The Voice Recap: The Season 18 Battle Rounds Begin

It was the first night of Battle Rounds for season 18 of NBC’s The Voice and the thought that Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, John Legend and Blake Shelton could potentially lose beloved new team members weighed as heavy on the coaches as it did on the singers. Fortunately, each coach had a special celebrity mentor in their corner to help guide the singers through the process. Dua Lipa joined Team Kelly, brothers Joe and Kevin Jonas were with Team Nick, Ella Mai assisted Team Legend and Team Blake welcomed Bebe Rexha.

Going into the competition, each coach also had one “Save” they could use to keep a member of their own team and one “Steal” they could use to rescue a performer who had been eliminated from another team’s face-off. Those singers saved or stolen advance to Knock-out Rounds.

TEAM BLAKE – JOEI FULCO and TODD MICHAEL HALL

• Performed “The Best” by Tina Turner and Jimmy Barnes

All four judges were on their feet following the performance.

JOHN: “That was so fun and so good. Both of your voices fit the song perfectly. Joei, your tone is so strong. When you hit the high notes, it was fantastic. Todd, I remember why I wanted you on my team. Some of these high notes you’re hitting are insane and you’re hitting them with such clarity and power. Both of you were fantastic.”

NICK: “That performance was like 10 shots of caffeine.”

• Winner: JOEI

Both Kelly and Blake hit their button to steal/save for Todd, but Blake just inched Kelly out.

• Save to Blake!

TEAM KELLY – ANAYA CHEYENNE and CHELLE

• Performed “Scared to be Lonely’ by Dua Lipa

BLAKE: “Anaya, you have a very diverse way of singing. You come in and out of all different kinds of voices. Your head voice is strong, your chest voice, your runs, and that’s impressive for a 16-year-old. Chelle, I feel like there were parts of your performance that got away from you a little bit. You’re probably so much better when all these lights and people are gone and stuff.”

KELLY: “You’re both really great. You both have completely different tones, but you both have an amazing range. And I wanted to see who was going to push themselves the most. Regardless if it’s this show or whatever audition you go on, make sure that you are very confident and that you own that moment each time.”

• Winner: ANAYA

TEAM NICK – RODERICK CHAMBERS and JOANNA SERENKO

• Performed “When the Party’s Over” by Billie Eilish

KELLY: “I think they liked it. For real, I think that was my favorite battle so far. Wow, first-time coach. I feel very sorry for you right now because what you created is a masterpiece and you’ve got to cut half of it off. Joanna, when you started out, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna pick her her,’ then all of the sudden Roderick came in and was like, ‘Wait, what?’ This is the kind of performance I want to see on award shows. It was flawless. I cannot pick one.”

BLAKE: “Joanna, you were a four chair turn and there’s a little more pressure, because we’re all like, ‘Okay. Do it again.’ And I feel like you did it again. Roderick, on the flip side of that coin, I said, ‘Oh, this guy was a one-chair turn, I don’t know.’ And I feel like you’re the one that took advantage of this situation. I’m a fan of both of y’all.”

• Winner: RODERICK
• Stolen: JOANNA to Team Legend

TEAM LEGEND – MIKE JEREL and ZACH DAY

• Performed “Adorn” by Miguel

NICK: “Mike, Zach, wow! That was a true battle. I know you guys might be friends now, but that seemed like you were both just one-upping each other at every turn and it was exhilarating to watch. And also shockingly confident.”

KELLY: “You both have a really incredible gift at being intricate. You were really feeling yourself. Confidence is awesome.

• Winner: MIKE

TEAM BLAKE – LEVI WATKINS and JAMAL CORRIE

• Performed “Counting Stars” by One Republic

JOHN: “You two were so fun to watch. Jamal, what I liked about your voice was your higher end and she of those notes you were hitting, but I feel like there was a lot of imprecision. And Levi, Wow! Hearing somebody with your low range is already pretty stunning and then it makes you think, ‘Well, he probably can’t hit any high notes’ but then you hit some really great high stuff, too. I kept waiting for you to mess up because I’m like, ‘He’s a kid, he’s probably going to mess something up.’ He didn’t mess up.”

NICK: “I’m actually kind of mad right now. I’m trying to figure out, Levi, why you aren’t on my team.”

• Winner: LEVI

TEAM NICK – ALLEGRA MILES and MICHAEL WILLIAMS

• Performed “How Will I Know” by Whitney Houston

They slowed it down to a ballad.

KELLY: What a great pairing. Michael, you came in strong. When he came on, I was like, ‘Oh my god!’ He kept going higher. I can see, obviously, why Nick turned. Falsetto is very much in that lane for him. You have a magnificent tool for a voice. Allegra, I am in love with your voice. Your tone already tells a story and you have this thing where you kind of bite down and you almost sing through your teeth and it’s really cool.”

BLAKE: “Congratulations on a killer battle performance. It wasn’t a battle, it was a great duet. You can tell that you two have created a friendship and you can see that when you perform.”

• Winner: ALLEGRA
• Save used for MICHAEL

The Battle Rounds continue with part two on March 30.