The Voice 26 Recap: Playoffs 3 Live Blog Results with Videos
The Voice 26 Playoffs CONCLUDE tonight with part 3 featuring Team Michael Buble. Each coach employed a celebrity mentor. Country singer Carly Pearce will help Michael get his team ready to perform.
After all five team members take the stage, Michael will have the heartbreaking task of choosing only TWO singers to advance to the LIVE semi-final round. The singers will help round out the Top 8 featuring vocalists from Team Gwen Stefani, Team Reba McEntire and Team Snoop Dogg. Carson Daly hosts.
The Voice 26 Playoffs Top 20 Preview (Photos, Video)
The Voice 2024: Full Season 26 Schedule (Updated 11/18)
TEAM BUBLE
Shye – Story of My Life by One Direction
Michael wants Shye to find out the thing she’s singing about and take it from there. Her family is Panamanian and Jamaican. They aren’t demonstrative, but music is helping them all to connect.
Carly compared 17 year old Shye to Tracy Chapman, and that’s an apt comparison. Michael picked an out of the box song choice, that allows her to demonstrate her ability to deliver emotion. Shye’s low alto is rich and powerful.
Reba calls it incredible. “Everything…came through your eyes.” Snoop says he’s reminded of the Olympics as he holds up a piece of paper with 10 written on it. Gwen says, “You’re so in touch with your heart…it’s so beautiful.” Michael compares her to former The Voice coach Niall Horan. “The lights turn on and they just glow.”
Afterward, a black card flashes on the screen reading “In memory of Liam Payne.” Former One Direction singer Liam died last month in Argentina after accidentally falling off his hotel room balcony.
Jaukeem Fortson – Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson
NBC previewed this performance today HERE. Jaukeem explains that he wants to show the coaches he can sing more than Christian music. Michael suggests he start the song quiet. Carly urges, “Believe you can do it.”
Jaukeem took the notes Michael and Carly gave him, building the song to a crescendo. He sings like he understands the lyrics, which is often a problem with young singers. He overuses his growl, but other than that–it’s his best performance of the season. Like how he nailed that key change!
Reba says, “You put your heart and soul into your singing…you made that yours.” Gwen observes that his “whole body language has grown so much.” Snoop believes he caught the Holy Spirit. Michael says, “You just filled this whole place up with love.”
Sloan Simon – Good Luck Babe! by Chappel Roan
Michael chose the song for Sloan not sure she’d like it, but she does! Michael stole her and then saved her. Her father at the time was extremely sick with cancer. “Bring how you feel to the stage,” suggests Carly after Sloan said she didn’t sing her best last time because her father’s illness weighed on her mind.
This song pick is actually good for her floaty pop voice. Plus, Chappel is the hottest thing out there right now. Sloan doesn’t have the most powerful voice. What she needs to do is learn how to use it in an even more nuanced way. She also needs to watch her pitch.
Gwen says it felt like her song. Michael calls her brave. OH no. Her father died in the time between rehearsals and the performance. Her father insisted that she keep going. She’s sobbing now. Gwen tears up. Dad is proud of you, comforts Snoop.
Cameron Wright – Exhale (Shoop, Shoop) by Whitney Houston
The singer’s grandmother used to play Whitney for them. Michael asks them not to close their eyes so much. (Cameron goes by they/them pronouns).
At least the song choice isn’t one of Whitney’s HUGE hits. Cameron does excel on the big diva songs. Their voice isn’t only big, but boasts a unique tone. Carly and Michael felt they sounded just like Whitney. But nope. They do their own thing. Cameron floats up into their falsetto easily. Also, that purple jacket is gorgeous!
Snoop is impressed by Cameron’s range. “Love your voice,” says Reba. Gwen compliments their range and tone. Michael calls the performance “just genius.”
Sofronio Vasquez – Crying by Roy Orbison
Sofronio wasn’t sure about Michael’s song choice. He had never heard the classic tune before. It makes sense–the singer grew up in the Philippines. The song reminds him of his late father. He promised to take care of his mother after he passed. Carly suggests that Sofronio not worry about being technically perfect.
Despite never hearing the song before, Sofronio managed to learn and internalize the song. He understood the assignment, singing it like another one of his familiar big ballads. Carly suggested he let go on the big notes. She has a point, but I appreciate that he’s controlled, even when singing the big notes. He doesn’t oversing, despite wailing it out at the end.
“It felt like I was watching the end of a million dollar movie,” says Snoop. Gwen says, “The way that you build it and hold back. Incredible performance.” Reba says, “To tackle that song, it took guts.” she adds, “If he doesn’t choose you, I’ll be shocked.”
RESULTS
Members of Team Buble take the stage. Michael thanks them for being incredibly gifted and having an impressive work ethic. The first singer Michael chooses for the lives is…Sofronio Vasquez. The second singer he chooses is Shye. What a tough choice. Jaukeem and Cameron are both incredible singers. But both Shye and Sofronio have unmistakable styles.
Team Buble singers moving on to the semifinals
Sofronio Vasquez
Shye
ELIMINATED
Jaukeem Fortston
Sloan Simon
Cameron Wright
Top 8 heading into the live shows
Sofronio Vasquez – Team Buble
Shye – Team Buble
Adam Bohanan – Team Reba
Danny Joseph – Team Reba
Jeremy Beloate – Team Snoop
Christina Eagle – Team Snoop
Jan Dan – Team Gwen
Sydney Sterlace – Team Gwen
