With the Battle Rounds well and truly out of the way, it was time for the Knockout Rounds to continue to narrow down the contestants.
A major twist was unleashed that also gifted the coaches with saves, meaning that they could save one of their own contestants after a performance.
Yes, Season 14 is changing things up, and that’s good for an aging series.
Former contestants, Jordan Smith, Chloe Kohanski, Chris Blue and Cassadee Pope, returned to assist Team Adam, Team Blake, Team Alicia and Team Kelly, respectively.
Okay, let’s break down the six Knockouts of the night.
Team Blake: Kyla Jade singing “You Don’t Own Me” vs. Jaclyn Lovey singing “Put Your Records On.”
Jaclyn kicked this battle for a spot in the competition off, and while it was an okay performance, there was nothing remotely exciting about it.
This was a stark contrast from the way things were for her at the Blind Auditions. This was like a completely different performer, and that’s not a good thing.
A terrible song choice can destroy all credibility for a performer, and that’s a real shame.
Kyla upped her game in a way that I didn’t think was possible. Everything about her rendition of the Lesley Gore classic screamed confidence and finesse.
Winner: Kyla
Save: N/A
Team Kelly: Kaleb Lee singing “Free” vs. Justin Kilgore singing “Shameless.”
Kaleb turned in a solid performance that solidified why he has made so far into the competition. Like Kyla, he improved significantly from his other performances.
Then there was Justin, who proved that he does not have the vocal ability to make it all the way to the live shows. It could be argued that The Voice lets too many sub-par performers all the way to the live shows.
Winner: Kaleb
Save: N/A
Team Adam: Mia Boostrom singing “Wade in the Water” vs. Jackie Foster singing “Bring Me to Life.”
This was a difficult one to watch. Jackie had a lot of great moments singing the Evanescence classic. Like, she knew what was expected of her, and she delivered and then some.
Mia, however, emerged as the better performer, but it was still a tough call … unlike the previous knockouts that came before her.
Winner: Mia
Save: Jackie to Team Alicia
Team Blake: Spensha Baker singing “Broken Halos” vs. Austin Giorgio singing “Almost Like Being in Love.”
This was another close call, and Blake struggled to make a decision about which one to save, so he kept both of them.
They were difficult to benchmark against each other because of how similar they were performance-wise.
Winner: Spensha
Save: Blake saved Austin!
Team Alicia: Johnny Bliss singing “Alive” vs. Miya Bass singing “Castle on the Hill.”
Thankfully, this Knockout was easier to see coming. Johnny’s performance was not spectacular, but it was a cut above Miya’s. Maybe it was unfair to put these two together, but it’s all about getting rid of the weaker vocalists at this stage.
Winner: Johnny Bliss
Save: N/A
Team Adam: Jackie Verna singing “American Honey” vs. Drew Cole singing “Slow Hands.”
Jackie and Drew are at similar stages of their careers, and their voices are actually quite similar. Both performances were decent, and it was clear that another save was going to be used.
Winner: Jackie
Save: Adam Saved Drew!
Okay, what did you think of the performances?
Were you happy with who made it further?
The Voice continues tonight on NBC!
