The Voice
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NBC’s The Voice is getting another fiery-locked, country superstar to join its ranks.
On Tuesday (Oct. 31), NBC announced that Country Music Hall of Fame member Wynonna Judd is set to serve as a mega mentor on season 24 of the hit show. Judd will join coaches Niall Horan, John Legend, Gwen Stefani, and fellow Country Music Hall of Fame member Reba McEntire, helping to mentor the remaining contestants heading into the show’s competitive Knockout rounds on Nov. 6.
In a video posted to Instagram, Wynonna appeared alongside McEntire to celebrate joining the latest season of the hit singing comeptition. “[You are] one of the reasons I decided to do this show, because you’re here and I wanted to work with you,” Wynonna told her in the new clip. McEntire returned the compliment in the caption, writing “Wy is the perfect person for this and I can’t wait for you to see all the great advice she gives to these talented artists.”
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Wynonna is currently headlining shows on her Back to Wy tour, where the singer-songwriter performs her first two solo albums — her 1992 self-titled album and its followup, 1993’s Tell Me Why — track-by-track.
Prior to launching her solo career in the 1990s, Judd was part of the mother-daughter duo The Judds, alongside her mother Naomi. The Judds’ enduring legacy was recently feted with the release of the multi-artist project A Tribute to The Judds, which featured McEntire, Jelly Roll, Trisha Yearwood, O.N.E. The Duo, Wendy Moten, Megan Moroney and more.
Of course, Wynonna is no stranger to television; in 2016, she appeared on Dancing With the Stars and in 2011, The Judds debuted their own six-part reality television series on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. Over the years, Judd has also appeared on television shows including Touched By An Angel, Army Wives and Kath & Kim.
Wynonna Judd will appear as a mega mentor on The Voice starting Monday, Nov. 6 at 8 pm E.T. Check out Wynonna and McEntire’s Instagram announcement below:
If you’re game to tackle Evanescence, you’d better bring the power.
That’s exactly what Joslynn Rose and Rudi did, when they went toe-to-toe Monday night (Oct. 30) on NBC’s The Voice.
The Team Gwen singers came out swinging in the Battles round with a rendition of “My Immortal.” Now 20 years old, “My Immortal” appeared on Fallen, the breakthrough 2003 album from Amy Lee and Co. which dominated sales charts across Europe, the U.K. (hitting No. 1) and the U.S. (No. 3), and gave us the epic number “Bring Me to Life.”
“What a lovely job,” remarked John Legend following the performance. The soul man praised Joslynn for her opener, in which she appeared “in control,” poised and “felt ready to seize the moment.” He’s a fan of her tone, “you really have a beautiful voice and your tone is so lovely.” Rudi, he continued, had power, clarity, and was “really impressive.” If he had to choose, he’d lean towards Rudi.
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Joslynn impressed with her low register, and the control of it, was Reba McEntire’s take. Rudi’s vocals were “wonderful, great stage presence,” she continued, “you both have very powerful voices.” If she had to choose, the country star would go with Rudi.
Rudi, added Niall Horan, “that was phenomenal. Pretty much flawless. It felt like you were climbing a mountain the whole way through the song. And it kept going, and going. And going.” Her rival, the way she started the performance, “brilliant, to have that poise, to take front and center and sing the way you did was really beautiful, especially for your age.”
Gwen Stefani had the tough choice to make. After thanking her singers, reminding the audience of their potential and talents, and pointing out just how hard a target it was to hit, the No Doubt star went into decision-making-mode.
There could be only one winner of this battle. And that was Rudi, who progresses to the knockouts. “She’s ready for what’s to come in the competition,” Stefani enthused in the washup.
But letting go a fine contestant, yeah, “that sucks.”
Watch below.
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One does not simply walk into a Bee Gees Battle. Clearly Mac Royals and Rachele Nguyen didn’t get the memo, as the Team Reba constants went toe-to-toe on NBC‘s The Voice, tackling one of the Bee Gees’ creamiest creations.
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The singers’ path to the Battles round couldn’t have been more contrasting. Royals landed a four-chair turn; Nguyen caught the attention of just one coach, the country star Reba McEntire.
