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Aaron Nichols secured one of the most coveted spots in The Voice Season 28 Knockouts on Monday night (Nov. 17), earning Team Reba’s “Mic Drop” selection after a commanding performance that cut through an already stacked episode.
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The Knockouts continued with matchups from Teams Reba McEntire, Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg and Niall Horan, with mega mentors Joe Walsh and Zac Brown stepping in during rehearsals. The format remains high-stakes: no steals, no saves — just three head-to-head battles for a place in the Playoffs, plus one Mic Drop pick per team. The Mic Drop nominee performs at the Rose Parade, with the final decision left to viewer votes.
This week, that honor went to Nichols, whose rugged tone on “Hurricane” by The Band of Heathens immediately grabbed Reba’s attention. Walsh encouraged Nichols to be more present in the room — “I can’t quite see your eyes,” he said — while Reba noted his command felt seasoned beyond the show.
Nichols faced off against Cori Kennedy, who delivered Lady Gaga’s “You and I” with intense, full-bodied power. Walsh suggested slight phrasing changes, while Bublé praised her natural force: “You walk out and you just destroy.” Snoop Dogg highlighted her dynamic build (“you started off mild then got real hot”), and Horan compared her energy to Stevie Nicks.
But Nichols’ emotive grit ultimately won the round. Reba called him “a seasoned veteran up on the stage” and hit the Mic Drop button, cementing him as her nominee for the Rose Parade performance slot.
This marks the third Mic Drop nomination of the season. In earlier episodes, Bublé selected 14-year-old Max Chambers after his smooth run through Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing,” and Horan chose DEK of Hearts following their harmony-rich take on Lady A’s “What If I Never Get Over You.”
The Knockouts continue next Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Check out the performance below.
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Country contestant Kayleigh Clark brought a dose of nostalgic flair to The Voice Season 28 Knockouts on Monday night (Nov. 10), choosing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” as her signature moment — and showcasing vocal control and emotional maturity far beyond her years.
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Representing Team Niall, the Mississippi-born singer leaned into the classic 1996 ballad’s rich heritage and signature yodels, aiming to evoke the same impact Rimes had when she first hit the charts at just 13. Clark’s interpretation kept things classic while still highlighting her own vocal colour and delivery, earning her a wave of praise from coaches Reba McEntire, Snoop Dogg, and Michael Bublé.
“Kayleigh, that was wonderful,” McEntire said after the performance. “Your yodels were really, really perfect.”
Ahead of the performance, Clark received guidance from “mega mentor” Joe Walsh (Eagles), who advised her to trust her breath control and not be intimidated by the climactic high notes. That note paid off. Clark’s delivery was confident, polished and emotionally resonant — drawing clear comparisons to early-2000s country stars while asserting her place as a rising voice in the genre.
Still, it was a tough matchup. Clark was paired against DEK of Hearts, a sibling trio who brought their own emotional harmonies to Lady A’s “What If I Never Get Over You.” While coach Niall Horan admitted it was a “50-50” decision, he ultimately gave the win to DEK — and used his new “Mic Drop” power to fast-track them to a Rose Parade performance slot, a new Season 28 twist voted on by the public.
“You both killed it,” Horan told his team. “Kayleigh, you took all of Joe’s notes on board and smashed it. That wall of sound DEK brings is beautiful, but your solo tone was just as impactful.”
He added, “This is a complete 50-50, I have no idea what I’m gonna do.”
Though she didn’t advance, Clark’s performance stood out as one of the night’s most technically challenging and emotionally compelling. Viewers have already begun rallying for her return via a potential Wildcard or coach save in future episodes.
Season 28 of The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC, with episodes streaming next-day on Peacock.
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Max Chambers charged into the Knockout Round on The Voice on Monday night (Nov. 3) and proceeded to blow the coaches away with his high-energy, preternaturally soulful cover of Stevie Wonder’s 1972 classic “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.” The 14-year-old Shreveport, Louisiana student came in to do battle with fellow Team Bublé member Max Cooper III, who also held his own with a cover of Djo’s “End of Beginning.”
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But Chambers’ poised, powerful performance had Snoop Dogg jumping out of his seat, howling and singing along, as the teen swung and smiled his way through the soul-funk jam with such ease, confidence and swagger that he earned the show’s first-ever Mic Drop award.
The new wrinkle introduced for season 28 of the show — there are no more steals or saves left in the knockout rounds — allows each coach to select one of their acts for the honor bestowed on a performance that is simply undeniable. Even better, after the Droppers are chosen, fans at home get to vote on which one of them will represent the show at the Jan. 1 Rose Parade; voting for the Mic Drop winner will take place on the Nov. 24th episode.
