The Voice Recap: Knockout Rounds Complete With Four-Way Knockout Performance

The pre-recorded Knockout episodes for season 18 of The Voice returned for their final installment and the final show before live rounds begin. Sadly, this meant that the teams, coaches Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, John Legend and Blake Shelton, and host Carson Daly would be saying goodbye to this season’s mega mentor, James Taylor.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and orders for much of the nation to shelter safely at home, the future of the live rounds were uncertain. Now we know that, much like American Idol, competition will continue with the live rounds coming from the individual homes of the contestants, coaches and, of course, Carson.

Besides being the final night of Knockouts, the evening also held a first in The Voice history — a four-way Knockout made up of the artists saved during the Battle Rounds with America deciding the winner. In addition, both Nick and Kelly still had “steals” left in their arsenal.

COACH LEGEND – THUNDERSTORM ARTIS and MANDI CASTILLO

• Mandi performed “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
• Thunderstorm performed “Preach” by John Legend

KELLY: “I was excited a little more in Mandi’s. It was a little more competitive, but I will say, Thunderstorm, there is something so cool about your tone. You have the coolest tone. But I think Mandi came to win a little bit more.”

BLAKE: “America is making up their minds right now. So that’s something to keep in mind for John as he makes this decision. I would give this one, also, to Mandi just because I feel like she really swung for the fence a little bit more and I learned more about her singing in that performance.” 

• Winner – MANDI
• STEAL – Nick gets Thunderstorm

COACH NICK – AREI MOON and JON MULLINS

• Arei performed “You Don’t Know My Name” by Alicia Keys
• Jon performed “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran

KELLY: “First of all, you two both are very powerful singers. You both did what you’re supposed to do in showing us your range. You’re both very physical when you perform, too, which is really cool because a lot of people get scared and just kind of stand there. If I had to pick, I think I’d have to go with Arei.”

BLAKE: “I feel like Arei came out here and did awesome. And in my imagination, Jon was sitting over there going, ‘Oh, you’re doing that song. Now I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do,’ because it felt like everything you did was turned up a couple more notches, I would go with Jon just because I feel like he really went for it there.”

NICK: “Both of you gave excellent performances.”

• Winner – AREI

COACH KELLY – TAYLER GREEN and MICAH IVERSON

• Micah performed “Graveyard” by Halsey
• Tayler performed “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper

BLAKE: “I think both of you guys are incredibly talented. This is a perfect case of how important song choice is for these Knockouts because, Micah, although you sing the crap out of it, your song choice didn’t allow you to vocally soar the way that Tayler’s song choice allowed her to do. She had a lot of room in there, and she took complete advantage of that.”

JOHN: “I agree with Blake, as much as I hate to say it. Both of you have beautiful voices for pop music and for the radio and for records. But with Tayler, it was just mesmerizing. You have such a cool tone. Just everything about your deliver said ‘I’m a star and I deserve to be on this stage.’”

• Winner – MICAH

TEAM NICK – ALLEGRA MILES  and JACOB MILLER

• Jacob performed “Better Now” by Post Malone
• Allegra performed “Chandelier” by Sia

KELLY: “Oh my gosh, you both are fantastic. And that’s so cool how you slowed that down, Jacob. Cool tone, cool places to go, like where you went melodically. Allegra, it’s funny, you have this almost Willie Nelson effect with pop music. You sing after the beat. I’m like hanging on every word. I feel like you both were even. That song selection is real key and Allegra, you picked a hell of a song.”

BLAKE: “I felt like it was really even, too. And Jacob, your guitar skills are great. You’re just a guy that is in such control of your voice. It truly is flawless. But I’ll just say, I feel like Allegra is your chance to win The Voice this season.”

• Winner – ALLEGRA

TEAM KELLY – MANDI THOMAS and ANAYA CHEYENNE  (Untelevised)

• Mandi performed “My Church” by Maren Morris
• Anaya performed “Praying” by Kesha
• Winner – MANDI

TEAM BLAKE – CEDRICE and TONEISHA HARRIS

• Cedrice performed “Love On the Brain” by Rihanna
• Toneisha performed “Diamonds” by Rihanna

JOHN: “Cedrice, you know I love you and I was so blessed to have you on my team. You put your own stamp on everything you do. You have such a beautiful voice and it was a great performance. Toneisha, I don’t feel like there’s anything you can’t do vocally. You’re of the quality of someone that should be in the finale. Your voice is just incredible.”

NICK: “Cedrice, it’s just an honor every time I get to hear you sing and telling the stories you need to tell the world. It’s been really phenomenal. And Toneisha, you make me made a little bit when you sing ‘cause I know I can never do anything even remotely close to what you can do so naturally. You could win this show.”

• Winner – TONEISHA
• STEAL – Kelly gets Cedrice

FOUR WAY KNOCK-OUT

NELSON CADE III represented TEAM LEGEND

• Performed “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar

TODD MICHAEL HALL represented TEAM BLAKE

• Performed “Somebody To Love” by OneRepublic

SAMANTHA HOWELL represented TEAM KELLY

• Performed “You Were Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson

MICHAEL WILLIAMS represented TEAM NICK

• Performed “You Are the Reason” by Calum Scott

The winner of the four-way Knockout will be revealed during the first night of live competition, but the current team line-ups in their entirety are:

TEAM KELLY – Megan Danielle, Samantha Howell, Mandi Thomas, Micah Iverson and Cedrice

TEAM NICK: Arei Moon, Allegra Miles, Roderick Chambers, Michael Williams and Thunderstorm Artis

TEAM LEGEND: Nelson Cade III, Zan Fiskum, Mike Jerel, Mandi Castillo and CammWess

TEAM BLAKE: Todd Tilghman, Todd Michael Hall, Toneisha Harris, Joei Fulco and Joanna Serenko