Rookie coach Reba McEntire, the queen of country, was much-hyped at the start of The Voice Season 24, but so far she’s had a tough time sparring with her more experienced and cutthroat co-stars: John Legend (who’s in his eighth season), Gwen Stefani (her seventh), and reigning champ Niall Horan. Reba seems to be not only be the queen of country, but the queen of one-chair turns, with six of her 13 team members only being recruited by default.
According to a report by RadarOnline, Reba, America’s redheaded sweetheart, “didn’t realize how double-crossing [this competition] was, so it’s been a shock. … She’s sick of it already. She realizes they’re all phonies and she’s had to get sneaky just to be heard — and that’s not her style.” (Yahoo Entertainment has reached out to NBC for comment.)
Witnessing how this season’s Blind Auditions have played out so far, it’s clear that Reba (understandably) thought her pleasant demeanor and decades of experience — she frequently mentions being a “third-generation rodeo brat” who started performing at age 13 — would be enough to lure contestants. Her perishable recruitment prize, tater tots, isn’t even as incentivizing as her fellow coaches’ collectible team jackets and hoodies.
So, despite her sincerest efforts and undeniably impressive résumé, Reba has not established herself as the coach to beat in Season 24 so far. However, Niall has assured Voice viewers that she possesses a “superpower” that allows her to be “very in tune with some very great artists that are going to surprise us down the line,” so perhaps there is a method to her one-chair madness. Maybe she has some sneaky gameplay up her embroidered sleeve after all.
Meanwhile, the self-declared “King of the Voice” — John Legend, who after Blake Shelton’s departure has become the show’s O.G. veteran panelist — has become the king of four-chair turns. A whopping eight of Team Legend’s 12 contestants, including two that auditioned Tuesday, have been four-chair wonders. We still have one more Blind Auditions episode left before the Battle Rounds begin next week, but so far, it looks like John, not Reba, is this season’s coach to beat.
Here are the successful auditioners from Tuesday’s hour-long episode, ranging from two to four chairs:
Willie Gomez, 37: “La Bachata”
This Miami-based Bachata dancer, who has worked with Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, and even Britney Spears (who sent him a video good-luck message), had the moves and the sultry tone of a budding Latin music heartthrob. “You can do all the things you can do to be a big star,” John assured him. Gwen was actually shamelessly flirting with Willie, saying she loved his “vibe” and “energy.”
Who turned? All four coaches.
Result: Team Legend! Flirting and vibing got Gwen nowhere.
Olivia Eden, 15: “This Town”
This endearingly awkward and giggly self-declared “weird kid” showcased an intriguingly wispy, feathery, vibrato-heavy soprano voice. It was far from a flawless vocal, but her imperfections lent the performance character. Gwen loved Olivia’s “signature yodel” and Reba called her “cute as a button.” Niall gushed, “There was so much maturity to that voice. … You showed off so many parts of your voice, more than I did — and I wrote the song!”
Who turned? Niall and Reba. Niall turned first, of course. “Great song choice!” he quipped.
Result: Team Niall, of course. Reba hasn’t had much luck this season, and she didn’t have a chance with this one.
Caitlin Quisenberry, 27: “Rainbow”
Caitlin showcased such a pretty, bell-clear, lilting tone; she reminded me a bit of “Paper Roses”-era Marie Osmond. There was a sweetness, innocence, and purity here. If anything, I think Caitlin could use a little more edge — which Gwen surely could’ve helped with — but there was something so warm and welcoming about her voice.
Who turned? Reba and Gwen. I’m surprised they were the only ones.
Result: Team Reba, finally! Country redheads stick together.
Kara Tenae, 33: “Boo’d Up”
This singing Uber driver from Riverside, who starred in an Uber commercial with Julia Michaels that aired during the Grammy Awards, had a cool ‘90s-throwback R&B vibe and massive vocal range, but her performance was shaky and unfocused in parts. However, the coaches were impressed by her potential. Niall praised Kara’s “crazy runs,” Reba was “blown away,” and Gwen said, “You’ve got personality, you’ve got stage presence, you have it all.”
Who turned? Niall, Gwen, and Reba.
Result: Team Gwen. “California girls stick together,” John shrugged.
Caleb Sasser, 27: “Another Sad Love Song”
This middle school music teacher raised on gospel music said he was going to do the “Caleb version” of the Toni Braxton ballad, and he was not playing. John was wowed by how “really musical and really creative” Caleb’s “magical” version, comparing him to both Toni and Anita Baker. There was a certain natural, sweet likability to this man too. Reba told him, “Your voice made me feel such peace inside,” and Niall said, “The ease with which you sing is so beautiful.”
Who turned? All four coaches.
Result: Team Legend, of course! This was no surprise, since Caleb cited John as one of his “biggest influences.” And so, the Four-Chair King remained undefeated.
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