“Max, for my money, is a frontrunner to win The Voice this year,” said coach Bublé. “He could be the youngest winner in Voice history. I really think that Max Chambers could be the reason I am a three-peat winner.” After hitting his Mic Drop button, Bublé added, “I was so excited. I felt like I was doing millions of people a favor. I do hope you’ll vote for him because I do feel he deserves to be there.”
Snoop’s praise climbed even higher. “Precious lord, take my hand, lead me on and let me stand! I got to take my glasses off!…A star is born, man,” the Doggfather enthused.
So far, Team Reba’s Aubrey Nicole, Team Niall’s Ava Nat and Team Snoop’s Ralph Edwards have all won their Knockout rounds so far and are moving on to the playoffs. The Voice airs on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
Watch Chambers’ performance below.
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When Michael Bublé suggested that “Wreck-It” Ralph Edwards could smash the competition in this 28th season of The Voice, he was onto something.
Edwards had just finished an impressive rendition of Teddy Swims’ “I Lose Control” in his Battle with Jerrell Melton, when Bublé let the love flow.
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The Fresno, California could “go far on the show,” he remarked.
There’s apparently no stopping Edwards, as he shifted gears from that final round of Battles on Monday night, Oct. 27, and leapt into the first wave of Knockouts.
Next up, the 30-year-old Team Snoop singer went for the heartstrings with a cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Dive.” Edwards, who proposed to his partner after his Blind Audition, didn’t have any trouble finding the emotional buttons.
“Wow, Ralph,” coach Niall Horan enthused. “The stuff that you were doing. I actually didn’t recognize it as your voice. It was so different than what we’ve heard. You could easily win this show, dude.”
Reba McEntire weighted in. “Wow. What a voice,” the coach and country star remarked. “It comes from your toenails. It’s just incredible.”
Bublé knows he’s looking at, and hearing, the real deal. “You have that grit in your voice, but man, you sort of saved it. You let us hear the sweetness and the softness,” the Canadian king of Christmas remarked. “It looked easy for you, dude.”
Snoop Dogg had a call to make. Edwards or Kenny Iko?
There could be only one. The rap legend tapped Edwards, while Iko goes home. “I think Ralph has the ‘it’ factor,” Snoop noted. “The ‘it’ factor is that he could actually win it, this competition. Knockout performances are really the groundbreaking, award-worthy, top of the line, performing at his highest level.”
Earlier, Snoop welcomed Zac Brown to mentor his team before the Knockouts. “My team is smoking,” Snoop remarked, with some authority.
The Knockout episodes will air every Monday on NBC until Nov. 24. Then, the Playoffs will beam out on Monday, Dec. 1 and Monday, Dec. 8 on NBC, with the Season 28 Live Finale set to spread over the two nights of Dec. 15 and 16. Episodes stream the following day on Peacock.
Watch Iko and Edwards’ Knockout performances below.
Trending on Billboard Sometimes singers on The Voice move the celebrity judges with the power or emotion in their voice. But on Monday night (Oct. 27), Team Reba’s Aubrey Nicole got right to the heart of the matter for her crew’s leader by singing a tune whose lyrics hit home in the most personal way. […]
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When Jerrell Melton and Ralph Edwards sang “I Lose Control” on NBC‘s The Voice, they weren’t telling the whole truth.
Team Snoop’s singers went toe-to-toe Monday night (Oct. 27) for season 28’s fourth and final Battle night, hitting a rendition of Teddy Swims’ mega-hit from 2024. Both oozed control, not a lack of it.
Edwards, the 30-year-old native of Fresno, California, with his burly, oak-flavored tones, and Melton, the 29-year-old from Fayetteville, Georgia, whose soulful voice has a hint of sweetness, could barely be separated.
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Mind, this is no ordinary song. “Lose Control” in July became the first number in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to spend triple-digit weeks on the chart, as it cleared its milestone 100th frame.
Niall Horan “loved” Melton’s voice, remarking that it’s “really pure, really clean.” And Edwards, the Irishman remarked, his energy, his power and rasp, “it’s aggressive but it’s controlled.”
Reba McEntire read from her notes a performance she described as “powerful, smooth like butter. Raspy, smooth like velvet.” The country ace admitted the decision to split them would be a tough one. If she had to, she’d pick Melton.
Both contestants laid it all out. Melton with a “gorgeous smoothness,” was reminiscent of the very best in the business, Michael Bublé remarked. While Edwards, or “Wreck-It Ralph,” as the Canadian crooner and others like to call him, should “go far on the show.”