On the latest episode Tuesday night (Oct. 24), Royals and Nguyen brought game to the arena, the former displaying his legit soulman skillset, Nguyen showcasing her range and soloist talents.
“Guys, that was so good,” coach Niall Horan remarked. “To take on a song of that stature is brave of itself. I thought the two of you were fantastic.” Horan admitted she was better than he remembered, and she made him remember his error by not turning during the Blind Audition. “To be your age, at 17 and to have that composure, and will to go ‘go give me the biggest song you’ve got,’” he’d go with Nguyen, if the choice was his.
Gwen Stefani remarked on the warmth of Royals’ voice. It’s “buttery,” she enthused. As for Nguyen, “the things you can do with your voice and your instincts,” at her age, it’s “pretty magical.” She won’t choose because, well, she doesn’t have to.
John Legend paid tribute to the sound of Mac’s voice, “it’s so gorgeous. It is soulful and it has richness and character.” And Nguyen, “you were doing so many exciting things, so many cool musical choices and runs and things of that nature.” If Legend had to choose, he’d go with Mac.
The battle would “come down to how they touch my heart when they’re performing,” McEntire said during rehearsals.
In the end, the choice belonged to her. And she sided with Nguyen.
But wait, there’s more. Before Mac could say some parting words to his coach, Legend came through with the steal. It’s on.
Watch the Season 24 Battle below.
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The Voice battle rounds continue! On Monday night (Oct. 23), the contestants went head to head as the show whittled down the competition. CORii and Ms. Monét went up to the plate and battled it out to Patti LaBelle‘s hit “New Attitude.”
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The pair infused the track with soul, adding soaring high notes, whistle tones and impressive vocal runs to their rendition, often boosting each other up during the larger moments of the song.
“I’m feeling good from my hat to my shoe/ Know where I am going and I know what to do/ I’ve tidied up my point of view/ I’ve got a new attitude/ I’m in control My worries are few/ ‘Cause I got love like I never knew/ Ooh oh ooo oh/ I’ve got a new attitude,” CORii and Ms. Monét soulfully sing on the chorus.
Following the pair’s performances, the coaches gave their feedback and shared moments during the showcase that stood out to them. Niall Horan went first, saying, “CORii, why did I not turn? The minute you opened your mouth, I was like, ‘So why did I face the wall for two minutes?’ To be honest, I do remember pitch issues in the blind auditions, but this was night and day, different level to where you were last time.”
Gwen Stefani complimented Monét’s stage presence and CORii’s improvement. “I’m so literally blown away by you. You are masterful, and you were being all swaggy up there,” she said of Monét. “I was like, ‘OK, she is literally slaying.’ But then CORii, you somehow started to lock into your voice. It was like, ‘Wow, she has range and power.’ You both have incredible stage presence and character.”
Ultimately, the decision was up to Reba McEntire, who had to choose between the two. The country icon praised both of the budding stars, even saying they “could go on the road as a duet right now.” After struggling to come to a conclusion, McEntire kept Monét on her team. CORii, meanwhile, was surprised by getting stolen by both Horan and Stefani, and chose the latter coach to guide her through the rest of the competition.
Watch CORii and Ms. Monét battle it out to LaBelle’s “New Attitude” below.
Kelly Clarkson needed a reboot, so she did what a lot of people do when they feel like shaking up their lives: she moved. But in her case, the Burleson, Texas-born singer and talk show host who lived and worked in Los Angeles for 20 years pulled up roots and moved as far away as possible and is rebooting her life in New York.
With a new Rockefeller Center space for her eponymous daytime talk show — which kicked off its fifth season on Monday — the divorced mother of two young children is now closer to her extended family in North Carolina and fully into living her best life in the city.
“At this point, I’m 40 years old. Mama rented something nice!” Clarkson told USA Today. “I was like, ‘I’m not living here unless it’s right by the park and really nice for the kids.’” And though Clarkson has been doing all the New York things, including cheering for her Dallas Cowboys as they stomped the N.Y. Giants last month and watching her friend Chelsea Handler do standup at the Beacon Theatre.
