The Voice Recap: Top 24 Compete For Spots in Final 12
Half of the contestants are going home!
With the new and exciting Cross Battles challenge complete, NBC’s The Voice returned, but the competition got even hotter. All 24 of the remaining contestants performed during the April 29 live show and the viewing audience was challenged with keeping half. A singer that coach Bebe Rexha had saved for the Comeback Stage would also be added into the mix for a total of 13 contestants.
And although the teams were quite uneven with Blake Shelton having eight members remaining, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend having six each, and Adam Levine having four, it was entirely possible for one coach’s team to be wiped out in the course of the evening.
Going team by team, the first performances of the night were TEAM KELLY’s.
Rod Stokes – “Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers Band
With a voice that’s a mash-up of Chris Stapleton, Michael Bolton, and Michael McDonald, it’s hard not to imagine this 35-year-old from Mississippi continuing in the competition.
Matthew Johnson – “Ordinary People” by John Legend
The 26-year-old from Florida is a natural born entertainer. His effortless vocal gets a shot of adrenaline from his infectious personality that was obvious even on this R&B ballad.
Rebecca Howell – “Wild One” by Faith Hill
A straight-up country girl, 18-year-old Rebecca couldn’t have picked a more appropriate and endearing song to perform. It almost sounded autobiographical for the Georgia native.
Presley Tennant – “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” by Mark Ronson with Miley Cyrus
Sounding much more mature than you might expect, this young 16-year-old from California commanded the stage with incredible confidence for her dramatic number.
Abby Kasch – “I Got the Boy” by Jana Kramer
With a bit more edge and maturity, but still solid country, the 20-year-old showed off a softer side of her vocal and another dimension of her talent with this innocent love song.
Jej Vinson – “Love Lies” by Khalid and Normani
Jej held nothing back with this extremely difficult and rangy, soulful smash. The 22-year-old also showed a goosebump-inducing earnestness in connecting with the audience.
Next up were contestants from TEAM LEGEND.
Lisa Ramey – “The Weight” by The Band
Giving it her own unique spin, this talented New Yorker performs like a poised and seasoned veteran of the stage. It’s easy to see Lisa moving forward with a remarkable career.
Jacob Maxwell – “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
Half husky, half heavenly, the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho native had the audience on their feet and screaming with delight throughout his entire performance. Just 20-years-old, Jacob has already established a unique style.
Jimmy Mowery – “Youngblood” by 5 Seconds of Summer
A song that already has its own unique flavor, Jimmy still owned his performance with his crystal clear tenor that rang like a bell on this popular pop smash. And his connection with the audience is undeniable.
Celia Babini – “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac
A thoughtful balance of earthy and authentic with big city sass make this 18-year-old New Yorker beyond unique. And getting right down into the audience seemed a natural move for Celia.
Maelyn Jarmon – “Fallingwater” by Maggie Rogers
It’s still incredible to consider that Maelyn cannot hear out of one ear. With one of the most riveting performances of the night, the 26-year-old has got pop chops for days.
Shawn Sounds – “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder
As confident as this Texan is on stage, you have to wonder how it took him 33 years to get here. Absolutely nailing this performance, Shawn’s future on the show seems certain.
It was TEAM ADAM’s turn next.
Kalvin Jarvis – “Mine” by Bazzi
This song may have been released in 2017, but the 29-year-old gave such a smooth, solid and compelling performance, it sounded as if it were from an earlier era of R&B greatness.
Betsy Ade – “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet
The rocker chick in the bunch, the 40-year-old from Wisconsin possesses equal talent and energy as her younger competitors along with an edge that makes her stand apart from the rest.
Mari – “Work It Out” by Beyoncé
This 20-year-old may seem tiny, but she’s hiding a big bunch of talent inside her petite frame. Mari’s performance was polished, professional and playful, and positions her as a leader in the competition.
Domenic Haynes – “Love Is a Losing Game” by Amy Winehouse
Adam said there is no one as unique as Domenic, and he may be right. At the tender age of 18, it’s almost jarring to think of what the future could hold for this Tampa, Florida talent.
Finally, TEAM BLAKE was up.
Andrew Sevener – “Boots On” by Randy Houser
This Texas singer was wise to not try to emulate Randy Houser’s unique vocal. Instead, Andrew delivered this country romp with his own warm, whiskey-soaked style and it served him well.
Selkii – “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls
Staying true to the original arrangement, the Durban, South Africa native made her sweet, but gritty voice the variable and the approach kept the song familiar, while still allowing the 31-year-old to sparkle.
Oliv Blu – “The Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz with Astrud Gilberto
This bossa nova classic could have been a huge risk, but not in the hands of this capable 20-year-old who used it as an opportunity to showcase another dimension of her talent.
Gyth Rigdon – “I Want to Be Loved Like That” by Shenandoah
A frontrunner in the competition, this 24-year-old chose his song very wisely. Shining on poignant ballads, this tender performance was one of his best yet.
Kendra Checketts – “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish
A bona fide rock star in the making, it’s almost impossible to believe this talented young woman is just 18. And last night’s insane performance only cemented that belief further.
Carter Lloyd Horne – “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley
Even without the signature Elvis hip swivels, this Georgia 19-year-old gave a swoon-worthy performance filled with the cool swagger and style we’ve come to expect from him.
Kim Cherry – “Waterfalls” by TLC
We’ve seen this talented 30-year-old rap it and rock it, and even though this tune has a more mellow vibe, Kim embellished as only she can and absolutely made it her own.
Dexter Roberts – “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” by Brooks & Dunn
Some people were born to be on stage and Dexter may be one of them. The 33-year-old’s confident performance was flawless, and stadium tour ready.
Fans of The Voice will learn the results of overnight voting during the April 30 show on NBC.