Just how far was up to Snoop Dogg, who had the final call.
“You just showed the world that you two are superstars,” the rap legend noted. “Jerrell, you overachieved. We gave you something that was out of this box, and you did what you were supposed to do,” he added. “Ralph, knock it out of the park. This is what we do.”
Snoop took a moment to consult with the “Gangsta Holy Ghost” and he called it. “Wreck-It Ralph” Edwards wins, and progresses to the Knockouts, which start next Monday, Nov. 3. Melton won’t be there, an unlucky loser.
The Knockout episodes will air every Monday on NBC until Nov. 24. Then, the Playoffs will beam out on Monday, Dec. 1 and Monday, Dec. 8 on NBC, with the Season 28 Live Finale set to spread over the two nights of Dec. 15 and 16.
Watch Melton and Edwards’ Battle below.
Kelsea Ballerini is ready to hit pause. The country star appeared on TODAY with Jenna & Friends on Thursday (May 29), where she opened up about her plans after wrapping her Kelsea Ballerini Live on Tour run and completing her first season as a coach on The Voice.
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“I need a break!” Ballerini, 31, said during the interview. “And I’ve never been able to say that before, but I really think it’s just time for me to pump the brakes, figure out what’s next, have a summer, what? Go to the beach? Huh? Learn to cook a new meal, hang out with the dogs. So that’s kind of my agenda.”
Still, she admitted plans can shift quickly. “Every time I say that I have time off, something happens. But I’m very open to whatever is out there.”
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When asked whether she would return to The Voice, Ballerini left the door open. “Never say never,” she said. “It’s been such a beautiful season of doing things that are out of my comfort zone and bigger than I’ve ever done, and it’s been really fulfilling. I love being in that seat.”
The singer wrapped her 22-date arena tour on April 13 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The trek supported her fifth studio album Patterns, released Oct. 25, 2024 via Black River Entertainment. A deluxe edition of Patterns featuring five additional songs dropped in March 2025.
Last month, the singer spoke to Variety for her Power of Women Nashville cover story and reflected on the challenge of building a career in Music City amid Taylor Swift’s enormous presence. As a young, blonde, female singer-songwriter, Ballerini said she was often directly compared to Swift — something that forced her to define her own identity in the industry.
Recalling an early rejection from a label executive, Ballerini shared, “‘There’s already a Taylor Swift,’” he told her. “And he was right,” she added. “It forced me to be different.”
Ballerini previously described Patterns as a reflection of personal growth and radical self-acceptance. “I’m very aware of my flaws,” she said. “But in the same breath, I fully accept and celebrate myself right now. You have to learn yourself before you love yourself, and I had learning to do.”
The Voice wrapped its 27th season on Tuesday night (May 20) with a high-energy, emotional finale that crowned Adam David as this season’s champion.
Representing Team Michael Bublé, the Florida-based singer emerged victorious after a week of standout performances, beating out finalists from teams helmed by Kelsea Ballerini, John Legend and Adam Levine.
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David’s win marks Bublé’s second straight coaching victory, following his Season 26 triumph with Sofronio Vasquez. This season, the 34-year-old singer captivated both the coaches and audiences with powerhouse vocals, ultimately sealing his place as the Season 27 winner thanks to America’s vote.
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Before the results were revealed, Bublé took a moment to share his admiration for his finalist on air. “I love you, man,” he told David. “You’re my kind of artist. I love my sister and she wrote me this morning and she said, ‘You tell me when Adam David puts his tickets on sale ’cause I need to go see that show.’” The Canadian crooner added: “Congratulations, I knew you could do it.”
Jaelen Johnston from Team Kelsea followed David in second place, RENZO from Team Legend in third, Lucia Flores-Wiseman from Team Adam in fourth, and Jadyn Cree (also from Team Bublé) in fifth.
During the finale, each coach joined their finalist for a special duet. Team Legend’s Renzo kicked things off with a performance of Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” while Kelsea Ballerini and Jaelen Johnston delivered a heartfelt rendition of “Whiskey Lullaby,” originally by Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley.
Michael Bublé teamed up with Adam David for a stirring cover of The Band’s classic “The Weight,” and Adam Levine joined Lucia Flores-Wiseman on a moving take of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Bublé then returned to the stage with his second finalist, Jadyn Cree, for a charming duet of Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”
The finale also welcomed Kelly Clarkson (debuting new single “Where Have You Been”), Blake Shelton (“Texas”), Alicia Keys with Amanda Reid, Chance the Rapper, Joe Jonas, Sheryl Crow, James Bay, Foreigner and Season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood.