And as much fun as she’s having, the singer, 41, told the paper that after finalizing her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock last year she wasn’t sure the mid-life time zone refresh was a great idea. “I’ll be real honest: I thought I was making a horrible decision,” Clarkson said of her nerves before pulling up stakes. “I knew I needed a fresh start and couldn’t be in LA. I really wanted to be in Montana, but you can’t really do a show from there quite yet. So I was like, ‘The only other option would probably be New York.’”
But after a couple of weeks, she said she realized she “genuinely” loves New York, “and I love that my kids love it,” she said of daughter River Rose, 9, and son Remington, 7. She immediately leaned in on the show, spotlighting some quintessentially N.Y. apartment/hotel door people during a taping last week in her new space, which was formerly home to David Letterman’s late night talk show.
Clarkson also talked about learning how to dial back her over-busy calendar, which included leaving her spot in a red chair on The Voice last spring after exhaustedly grinning and bearing it for the first four years of her talk show. “Full disclosure, I put on a smile a lot of those times because I was struggling a lot in my personal life,” Clarkson said. “I’ve learned a lot about what I’m capable of handling, and also what you should not handle. That was me saying ‘bye’ to The Voice and having this big move. I love that family, but I was like, ‘I’m struggling. I can’t smile anymore. I don’t feel like smiling.’”
Now, with the move and season five of the show on the air, Clarkson said she’s in “such a great place,” with her kids, her new home, the show and in her personal life. “I feel like a weight has lifted. That move was very needed,” she said. “I think the thing I’m most excited about with Season 5, on a selfish level, is just showing up to work smiling and actually meaning it. That’s a beautiful gift that you don’t realize until you’re out of it.”
NBC’s The Voice has entered into the battle rounds. It’s a place where hopes are dashed, where dreams are kept alive, and where the coaches are made to suffer at decision time.
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Niall Horan, who is on good form having coached the winner in his debut season, paired Lennon VanderDoes and Tanner Massey for a toe-to-toe Tuesday night (Oct. 17) to Billy Joel’s “She’s Always a Woman.”
“Wow, wow, wow, that was so incredible,” Gwen Stefani remarked at the close. “Both of you are mindblowing in your own way.” If she had to choose, she’d go with Massey.
“Really, both amazing,” John Legend said. Legend has his own connection with “She’s Always a Woman”; it’s the inspiration for “All of Me,” the “song that changed my life. And hearing you two sing it was just magical.” If he had to make the call, he’d lean “ever so slightly” toward Massey.
Reba McEntire was impressed with both contestants, especially Massey. “To be as young as you are, you’ve got great stage presence.”
There can be only one, and Horan had to wield the axe.
“I think this was always going to be a great battle with the difference in your two voices, the way Lennon can sing up there with such control and, your tone is so captivating.” Tanner, with his flares at the end of some sentences, are just “so beautiful” to hear. “This is one of those battles where I’ve been battling myself.
Horan ignored the advice of his fellow coaches and rivals, and tapped VanderDoes to progress.
The story doesn’t end there. Legend and Stefani both tried to “steal” the young talent. Another decision had to be made, this time by Massey who just minutes earlier had to cope with the bitter disappointment of rejection. He chose Team Gwen.
The popular singing competition show airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC (check your local listings for channel information). Episodes of The Voice will stream on-demand via Peacock the next day after they air on TV, but viewers can also watch live with Peacock Premium Plus.
Watch the season 24 performance below.
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The Voice is officially in the battle rounds, and Reba McEntire’s team members Jackson Snelling and Jordan Rainer went head-to-head to perform a Reba classic. The two traded verses in an emotional rendition of McEntire’s 1993 collaboration with Vince Gill, “The Heart Won’t Lie.” The song was nominated for best country vocal collaboration that year. […]
Huntley looks like a Viking, sings like a rock star.
The 33-year-old from Fredericksburg, Virginia showed his form when he stepped onto The Voice stage Monday night (Oct. 16) for the Blind Auditions.
That muscular voice sits somewhere between country, blues, rock and grunge, with shades of Bob Seger meets Mark Lanegan. It’s a frontman voice, the kind that tells stories and has its own to share.
From the opening notes of his cover of “She Talks To Angels,” Huntley caught the attention. The four coaches’ chairs turned almost in unison.
