Round 2 of the Vote The playoffs kicked off on Monday’s episode, with Team Reba and Team Snoop taking full spotlight. The two-hour episode, which saw six of the 10 hopefuls bid farewell as next week’s Top 8 live show quickly approached, featured an Olympian as an unexpected advisor to one of the teams.
Coach Reba McEntire hired Yellowstone actress and country singer Lainey Wilson, who revealed she had tried it without success The voice seven times to serve as her team’s mega-mentor.
Coach Snoop Dogg lived up to his “wild card” moniker this season, recruiting Simone Biles, the most decorated Olympic gymnast in U.S. history, to become his team’s mega-mentor and share her words of wisdom. In choosing Biles, Snoop prioritized the intangibles over vocal talent and stage performance — and the Olympian held her own.
“Sometimes the mental thing is more important than anything,” the rapper told Biles, who nodded in agreement.
Find out which singers from Team Reba and Team Snoop will join Team Gwen’s Jan Dan and Sydney Sterlace’s live shows.
How Team Reba fit together
Adam Bohanan kicked things off with a soulful performance of Chris Stapleton’s “Think I’m in Love With You.” He received unanimous praise from the coaches after his crowd-pleasing turn, with McEntire listing all the reasons why the dirty soul singer excels: “He’s raspy, he growls, he’s got a great range. [He] keep[s] keep getting better.”
Jazz crooner Edward Preblechanneling Frank Sinatra with his Rat Pack-inspired gray suit, sang coach Michael Bublé’s arrangement of “All of Me.” It immediately impressed Bublé, who said Preble’s version was “a beautiful tribute”, while Snoop approved of his improved showmanship. “Everyone goes a little bit further when Edward comes on stage to see what he does,” McEntire said.
Edward Preble. (Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty Images)
Country singer Katie O checking one thing off her bucket list: singing with Lainey Wilson. The duo had an impromptu duet during rehearsals when Wilson advised her on how to best perform her song “Hang Tight Honey.” After Katie O’s strong Playoff performance, McEntire applauded her confidence and said she was a good representative of country music.
Lauren-Michael Sellers left it all on the Vote stage for her heartwarming rendition of Jelly Roll’s “I Am Not Okay.” During rehearsals, Wilson and McEntire were visibly moved by Sellers’ emotional singing. “Her story, you can just feel it seeping out of her body,” Wilson noted. It translated to the Playoff stage; coach Gwen Stefani observed her ability to show the “nuances” in her voice, and McEntire felt she “gave her heart and soul to the song.”
Danny Joseph turned Marvin Gaye’s Motown classic ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ into a raw rock cover that got everyone on their feet. (Joseph even tore his pants during his electrifying performance.) Stefani loved “how much spirit you have and how intense you are,” and McEntire celebrated the unique character he brings. The voice.
How Team Snoop fit together
Christina Eagle was the first artist from Team Snoop to take the Playoff stage. When singing McEntire’s “Fancy,” Eagle’s version left the country star speechless. McEntire was a fan of how Eagle “changed [the song] around” and was impressed by her passion. Snoop said Eagle was the “complete package.”
Alijah Khaylyn stunned the coaches and crowd with a powerful cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” Khaylyn’s performance impressed the judges, especially Stefani, who repeatedly expressed how shocked she was. “When I heard that tone in your voice and heard that run, I [felt] like this is your lane,” she noted. An emotional Snoop said he “saw greatness.”
Austyn’s Stancil followed Khaylyn’s incredible performance with a showstopper of her own. During Prince’s cover of “Adore,” Stancil showed off his remarkable falsetto and tested the coaches with his vocal gymnastics. After the performance, Bublé jokingly pressed his “steal” button (which didn’t exist). “Wow,” Stefani said in surprise. “I mean, no one can do that.”
Mikaela Ayira performed Keyshia Cole’s ‘Love’ and received positive feedback from the panel. McEntire called it “beautiful,” while Stefani said Snoop helped her “find your job.” “She has grown into the artist I want her to be: confident, strong and very coachable,” Snoop said.
Jeremy Belate gave a theatrical performance of the Josh Groban ballad “The Impossible Dream (The Quest),” one of Bublé’s “favorite performances.” Beloate earned the special distinction of bringing McEntire and Snoop to tears. ‘You have a voice that pierces my heart. It really affected me,” McEntire said. “Something about the way you make me feel,” Snoop agreed.
Who made it to the live shows?
Team Reba: Adam Bohanan and Danny Joseph
“Adam’s voice stands out because it’s powerful, he’s got a great range, he’s got that gravel in his voice,” McEntire said of promoting Bohanan to the live shows. “Because he has been so consistent, I had to let him continue with the show.”
Adam Bohanan performs The voice. (Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty Images)
McEntire chose Joseph, who she described as a classic ’70s rock ‘n’ roll guy, as her second singer to continue because “he’s not like anything else on the show.” “I think America loves him as much as I do,” she said.
Team Snoop: Jeremy Beloate and Christina Eagle
“He’s a natural live performer,” Snoop said after choosing Beloate to represent him in the live shows. “He’s at his peak. He was the most incredible singer around [sang] on The voice stage for season 26.”
The hip-hop mogul made the surprising decision to choose Eagle over artists like Aliyah Khaylyn and Austyn’s Stancil, who had arguably more breathtaking Playoff performances. “She’s a fiery woman who can sing old-school country music,” Snoop said of Eagle.
Christina Eagle performs The voice. (Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty Images)
A preview of the next episode
Team Michael is in first place heading into the final night of the Playoffs. Six spots have already been determined for the first live shows of the season. All eyes are on Bublé as he looks to fill the last two semi-finals.
“It makes me very nervous because my team has a lot to offer,” Bublé admitted. “You know what they say: save the best for last.”
The voice continues Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on NBC.
