After being eliminated from The Voice Tuesday night (Dec 4) along with Team Blake Shelton’s Dave Fenley, DeAndre Nico has had a little time to mull over the way Adam Levine kicked him to the curb for Reagan Strange who was sick and couldn’t sing for the save. And he’s not happy with his former coach, to say the least.
The Port Arthur, Texas native shared his reaction to being disregarded by his coach with his hometown news station 12, “It was just weird. Because I felt like…I’m not being rude. I just felt like he sold me out,” DeAndre said of how Adam urged viewers to vote for Reagan instead of himself. “And I just don’t respect it. I’m just being honest.” Deandre continued, “We did our job, sick or not. I just got over laryngitis. When I came back I still sang. It wasn’t none of that anxiety or none of that stuff. I know that she’s a little kid. But it’s like, man, you could have put some words in for me…or something.”
This was @deandreknico true feelings to @adamlevine did #thevoice #voiceresults #thevoiceresults #robbed #singing #AdamLevine #DeAndre #VoiceSaveDeAndre pic.twitter.com/L5UMN4tEgN
— crowningG (@crowningme) December 6, 2018
On Tuesday night, Dave, Deandre and Reagan were in the bottom 3. For the entire episode, Reagan was off stage “due to illness.” When it turned out she was B3, producers allowed fans to vote for her in the Instant Save, without singing a note. Dave and especially DeAndre sang their hearts out, trying to save themselves. DeAndre performed an emotional rendition of John Legend’s “All of Me.” But it was for naught. When it came time for Adam to put in a good word for DeAndre, he quickly pivoted, urging fans to vote for his other team member in the bottom 3, Reagan.
“I gotta fight for my girl,” Adam told the audience, while Nico stood up on stage, dumbfounded. “I gotta make sure I represent her properly in this moment, because she didn’t have a chance to use her voice tonight. So I’m going to use if for her as well as I possibly can to make sure she can make it next week.”
https://vimeo.com/304506290
After the Twitter vote, Reagan won the Instant Save, but only by a percentage point. The numbers before host Carson Daly took them off the screen were: Reagan – 38%, DeAndre – 37% and Dave – 24%.
Oddly, Reagan was sitting off stage with her mother, in full makeup, wearing a bathrobe. Well enough to sit in the studio, but not well enough to sing? DeAndre’s reference to anxiety is interesting. Fans have speculated that Reagan wasn’t physically sick, but experiencing some kind of emotional turmoil–anxiety, stage fright, depression–who knows! Dave tweeted to a fan about why Reagan couldn’t perform, “No illness,” he wrote “But she’s really a great kid. I wish her the best.” He later deleted the tweet. What could be going on?
That competing on national television might be overwhelming for a 14 year old goes without saying. The preternaturally poised Kennedy Holmes, who is only 13, seems to be taking it all in stride. But Kennedy is mature for her age. What seems to be going on with Reagan is exactly WHY I believe the lower age limit should be at least 16.
Arguably, if Adam’s remarks had been more even handed, DeAndre would have won the save. In any case, Adam really screwed up. He could have AT LEAST been subtle about his favoritism. Give DeAndre the “You are so talented, had an incredible run, and have a bright future ahead of you” speech so that he leaves the competition feeling good rather than humiliated. After that, Adam could have sold the audience on Reagan a little more aggressively. It wouldn’t be the first time a coach cut a team member loose–but gently.
Regardless, I hate to be mean. But if a singer can’t perform the Instant Save, they probably should be disqualified. Think of American Idol 11 winner Phillip Phillips singing through excruciating pain due to chronic kidney issues, or season 15’s Trent Harmon forcing himself through Hollywood week with mono. Singing shows aren’t for the weak. Or the very young, to be honest.
On Saturday, DeAndre is set to be the Grand Marshall of the Port Arthur, Texas Christmas parade. By the way, just as folks all over social media Tuesday night blew up at Adam, DeAndre’s hometown folk were pretty angry as well.
The thing is, neither Reagan or DeAndre had a chance to make the final. Adam was silly to blow up his reputation for a singer who wasn’t going to cut it in any case. The Blind Auditions for season 16 are already taped. But going forward, Adam is going to have a tough time convincing singers to join his team. DeAndre was a four chair turn, he could have chosen anyone and it turned out to be a coach who threw him under the bus.
Oh. Here’s a another thing. Adam is not honest. He’s prone to ridiculous hyperbole, and he says whatever he needs to get him through the moment. For instance, when DeAndre was in the bottom 2 last week, he promised fans that if they saved DeAndre, he would take the singer all the way to the final. No wonder he is angry.
HERE'S Adam's word get him through this week and he'll take him to the final! #VoiceTop8 #VoiceSaveDeandre #VoiceResults pic.twitter.com/iWekDLD5bL
— Country@heart (@TNchik3) December 5, 2018
Bonus Video: DeAndre and Dave talk to Access Hollywood after their elimination. He was pretty subdued. He did mention how Adam always speaks his mind.