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“Your voice is incredible,” Reba McEntire enthused. “When I first listened to you, I heard Chris Stapleton. So everything about your voice I absolutely loved.” And with that, the pitches started.
Niall Horan chimed in, recounting the vocals of Australian Daniel Merriweather and Brit James Morrison.
“That’s a tone that comes naturally. I bet you were singing like that when you were 15,” the Irishman noted. “You sing your own way, you sing direct, and so much power and the control you have. It’s so beautiful to listen to.”
Gwen Stefani likened his talents to those of Bradley Nowell from Sublime. “Your voice is just so automatic. You know exactly at what point you’re going to be raspy. And it’s pure and honest and you sound like you’ve been singing forever, on stage performing.”
John Legend was blown away. “Your voice sounds so ready. So ready for the world, so ready for the radio,” he explained. It’s “truly one of the best voices we’ve heard. It’s so impressive, dude.
Huntley had a big call to make. He passed down the responsibility to his daughter Stella, who joined him on stage. The youngster went with Team Niall.
Watch the performance from NBC‘s The Voice below.
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Willie Gomez may be used to dancing backup for Britney Spears, but on the Tuesday (Oct. 10) episode of The Voice, it was the star’s turn to support his moment in the spotlight.
Ahead of his blind audition, NBC’s long-running singing competition aired a video message from the Princess of Pop herself for the 37-year-old Miami native. “Willie is a dancer of mine, and not only is he a great dancer, but he is an amazing singer,” Spears gushes in the clip.
“I’m sending all my kisses to you,” the “Toxic” singer added, blowing a kiss. “Love you!”
Gomez has also danced for Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Kesha and more pop icons, per his IMDb page. He seems particularly close with Spears, though, and even shared photos from her wedding to now estranged husband Sam Asghari last year on Instagram.
But on the latest episode of The Voice, it was Gomez’s turn to be the star. And no, he didn’t sing a Britney Spears song to impress coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani, Niall Horan and Reba McEntire — all four of who turned around for his lively performance of Latin music star Manuel Turizo’s 2022 hit “La Bachata.”
“You can do all the things you need to do to be a big star,” raved Legend after Gomez finished the song. “It sounded like, ‘Oh, I can hear this guy making a record that would be huge.’ Latin music right now is just so big. It is pop music in a lot of ways.”
“I really think that you’re super gifted, super talented,” Stefani told Gomez, after which Horan jokingly accused her of flirting with the dancer-turned-singer.
“Blake, she is flirting his pants off,” the former One Direction star pretended to text Stefani’s husband, Voice veteran Blake Shelton.
Ultimately, Gomez went with Legend as his coach. Watch his full audition above.
Well, that was quick.
When Caleb Sasser stopped by NBC’s The Voice to deliver a Blind Audition, the feedback was swift.
Sasser, who hails from Goldsboro, North Carolina, hadn’t even finished the first line in his cover of Toni Braxton’s “Another Sad Love Song” when he’d landed the one-two punch of Niall Horan and Gwen Stefani turns.
And when he unleashed a run of delicate high notes, Reba McEntire had heard enough. John Legend pushed the red button last to complete a four-chair turn.
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Sasser has his finger on R&B, jazz, soul. The good stuff. “That was magical,” remarked Legend. “I was hearing Toni and I was hearing a lot of Anita Baker in your voice, too.” Both are influences, the contestant told the coach, as are Jazmine Sullivan and Legend himself. At that point, a sigh came over the other three coaches, and a keen understanding of which team the singer would choose.
Regardless, Stefani entered her sales pitch. “I’m really good at stage presence, personality, getting out of your shell, trying to get people to know you as a person through your voice.”
Horan chimed in: “The ease at which you sing, is just so beautiful and the most humble, down-to-earth, smiley way that you could possibly do it.”
McEntire spoke last. “Calab,” she enthused, “your voice made me feel such peace inside. I did a duet album many years ago. And I promise you if I’d have heard your voice, I would have begged you to please come sing a duet with me.”
In the end, there could be only one. There were no more surprises; Sasser chose Team Legend.
Watch below.
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