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The Voice kicked off its 25th season this week, and in a new blind audition from Tuesday night’s episode (Feb. 27), a pair of 17-year-old twins get a three-chair turn. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news California natives Justin and Jeremy Garcia traded verses on One Direction’s […]
One Direction is gone, split up into five healthy parts. But certainly not forgotten.
The Garcia twins played their part in keeping the flame burning for 1D with a performance Monday night (Feb. 26) as The Voice returned to our screens.
For their blind audition, the teenage lads performed “Story of My Life,” lifted from 1D’s 2013 album Midnight Memories, one of their four No. 1s on the Billboard 200 chart.
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See latest videos, charts and news
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There were wet eyes in the room as the 17-year-old brothers sprung the nostalgic number, on pitch, and with a solid hug at the end.
Hailing from Millbrae, CA, the bros, Justin and Jeremy, managed a three-chair turn. Only John Legend kept his back to the boys.
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“You’ve got the duo thing down,” remarked coach Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay, stating the obvious. “Man, that was a fantastic performance. From the first time I heard you harmonizing and I found out it was two people, I was like, we’ve got to turn around. That sounds amazing.”
That was the cue for a sales pitch. Brothers, come team up with the “brothers”.
There’s still room for improvement. “When you guys first started, it was super, super tight,” Chance the Rapper noted. “There were some parts where one of you guys got pitchy. And you guys gained control by the end.” He added, “as long as you guys are focused on how you interact with each other, you guys will have great performances and keep having success like this.”
The harmonies “could have been a little tighter,” remarked Legend, explaining his reasons for not turning. But hey, what an experience.
Reba McEntire felt a connection. The country star recounted her youth growing up in a “singing family.” Hearing the twins belt it out, “it takes me back to my childhood. I absolutely love your enthusiasm.” And, as she started her own sales pitch, confessed she was “really moved by it.”
In the end, it boiled down to a decision. The Garcias chose coaches Dan + Shay, who served as mentors in season 20 and made their coaching debut tonight, becoming the first artists to join the country duo’s team.
For the record, 1D was created through the vehicle of another reality TV format, the 2010 season of The X Factor, setting charts and hearts ablaze until 2016, when the group went on indefinite hiatus.
NBC’s The Voice is now in its 25th season.
Watch the audition below.
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The Voice coaches are bringing a little church to the singing competition’s set ahead of Monday’s season 25 premiere. For the show’s traditional season-opener group performance, John Legend, Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay got together to sing a soulful rendition of Jackie DeShannon’s “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.” With […]
It looks like the third voice is the charm! On Monday’s (Feb. 26) season 25 premiere of The Voice, Oklahoma vocal trio OK3 got all five (yes, five) coaches to turn their chairs with a sassy cover of Meghan Trainor‘s “Made You Look” — and Billboard has an exclusive sneak peek.
OK3 is made up of Kenna, 22, Sierra, 24, and Courtney, 26, three aspiring singers who live in Oklahoma City and met through their vocal coach. The trio brought their crisp three-part harmonies to Trainor’s 2023 No. 11 Billboard Hot 100 hit and made an instant impact with the coaches, getting veteran coach John Legend (in his ninth season on the singing competition), Reba McEntire (in her second season) and brand-new coaching duo Dan + Shay (in a special dual chair) to turn around within their first few notes.
Chance the Rapper — returning for his second season as a Voice coach — was a little bit harder of a nut to crack, waiting until the end of “Made You Look” to make his move.
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“I grew up arranging songs for groups,” Legend said to woo the trio after they wrapped their performance, noting that he won awards for his a cappella arrangements in college. “If there’s nothing else that I do, I do this. I feel like there’s a lot of space for a big pop girl group right now, and I would love to be your coach.”
Dan + Shay didn’t let the veteran coach intimidate them, with Dan Smyers shooting back: “He’s saying he’s an award-winning arranger for groups. We’re an award-winning group!” His bandmate Shay Mooney, meanwhile, didn’t play it cool, telling the women: “My heart is racing right now, because I want you guys [on our team] so bad. That was my favorite performance so far.”
The coaches weren’t above deploying some gimmicks to get OK3’s attention either. Legend pressed a button and inflated a car-dealership windsock man behind his chair that read “Pick Team Legend.” “John doing that inflatable tube man thing has taken all my spirit away,” Chance laughed. “It was so loud and distracting.” McEntire called the girls her “fellow Okies” and pulled out a Grammy that just happened to be behind her back (one of the three she’s won out of 17 nominations over the years). Chance pointed out that his signature “3” hat is a perfect fit for the group’s moniker, while Dan + Shay got the crowd to hold up alternating “Dan” and “Shay” signs from their seats.
