah!
That's what steals are made for!
[ Laughs ]
[ Cheers and applause ]
Whoo! You you both make me feel like
I've got the highest voice in the world.
I was just trying to hit that note in my head.
I was like [ Vocalizing low notes ]
I can't even get close.
Um, I feel like half a man at the moment.
Really impressive performance from both of you.
I was imaginin' I was at Billy Bob's
down in Fort Worth, Texas. Oh, yeah.
Having a beer and -- and line dancing,
which is something I've actually done before.
Really? Yeah.
I wish we had that video.
I-I don't know who I'd pick 'cause you do have similar voices.
But I think contractually you're obligated to say
who you would pick.
I think you're a liar. [ Laughs ]
I will give an opinion if you really want to know.
Okay, okay, here we to. If I was you,
I would, uh, not advise Nick how to do his coaching.
Oh! Whoa!
Man! And I would probably go with Avery in this choice.
Thank you.
Well, I haven't been to many honky-tonks in my day,
but it just felt like it was an inviting performance.
This song did have that low note,
and I felt like Ethan got that robust low tone.
I feel like Ethan talks to people on a CB.
Just because. "Talk back, Teddy Bear."
This is amazing to me that you're only 17.
I'll take it as a compliment.
I think in this moment, Ethan did a little bit better,
but this song played to his strengths.
That's what I will say.
That's kind of a nonanswer. A lot of ifs and buts
in there, wasn't it?
Well, first things first, we got to get you honky-tonkin'
at some point. You're right, Kelsea.
Yes, my new personal life goal.
[ Laughs ] Second of all,
I feel like I got serenaded, and I'm blushing.
I saw that, yeah. I know! Me too!
There was a little wink, I think, yeah, I felt it.
I know! I'm flattered. I really enjoyed it.
And it made me want to, like, go down to Broadway
and have a drink, so that in itself is like country music.
And I love that. I don't know, Pops.
You got a good decision on your hands down there.
A quandary. Daly: Thank you, Coaches.
All right, Pops, it's up to you.
Give us some thoughts. It is a tough song.
It pushes you up there as much as it pushes you down there.
You know, for me it does, anyway.
[ Laughter ]
But I didn't learn that about you until we started.
And it was like, whoa.
And you made Nick feel like half a man.
True. That's Nick Jonas.
He felt * Jealous *
Oh, yeah. Well-played.
Which is gonna be your next song
if you stay on the show all the way.
That's great, that's great, I love that.
Avery, I mean, you came in high demand.
Ethan had one chair -- me.
You had all four coaches trying to get you.
And it was because of your ability to connect with a lyric.
That's what I've always used these battle rounds for,
is to push people and get them out of their comfort zone.
And, Avery, I'm gonna tell you right now, man,
I saw you come alive up there.
I unbuttoned my top button for you.
Oh, my God, whew!
Winked at Kelsea down there. It's getting hot in here!
This is gettin' -- This is gettin' uncomfortable.
But great job, man, seriously.
Thank you. We keep talking about this being
10th year, the 20th season.
And I always try to base my decisions
on what I just saw happen, so...
Blake, who's the winner of this battle?
**
The winner of this battle...
**
...is Ethan.
Daly: Ethan Lively! Thank you.
You are moving on to the knockouts. Congratulations.
I didn't expect that at all. [ Laughs ]
Being from a small town,
I never seen myself even step foot on that stage,
but going all the way to the knockouts is crazy.
Coaches, let me remind you, Avery is available to steal.
Avery, anything you'd like to say to your coach?
I just want to say thank you for giving me an opportunity,
you know, to come out here, and I've had fun, so thank you.
Thanks, Avery. Give it up one more time
for Avery Roberson.
Avery, thank you.
Thank you.
[ Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh ]
Yes! Yes! Did I get it?
That's the sound of a steal! Whoo!
Yes! Kelsea Ballerini,
on behalf of Team Kelly.
[ Cheers and applause ]
You did it!
That was my first steal, and it felt good.
It felt good. Oh. You felt the thunder
when your hand hit the button? I just feel like
I got to be the good guy here. Whoo!
Kelsea, you used your steal.
Tell us why. Well, 'cause I'm over here texting with Kelly
and she's like, "You have to get him for me."
And I was like, "I'll do my best."
And I'm really excited 'cause you're so talented.
Thank you so much. Congratulations.
Daly: Kelsea steals Avery for Kelly.
Blake: Avery versus Ethan was a really tough decision.
Thank you. Congratulations, man.
Team Kelly. Ethan's a one-chair turn,
but America's gonna be shocked by this guy.
I am, and I'm his coach.
Stolen, baby, stolen. Stolen!
I was glad Blake picked Ethan.
It feels like you're in an auction.
Yeah. And, like, you have the paddle.
Going to the highest -- Like, the money -- the money's on the phone.
There's so much potential there, and if there's anyone that can,
like, pull that out of him, it's Kelly freakin' Clarkson.
Kelly: I'm so thankful that you ended up stealing it.
I think that you're gonna be
able to, like, bring him out of his shell
and make everyone regret their choices.
See? We are the same.
That is really what I'm wanting to do there.
Here for you.
**