Trae Patton/NBC(NEW YORK) — The teams are almost full, and coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Gwen Stefani were being extra picky during Tuesday’s blind auditions on The Voice.
By the end of the night, each coach had picked up at least one artist, but it was Legend beating out the three others for the night’s best performer.
Here are some of the highlights from Tuesday’s show:
At 44-years-old, Los Angeles native Myracle Halloway has seen it all. At 19, a chance meeting with Phillip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire led to a gig touring with his band. Unfortunately, Myracle couldn’t escape her past. She was born to a drug-addicted mother and an abusive father, leading Miracle to turn to drugs herself. She put her singing career on hold, eventually finding a job working with high-risk children, which proved to be a turning point for her. Myracle’s emotional rendition of Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man” touched off a battle between Blake, who was mesmerized by her voice, which, to him, sounded like she was “about to lose it,” and Gwen, who related to the singer, noting that every song she’d written — until she met boyfriend Shelton — was written about heartache and pain. Blake correctly guessed that it would have been a “Myracle” if the artist picked him as her coach. Halloway chose Team Gwen.
Elizabeth City, North Carolina native Ricky Braddy calls Nashville home these days. The openly gay singer’s roots are in the Church, but after coming out, he’s gained a new energy and put it to the test on The Voice. Ricky chose Brandi Carlile’s “The Story,” and got Blake, Gwen and John to spin their chairs around for him. John kicked off the battle by telling Ricky he “felt the spirit” when he sang, and Gwen especially loved the theatrical side of his voice. Blake was impressed with Ricky’s ability to handle such a rangy song. Maybe it was the Nashville connection, but Braddy picked Blake.
Destiny Rayne, a 23-year-old Coral Springs, Florida native currently works at various jobs while chasing a singing career. Destiny had hoped on getting one coach to turn his/her chair, but her take on Adele’s version of the Bob Dylan song “To Make You Feel My Love” drew turns from one of her favorites, John Legend, and Gwen, the latter of whom didn’t think she had a chance against John, but couldn’t pass on Destiny’s “gorgeous” voice. After Legend praised Destiny for “inviting us in” and making us feel like she had a “real point of view” on “a song we’ve heard many times,” she chose Team Legend.
Finally, Khalea Lynee, a 36-year-old single mother of two girls, for whom she put her lifelong dream of a singing career on hold. Now, she’s back with a passion and looking for The Voice to make her dreams come true. Her performance of “Best Part,” by Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R., drew the show’s only four-chair turn. Kelly summed up all four coaches’ by describing Khalea — a big Anita Baker fan — as “a little jazz, but…just planted right there in that soulful ‘four chords and the truth’ sound.” However, it was John, launching into a version of Baker’s “Giving You the Best That I Got” that convinced Khalea to pick John as her coach.
The blind auditions conclude, when The Voice returns Monday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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