McEntire also pulled out a scepter to announce: “I am the Queen of Country Music. I would love to have you in my kingdom.”
So who do OK3 choose as their coach (or coaches) in the end? We’ll have to wait until The Voice returns for season 25 on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC or streaming on Peacock to find out. But for now, you watch our exclusive preview clip below.
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LeAnn Rimes is doubling down on her role as a coach on two international versions of The Voice. The Grammy-winning country singer is currently in Sydney, Australia filming her role as a coach on the upcoming season of The Voice Australia and on Wednesday (Feb. 21) it was announced that she will also serve the […]
The Voice contestant Lauren Duski is mourning the death of her mother, Janis Duski, in a touching tribute posted to Instagram. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, the Tuscarora Township Police in Indiana River, Michigan, said Janis was found dead in an apparent suicide.
In her Instagram post, Lauren Duski says she was hesitant to share the news publicly but thought she might be able to help others through her mother’s story.
“I wasn’t planning on sharing this but these last few days I’ve been feeling the most violent pull in my heart to remind you to please talk to one another,” Duski wrote. “If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it. We are all trying to navigate this beautiful, messy life. I’ve learned that even the strongest humans have a breaking point. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Minute by minute. Please do not lose hope. Trust in God. There is always another chance…and there will never be another you.”
Duski competed on season 12 of The Voice in 2017 and chose to join Blake Shelton’s team among the three coaches who turned their chairs for her audition. The country singer finished as the season’s runner-up.
Lauren’s late mom can be seen, alongside her dad, celebrating her daughter’s success backstage in her blind audition video, in which she covered Jewel’s “You Were Meant for Me.”
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Three of Duski’s covers on The Voice hit the Billboard Hot 100 following her season: “Deja Vu” (No. 43), “The Dance” (No. 92) and “Ghost in This House” (No. 98).
Read Lauren’s full message about her mom below:
Said goodbye to my best friend and hero this past Friday. My mom was the greatest human I’ve ever known. There was no one who loved harder. She offered her entire being — heart and soul to everyone she encountered and always held up the mirror to remind you of how wonderful and special you were. She set the bar above the moon. She adored her family and her grandchildren. She was an endless dreamer. brilliant. an absolute powerhouse. Top of her class AND president in dental school. Served as a captain in the United States Air Force. She pioneered the Wolverine Patriot Project alongside the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and made it her mission to provide oral health care to disabled and homeless Michigan military veterans. We called her “Yoda” for her endless wisdom, energy, wit, and humor. She was selfless in every way. She never quit. Especially with a fishing pole in her hand. She loved to spend time exploring and road tripping across country with just a road map.
She saw God in everyone and everything.
Mom, you are infinitely loved. I will miss you every second of every day. I still don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to do this without you. I will thank God every day for our 32 years together and see you every time I look in that mirror.
I wasn’t planning on sharing this but these last few days I’ve been feeling the most violent pull in my heart to remind you to please talk to one another. If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it. We are all trying to navigate this beautiful, messy life. I’ve learned that even the strongest humans have a breaking point. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Minute by minute. Please do not lose hope. Trust in God. There is always another chance…and there will never be another you.
We have the opportunity to save a generation and beyond. Say “I love you” every chance you get. Don’t wait. You never know the true impact you have on those around you.
I love you, mom. Forever. May you rest in glorious peace.
Janis Patricia Duski – 1964-2024
If you’re thinking about suicide, or are worried about a friend or loved one, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours, at 1-800-273-8255.
Another cycle of The Voice has wrapped! The season 24 finale aired live on Tuesday night (Dec. 19) and saw the competition come to a close after weeks of blind auditions, battle rounds and last-chance performances, culminating in the reveal of the show’s latest champion.
Jacquie Roar, Ruby Leigh, Mara Justine, Huntley and Lila Forde were the final five contestants left in the competition, after having one last chance to prove themselves solo with two performances on Monday’s episode, which served as the first part of the finale.