NBC has confirmed that The Voice will return for Season 28 in September, airing Monday nights at 8 p.m. with Bublé, Reba McEntire, Niall Horan and Snoop Dogg all returning to the red chairs.
Adam David now joins the ranks of past winners like Cassadee Pope, Jordan Smith, and Bryce Leatherwood and with his victory, continues The Voice’s legacy of elevating fresh talent into the spotlight.
20 years since he took up the role of vocalist of Foreigner, Kelly Hansen has announced that he will be leaving the band this year.
Hansen’s news was shared on the season finale of NBC’s The Voice on Monday (May 20), where the band was on hand to perform a medley of their hits.
Following a rendition of “Feels Like the First Time,” Hansen took the opportunity to announce his plans to the audience. “After 20 magical years fronting this band, this will be my last year with Foreigner,” he revealed. “At the end of this summer, a new great voice will sing these songs for you; my friend Luis Maldonado.”
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Hansen then welcomed Maldonado for a performance of “Juke Box Hero,” before the pair shared lead vocals on “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
“Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” added Hansen. “But it’s time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy, and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn’t be prouder to hand this off to him.”
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Hansen rose to fame in the ’80s as the vocalist for Hurricane, whom he fronted until their 1991 dissolution. Following years spent working with other bands, such as Air Pavilion, Unruly Child, Perfect World, and recording with Slash’s Snakepit, Hansen joined Foreigner in 2005 following the departure of co-founding vocalist Lou Gramm two years prior.
Maldonado, meanwhile, joined Foreigner in 2021, having previously served as the guitarist of Train and having worked with names such as John Waite and Lisa Marie Presley. “This music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember,” Maldonado added. “I’m ready to honor Foreigner’s legacy and bring my heart to every performance.”
The status of Hansen’s role in the band had previously been the subject for debate in March, when it was announced that actor Geordie Brown, who is perhaps best known for his role in Foreigner’s own Jukebox Hero – The Musical – would be fronting the band for their Canadian Farewell Tour throughout October and November. Foreigner’s recent South American tour also featured Maldonado on lead vocals, while Gramm returned as a guest musician.
Foreigner was first formed in 1976 by former Spooky Tooth guitarist Mick Jones, with the band releasing their self-titled debut album the following year. They topped the Billboard 200 in 1981 with the aptly-titled fourth album, 4. The record also boasted top five songs “Urgent” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” though they would release their highest-charting single in 1984, with “I Want to Know What Love Is” topping the Hot 100 after it was issued as the lead track from Agent Provocateur.
Various lineup changes over the years have left Jones as the only original member of the band, though he has been absent from the live stage since 2023. In October 2024, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Sammy Hagar.
The Voice Season 27 is officially down to five finalists, but not before one of its most emotionally charged moments yet, a last-chance performance from Team Bublé’s Adam David, who took on Teddy Swims’ chart-topping hit “Lose Control” during Monday night’s (May 13) Instant Save round.
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Originally released in June 2023, “Lose Control” marked Swims’ breakthrough moment, becoming his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. The single debuted at No. 99 and made a historic 32-week climb to No. 1 in March 2024, the longest consecutive rise to the top in the chart’s history. It went on to spend a record-breaking 60 non-consecutive weeks in the Hot 100’s top 10 and was named the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100 Songs chart for 2024.
Covering such a chart-dominating hit wasn’t a small feat, but David delivered. His rendition showcased vulnerability and vocal control and secured him the final spot in next week’s finale.
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The Voice Season 27 finale lineup is officially set, with the Top 5 finalists including RENZO (Team Legend), Lucia Flores-Wiseman (Team Adam), Jadyn Cree (Team Bublé), Jaelen Johnston (Team Kelsea), and Adam David (Team Bublé), who clinched the final spot via Instant Save.
The remaining contestants were eliminated following the live vote and Instant Save round: Conor James (Team Adam), Alanna Lynise (Team Kelsea), Kolby Kordell (Team Adam), Kaiya Hamilton (Team Bublé), Olivia Kuper Harris (Team Legend), Iris Herrera (Team Kelsea), and Bryson Battle (Team Legend).
It was an emotional night for all four coaches as they said goodbye to team members, including John Legend, who lost standout vocalist Bryson Battle in the Instant Save round.
“I find it difficult to even talk about this because I did not think you would be in this position today,” Legend told him. “You have given us performances that said you should be in the finale of this show. You gave us one yesterday, you gave us one just now on this stage, and you continue to be the epitome of what this show is all about.”
The Voice Season 27 live finale airs Monday, May 20 on NBC.
