The Voice 26 Recap: Battles 4 Live Blog Results with Videos
The Voice season 26 Battles continues tonight alongside new coaches Michael Buble and Snoop Dogg and returning vets Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani. Carson Daly returns as host. We’ll be live blogging all the epic Battle performances and RESULTS right here.
The Top 56 artists are divided into four teams of 14. The coaches pair up their team members and pick a song for a duet. After the performance, the coach declares the winner who will move on to the Knockout round. The loser can be stolen by a fellow coach. Each coach gets two steals. If no steal, the artist leaves the competition
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After an 8 pm Recap, Austyns Stancil picks his coach from the THREE coaches–Reba, Michael and Snoop–who stole him from Team Gwen. She picked Jose Luis. And finally, we learn, that Austyns picks Team Snoop.
DREION vs Georgia Starnes – Perfect Combination by Stacy Lattisaw and Johnny Gill – Team Snoop
NBC previewed this Battle earlier today. Watch it HERE. Both DREION an Georgia were 4-chair turns. DREON and his wife love the song choice. Stacy went to a performance arts school in Texas. She lives in Los Angeles now. Snoop is hoping to get the singers outside of their boxes. He gives them both technical pointers on how to make the performance dynamic and complimentary. They have trouble taking on the character of lovers–Snoop helps them get there.
The two display their soulful chops to great effect. Georgia’s vocals stand our during the harmonies. But both perform with skill. DREION’s phrasing is especially impressive on this duet.
Reba said, “You guys are so well matched.” She can’t pick a winner. Gwen notes Georgia’s strengths, but is really impressed with DREION’s voice, but mentions that Georgia is the whole package. Michael mentions Georgia’s soulful abilities and tells DREION, “I want to be just like you.” He won’t pick a winner either. Snoop goes on to lament that he has to choose one. “I’m scared to pick the wrong one.” He stresses that both could win The Voice and that what counts is what they do with the exposure. Snoop picks Georgia, DREION is eliminated. Gwen is sad she didn’t have a steal left.
Kay Sibal vs Beya – Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter – Team Gwen
Gwen notes that Beya is a loose 70’s singer songwriter, while Kay is more of a rhythmic soul singer. She advises them to keep the performance tight. Kay, from a Filipino background, wasn’t always comfortable in her own skin.
This performance is montaged somewhat. The two singers do a good job melding their styles. Both possess pretty tones and sing with beautiful harmonies.
Michael mentions that he was crushed when Kay picked Gwen. Gwen picks Kay, Beya is eliminated.
Jaukeem Fortson vs Tsola – Higher Love by Steve Winwood – Team Reba
The singers admit that the song is out of their comfort zone. Jaukeem is only 13. Likely he’s never heard the 80’s hit before. Tsola is a professional dancer.
It’s another montaged performance. Jaukeem had an impressive Blind Audition for such a young artist. His vocals stand out here as well.
The coaches can’t believe Jaukeem is so young. Reba picks Jaukeem, Tsola is eliminated.
Sofronio Vasquez vs Aliyah Khaylyn – The Power of Love by Celine Dion – Team Buble
Sofronio was a 4-chair Blind audition. Michael compares him to Bruno Mars. He advises the singer to limit the runs. Currently, he works as a dental assistant in upstate New York and sends money back to his family in the Philippines. Michael gives the singers advice on where to harmonize and how to maximize the song’s dynamics. Aliyah got 3 chairs to turn. After her mother died, she moved back to Philadelphia to help her siblings. During the rehearsal, Michael shares about his son’s battle with cancer and the song he wrote for him, “Forever Now.”
Sofronio has a big voice, but still manages to phrase the lyrics with nuance. Aliyah is more of a belter. The two harmonize nicely, however. Sofronio is the better singer. But not to worry, the loser of this battle will likely be stolen.
Snoop is all choked up! “That was beautiful,” he says. “Y’all look like you belong together.” He’s glad he doesn’t have to pick. Reba call it “the performance of the night.” It gave her chills. She loves both of them. Gwen mentions that the song is hard. She felt Aliyah held her own. She takes the stage to give her a hug! Michael notes that the two singers are his strongest. Michael picks Sofronio and at the last minute, Snoop steals Aliyah.
NEXT MONDAY is the last of the Battles. NO The Voice on Tuesday November 5 as all the networks will be covering the American presidential election!
