The knockout rounds continued with some great performances, some exciting steals, and some surprising decisions by the coaches.
Season 7’s knockout rounds have already proven to be some of the best yet, and night two didn’t disappoint. Taylor Swift was back to help the coaches prepare the contestants for their performances, and the contestants made some great, and at times surprising, song choices.
Knockout Performances
Taylor John Williams vs. Troy Ritchie
The first pairing of the night was Team Gwen’s Taylor John Williams and Troy Ritchie. Troy took a chance choosing Outkast’s hit “Hey Ya,” but Taylor and Gwen encouraged him to really make the song his own. Taylor (who Taylor Swift dubbed “Taylor Three Names,” because there are too many Taylors on The Voice this season) chose the Gary Jules version of “Mad World,” because he’s introspective, and would be able to reflect on the message of the song. Troy’s “Hey Ya” performance was one of the most fun performances The Voice has ever seen, and proved he’s a real entertainer. But Taylor’s performance was so beautiful and ethereal, it was hard to ignore, and Gwen chose him as the winner.
Alessandra Castronovo vs. Mia Pfirrman
Adam paired Alessandra Castonovo and Mia Pfirrman because both girls have a talent that far belies their young ages. Alessandra chose Emeli Sande’s “Next To Me,” because it’s a fun song that would show the audience her personality. Mia chose Christina Perri’s “Human” to show off her lower register. Both girls have beautiful voices, and gave really impressive performances. The coaches were split, but Adam chose Mia as the winner, because he felt she has more of an idea of where she’s headed in her music career.
Elyjuh Rene vs. Ricky Manning
The final pairing of the night was Team Pharrell’s Elyjuh Rene and Ricky Manning. Elyjah chose Chris Brown’s “With You,” and in rehearsals, Taylor and Pharrell advised him to loosen up, and to let his performance build from beginning to end. Ricky Manning chose Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball,” his first ballad of the show. The arrangement was cool, but Pharrell cautioned him not to just rely on a cool arrangement: he needed to sell the song. Taylor recommended using his teen vampire good looks to connect with the audience, and did he ever! Ricky gave an incredibly heartfelt performance, really delivering the emotion of the song. It made Elyjuh’s performance look pretty unremarkable in comparison, but in a real shocker, Pharrell chose to save Elyjuh, because there’s more work to do with him. Fortunately, there is still some justice in this world, and Gwen stole Ricky for her team, saying, “I feel like I might’ve just won The Voice.’
The Voice season 7 knockout rounds continue next Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC.