What if when it all goes wrong, it’s not your fault? Technical difficulties derailed one of the strongest match-ups on the final night of Battles on “The Voice.”
All of the Coaches noticed that the timing was just an absolute mess when Team Blake’s artists took to the stage, creating a bit of a mess tonally that was hard to recover from. When it was over, the artists all agreed it was because they couldn’t hear the music.
After the Coaches provided their feedback on what had to be a hugely disappointing moment, Blake Shelton revealed that he’d actually been texting with legal on whether or not they could get a “do-over” on their performance, considering it wasn’t their fault it went so wrong.
Another technical flaw is actually just baked into the format of the show. With the Coaches using Saves and Steals in the moment, there comes a time where these options may not be available and someone really needs one.
That’s what happened this week with the night’s strongest performance coming in a situation where there was no way to Save or Steal whoever was going to lose that Battle. Both were so incredible, it was going to be tragic to see either go. Then, the Coach sent the stronger one home, and it’s an absolute outrage!
Fair warning, since I’m safe at home, I’m probably going to be a little harsher than my colleagues Blake Shelton, Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani, and John Legend. And just for fun, I’m going to rank the performances from worst to first and then see how they do as the season progresses.
[[see Chello vs. Constance Howard below for video]]
(Team Gwen – “Everything I Own,” Bread) We heard just a few moments, but while Sadie had this crisp, somewhat generic country tone that was very pleasant to listen to, it didn’t stand out in any way. Kayla, meanwhile, has this singer-songwriter vibe that made her sound more believable and engaging.
Results: Kayla Wins
[[see Chello vs. Constance Howard below for video]]
(Team Legend – “More Than Words,” Extreme) All we saw here was some harmonizing between the two, which was lovely. Kara had some runs in there to help her stand out vocally, while Peyton just had this commanding presence that stuck with the original melody, but sounded great. Based on these few seconds, we’d have gone with Kara, so maybe he stood out elsewhere.
Results: Peyton Wins
(Team Camila – “Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic) We didn’t get this whole performance, but enough from both artists to hear the power of Constance’s voices, their beautiful harmony and Chello’s ability to channel that silky, sensual vocals that personify the Silk Sonic sound. We get why he might have had a better overall presentation here.
Results: Chello Wins
(Team Camila – “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” Whitney Houston) Andrew was definitely in his head and reeling with insecurities all through rehearsals. We appreciated Camila giving him pep talks and support throughout, and even taking a few moments to really hear him when he only said he was “okay” after their time together. Zach was also struggling with nerves, so it looked like their biggest enemies on stage could well be themselves. There was a cautiousness to their approaches when the big lights came up that they never completely shook. You could see that slight hesitation in their body language even as their voices were pretty solid in selling their “sad” take on the lyrics. Zach had a little more of a unique quality with that gravel in his basement, while Andrew’s magic from the Blinds never quite emerged, as if he couldn’t quite connect to this song as well.
Results: Andrew Wins
(Team Blake – “Red Dirt Road,” Brooks & Dunn) A mismatch and a huge challenge for Bryce, despite all three being country singers. But he really stepped into this duo and made a real trio out of it. They were a mess at the top with their timing, but as it was all three of them and they did find their way, it wasn’t as distracting as it could have been. When asked about it afterward, all three confirmed they couldn’t hear the band, so they just kind of had to wing it, which is not ideal in a competition situation. Blake said he was speaking with the legal department on whether or not they could get a “do-over,” but as this was a singing competition, it wasn’t allowed — even if the problem wasn’t theirs.
Luckily, all three artists were able to recover fairly quickly and find themselves in the song and get the timing back on track. What was remarkable, once the distraction was over, was how different Bryce sounded on his solo parts compared to The Dryes on their “solo” moments. And yet, both elements suited the song perfectly in that moment. It was as if someone had spliced together two incredible covers, each with a different tone but both equally compelling. Bryce’s tone is undeniable, it feels radio ready right now, so polished and with that perfect heart you want to tell a country music story. The Dryes, meanwhile, have gorgeous harmonies that are also perfect. Honestly, we felt Bryce was a little bit better — but both were incredible. We also know that Blake had one Save and this was his last team, so both were good (way to spoil the tension). It was just a matter of who got it outright.
Results: Bryce Wins (Blake Saves The Dryes) [Team Blake]
(Team Legend – “Into the Unknown,” from “Frozen 2” [as performed by Panic! at the Disco) Almost a dead heat as far as mind-boggling power and vocal ability. Omar is this technical perfectionist who crafts incredible vocal showcases of how much control he has of his instrument. The only criticism we could give is that it leaves him feeling a little hollow. Lana, meanwhile, kept up with all of his power and control, but also displayed a lot of personality and lyrical interpretation. It feels like he knows he’s good, while she knows what this should feel like. Because of that stronger emotional connection and interpretation, we’d go with Lana — while conceding that Omar is technically the more proficient and polished singer. Alas, with no Steal or Save possibilities, someone amazing had to go.
For the first time ever, three artists enter and only one survives the “Three-Way Knockouts” when “The Voice” continues next Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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