The Tuesday installment of the finale saw the hopefuls performing covers alongside their coaches — Huntley and Niall Horan teamed up for a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” Horan pulled double duty as Mara Justine was also in the running to win the competition, and sang the Eagles’ “Wasted Time.” Reba McEntire also had two chances to win, and performed Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and Wynonna’s “No One Else on Earth” with Ruby Leigh and Jacquie Roar, respectively. John Legend also sang a Christmas hit with Lila Forde, putting their spin on Ella Fitzgerald’s “Sleigh Ride”
After a series of all star performances from Earth, Wind & Fire, AJR, Tyla, Teddy Swims, season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood, season 25 coaches Dan + Shay and more, the season 24 champion was crowed. Huntley took home the title, providing Horan with his second consecutive coach win. Ruby Leigh finished in second place during the finale, though 32 percent Billboard readers — the majority — voted her their pick to win the competition.
Following his big win, Huntley revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that he “was so surprised” with his victory. “Ruby [Leigh] is so talented and I think that she is a force to reckon with, so the fact that it was us two standing up there, it was right. … She’s super talented, and when my name got called, I genuinely couldn’t believe it.”
The winner continued, “This has all been so worthwhile … I just want my career. I’m so hungry for this. John [Legend] said he can see me singing in arenas around the world, and that’s something I’m very hungry for. Y’all are not getting rid of me!”
The Voice will return for season 25 in February.
Revisit the finale performances with the coaches below, and watch Huntley get crowned the winner above.
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Season 24 of The Voice is officially down to its final hours, as the live finale airs on Tuesday (Dec. 19). The first part of the finale aired on NBC on Monday, and features the remaining five contestants battling it out for the title of this season’s champion. Coach Gwen Stefani is out of the […]
The Voice has whittled down the competition to its last five contestants of season 24 during its Tuesday night (Dec. 12) episode. Lila Forde (Team Legend), Huntley (Team Niall), Ruby Leigh (Team Reba), Mara Justine (Team Niall) and Jacquie Roar (Team Reba) will be continuing in the competition, the show revealed Tuesday. Monday night’s semifinals […]
The Voice sure does know how to go out with a bang! As the reality competition show draws to the close of its 24th season, the Emmy-winning program has announced its star-studded lineup for its finale episode, which is set to air on NBC’s Dec. 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
2024 Grammy nominees Jelly Roll and Tyla are set to take The Voice stage to commemorate the season 24 finale, alongside performances from Earth, Wind & Fire, AJR, Keith Urban and season 25 coaches Dan + Shay. The intergenerational genre-spanning lineup will play a collection of songs that combine major moments in their respective careers, the dominant songs and styles of 2023 and their latest releases.
Jelly Roll, a four-time 2023 Billboard Music Awards finalist, will perform his Grammy-nominated Lainey Wilson-assisted “Save Me,” the second single from his chart-topping album Whitsitt Chapel. Amapiano/Afropop star Tyla will perform “Water,” her breakout single, which recently hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 ahead of the release of her forthcoming debut studio album.
Music legends Earth, Wind & Fire will perform a career-spanning medley that previews the band’s upcoming Heart & Soul 2024 Tour, which they are co-headlining with Chicago. Another genre-fusing band, AJR, will perform a medley of its hit single “Bang!” and “Yes I’m a Mess,” which hit No. 28 on Rock Airplay this year.
Keith Urban, a four-time Grammy winner who previously served as a judge on American Idol and a coach on the Australian version of The Voice, will perform “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” his 2016 hit single which ranked at No. 9 on Billboard’s Decade-End U.S. Hot Country Songs (2010-2019). Another superstar country act, Dan + Shay, will grace the stage with a performance of “Bigger Houses,” the title track from their most recent LP.
In addition to these eye-popping guests, The Voice has even more performances in store for the season 24 finale. Season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood will return to perform “The Finger,” a single from his forthcoming project. Furthermore, this season’s top 12 artists will band together for a special joint performance. In that spirit, this year’s coaching panel — Niall Horan, John Legend, Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani — will join forces for a bubbly rendition of “Let It Snow.”
This season marks the first in which none of the show’s original coaches — Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and CeeLo Green — from the series’ inaugural season appear on the coaching panel. Shelton departed after last season, which saw One Direction alum Niall Horan emerge victorious.
This week (Dec. 11-12) marks the semifinals for season 24 of The Voice. On Monday (Dec. 11), the remaining contestants each performed a solo song before tackling a few Taylor Swift tunes as trios. The three highlighted T-Swift tracks were “Don’t Blame Me,” “Exile” and “Mean (Taylor’s Version).”
Tune in to NBC on Dec. 19 to see who wins season 24 of The Voice!
