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'The Voice'
Blake Shelton used the final steal of the round.
The heated Battle Round wrapped up on The Voice tonight. Coaches Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine had to make some tough decisions, and Shelton was the only one with a steal left at the top of the night. The coaches were assisted in rehearsals by celebrity mentors Joan Jett, Charlie Puth, Bette Midler and Sammy Hagar. Six artists performance, and only four would continue on to the Knockout Round.
It was a quick and easy night, starting out with a Team Blake battle between Austin Allsup and 15-year-old Preston James. Shelton had them sing “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater. Allsup admitted to Midler that he watches Hocus Pocus “on the regular.” Midler was impressed with their tone, but she wanted them to really dig into the lyrics more and tighten the harmonies. James was nervous to go up against the much more experienced Allsup, but they made for a very interesting duo, delivering a powerful performance.
They were an unexpected match, but they worked well together, making for an exciting battle. They both brought some grit to the performance, leaving Shelton with a tough decision. It was certainly a great start to the night. Keys noted that Allsup has a strong sense of self, but she added that she would choose James as the winner. Both artists performed very well, but Allsup clearly has more experience and a better shot at winning the competition. Shelton indeed chose Allsup as the winner, and James went home.
Next up, Team Alicia’s Gabriel Violett and reunited sister duo Whitney and Shannon faced off, singing “More Than Words” by Extreme. Puth was impressed with all three. Violett’s falsetto is beautiful, but it was very clear in rehearsal that Whitney and Shannon bring something special to season 11. Their final performance kept the bar high for the night, and all three artists showcased their strengths. In their rehearsals, Whitney and Shannon seemed to be the clear choice, but it was a more evenly matched battle in the end. It was another tough decision of the night.
For once, Cyrus was left speechless. All three showcased impressive harmonies, but the sisters shined above Violett. In the end, Keys chose the sisters, and it was the right choice. Shelton did not use his final steal on Violett, which meant there wouldn’t be too many surprises in the final battle of the night.
Bindi Liebowitz and Brendan Fletcher from Team Adam closed out the night by singing “Home” by Marc Broussard, but with Shelton’s steal left, neither artist would be going home tonight regardless of Levine’s decision. Levine and Hagar both encouraged Fletcher to open up more in rehearsal. Even given a predictable ending, it was a solid battle. Liebowitz showed a little more originality, but both artists delivered vocally, and Fletcher conquered his shyness. They both brought natural rasp to the performance, impressing all the coaches. Levine ultimately chose Fletcher, but Shelton saved Liebowitz. Both will continue to the Knockouts.
The Knockout Round begins next week, as season 11 gets closer and closer to the live performances. What did you think of this season’s Battle Round?
Miley Cyrus The Voice Adam Levine
