The knockout round on “The Voice” is bringing out the fighting spirit in everyone.
Team Blake singers NOIVAS and Tasha Jessen floored coaches Blake Shelton, Niall Horan, Chance the Rapper and Kelly Clarkson during the first installment of the knockout rounds Monday night. During the knockout rounds, the coaches pair their singers for another set of head-to-head battles to determine who will advance to the next round of the competition.
Jessen delivered a soulful rendition of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” that stunned Clarkson. “You shocked me. A whole other Tasha came out in this performance,” she told the 21-year-old. “It sounded perfectly raw and beautiful.”
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Meanwhile, NOIVAS captivated with his explosive performance of the Nina Simone version of “I Put a Spell on You,” originally performed by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
“I thought there was a chance that you took the word ‘knockouts’ literally. It got a little bit wild, and it scared me, and I like that,” Shelton said. “Your talent is shocking, and it’s fearless.”
NOIVAS wound up clinching the win, with Shelton sending him through to the playoffs round. But the competition wasn’t over for Jessen just yet, as Horan hit his steal button and picked up the Colorado singer for his own team.
“After NOIVAS’ incredible performance, most people would have absolutely pooped their pants, but she smashed it,” Horan said. “I was looking for a big female voice, and I got one.”
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Cait Martin and Kala Banham of Team Kelly brought their A-game to the knockout round with emotional performances. Martin soared with her cover of the Whitney Houston power ballad “All the Man That I Need,” while Banham tugged at the heartstrings with her rendition of “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls.
“It was spot-on Whitney,” Chance told Martin. “I’m just so floored. You took that round by the throat.”
Clarkson praised Banham’s emotional delivery of the ‘90s alternative rock ballad.
“You’re one of my favorite storytellers I’ve ever worked with,” Clarkson said. “You totally made me tear up. You don’t deserve to go home.”
While both singers “impressed the hell out of” Clarkson, she chose Martin as the winner of the knockout.
Banham wasn’t going anywhere, however. Both Shelton and Chance hit their steal buttons for a chance to work with the 24-year-old. The Florida native ultimately opted to join Team Chance.
“I finally got Kala,” said Chance, who’d been gunning for the singer since her blind audition. “She adds a different smoother take to my team…and now she’s down with the winning team.”
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