The Voice Knockout Round began Monday, with two singers from each squad competing against each other for the right to advance to the live playoffs.
Unlike the previous stage of the competition, the Battle Round:
- The remaining contestants pick their own song choices;
- They do not perform in tandem, but back to back.
There are still coaches’ steals available, so while this round further culls the field, it is not necessarily do or die, which is both a good and a bad thing.
So who’s headed home and who’s moving on? Let’s find out!
Ashley Morgan vs. Sonic (Team Christina): Ashley’s take on “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar was good, but not great, leaving the door open for Sonic.
She burst through that door with a vengeance, knocking her cover of “With a Woman’s Work” out of the park and earning a spot in the next round.
Brian Johnson vs. Sarah Potenza (Team Blake): Johnson took on a faster, more up-tempo song in “Nothing Ever Hurt Like You” by James Morrison.
Sarah and her unique rocker voice then chose a Voice original song by Season 7’s Matt McAndrews, “Wasted Love,” that got the nod from Coach Blake.
Adam used his steal to keep Johnson on the show, however.
Clinton Washington vs. Nathan Hermida (Team Adam): In a soulful if not technically proficient battle, Washington went first with “Haunted” by Hunter Hayes.
Hermida followed that with Sam Smith’s “Leave Your Lover” and with a powerful, if imperfect effort, propelled himself to the Live Playoffs next week.
Mia Z vs. Paul Pfau vs. Sawyer Fredericks (Team Pharrell): Yes, you read that right. Three of Pharrell’s contestants are going up against one another.
With Anthony Riley unable to compete “personal reasons,” the three had to compete in a single Knockout round, with only two spots up for grabs.
Mia Z earned one of them with her rendition of “I’m Coming” by B.B. King and Eric Clapton, probably the best of the night if not the season overall.
Pfau may have done himself in the end by attempting a difficult guitar progression while singing and delivering less than stellar vocals as a result.
Fredericks, on Howie Day’s “Collide,” made it a moot point, clearly surpassing Paul and earning a spot in the playoffs alongside Mia Z for Pharrell.
Meghan Linsey vs. Travis Ewing (Team Blake): Linsey went first, with a raspy take on “(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin.
Ewing followed with a cover of “I Don’t Want To Be” by Gavin DeGraw, and while a bold choice, and strong effort, it was not enough. Meghan moves on.
Koryn Hawthorne vs. Kimberly Nichole (Team Christina): The last Knockout of the night may have been the best, and thankfully, no one was eliminated.
Both deserved to stay after this duel, featuring Nichole’s cover of “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” by Sting and Hawthorne’s take on Pink’s “Try.”
Talk about a coin flip decision for Christina Aguilera, who took Kimberly but openly urged someone to steal Koryn and keep her on. Pharrell obliged.
More Knockouts await tonight. What did you think of Monday’s results? Did the right singers advance? Who do you think has what it takes to win?