To make your mark on “The Voice,” you have to leave it all on the stage.
During the fourth round of the Battle Rounds Monday night, Team Blake singers Kevin Hawkins and Hillary Torchiana brought the house down with their passionate rendition of coach John Legend’s “Preach.” The duo’s soulful vocals earned them a standing ovation from Legend himself.
Legend praised Torchiana’s vocal prowess and emotional delivery. “You’re a wonderful singer, and it felt like you really dug into the spirit of the song,” he said.
Meanwhile, coach Gwen Stefani gushed over Hawkins’ onstage charisma. “Even when (Hillary) was singing, I was wanting to watch what you were doing with your body language, so that’s incredible,” she said.
Blake Shelton appeared to be on the same wavelength as his wife about Hawkins. Although he gave both singers props for their commitment to the performance, he told the 28-year-old piano teacher he hasn’t yet scratched the surface of what he can do.
“Even though that was 100%, I still don’t think we’ve seen your full potential, and that’s saying a lot,” Shelton said.
This potential swayed Shelton, as he chose Hawkins as the winner.
“We still haven’t seen everything this guy is even capable of, and for that he won the battle for me,” Shelton said.
Here’s what else went down during Monday’s episode.
'The Voice':Camila Cabello says she's 'going home' during Battle Rounds elimination
'The Voice':Blake Shelton steals wife Gwen Stefani's singer, jokes about 'marriage counseling'
Gwen Stefani wants to give ‘love’ to Team Camila singer
Team Camila singers Devix and Sasha Hurtado delivered an intimate, stripped-down performance of MGMT’s indie-dance tune “Electric Feel.”
Stefani raved about Devix’s “unique” style and dynamic vocal delivery.
“I didn’t even know that somebody could sing that beautifully,” Stefani said. “You hardly ever hear a male that sings that gorgeous with so much range.”
Shelton said that while Hurtado could use a bit more confidence, she is on the cusp of a breakthrough in the competition.
“She just needs a minute here to start mowing people down,” Shelton said. “She has this voice, and she has this way of performing in her attack vocally that you just get the feeling like she is about to erupt.”
Stefani heeded her hubby’s words. Shortly after Camila Cabello declared Devix the battle’s winner, Stefani hit her “steal” button, allowing her to take Hurtado under her wing.
“(The performance) was just too good, and that shows me that you just need a little bit of love to just push you in the right direction,” Stefani told Hurtado.
'The Voice':Camila Cabello saves singer Steven McMorran from elimination in first battle
'The Voice':Blake Shelton fails to convince 4-chair singer Kim Cruse with slick pitch
Blake Shelton keeps singer with voice like ‘butter’
Kate Kalvach and Madison Hughes of Team Blake slowed things down with their tender cover of Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.”
Kalvach won over Cabello with her smooth tone, with Cabello adding she was impressed with the 27-year-old’s growth from her blind audition.
“With this song, you leveled up,” Cabello said. “You did some really high notes, but you did it in a tasteful way that’s so pleasant. Your voice is just butter.”
Stefani was moved by how Hughes infused her performance with vulnerability.
“Your tone is incredible,” Stefani said. “My favorite thing about you is your ability to sing those verses so soft and emotional. Vocally, your sweet spot is that tenderness that you have.”
But Kalvach’s heartfelt singing sealed the deal for Shelton, who picked her as the battle’s winner.
“There’s something really sweet about her voice and how connected she is with herself when she’s singing,” Shelton said. “I can’t wait to see what Kate does in these three-way knockouts.”
'The Voice':Blake Shelton flexes country chops, shades Cabello and Stefani to get 'old soul' singer
'The Voice':Camila Cabello loses country duo to John Legend after onstage 'shenanigans'
John Legend steals Team Gwen singer with home-state connection
Team Gwen singers Alyssa Witrado and Ian Harrison rocked the coaches with their emotional cover of the Billie Eilish pop-punk anthem “Happier Than Ever.”
Legend told Witrado the song choice was right in the 19-year-old’s wheelhouse.
“You were pretty much flawless,” Legend said. “Your voice sounded amazing. Your tone was perfect for the song."
The versatility of Harrison’s vocal performance had Shelton singing the 20-year-old’s praises.
“At first I thought, ‘Oh my god, he’s going to be stuck down there in that lower register the entire time,’ but then the bridge happened and that’s when you got the big reaction out of the room,” Shelton said. “I got to see two different versions of Ian up there and they were both really good, and the shock factor of that is the reason that I’d be picking Ian.”
Stefani chose Witrado as the battle’s winner, but this was not the end of the road for Harrison. Legend quickly hit his “steal” button, allowing him to nab the Ohio vocalist for his team.
“Ian’s from my hometown, and it’s time to come on home,” Legend said. “I really love your voice and I loved you in the blind (auditions), and I would love to have you on my team.”
'The Voice':Gwen Stefani snags California singer from bickering Blake Shelton, John Legend
'The Voice':John Legend says he was 'tired of losing to Camila,' nabs four-chair singer
Source link
