The first (live) cut is the deepest and that's especially true tonight as The Voice trims down its season 19 crop of artists from 17 to 9. Here's how it works: We'll learn the winner of America's vote on each team and then the coaches will get to save one of their remaining artists. There's your Top 8. After that, we'll learn the next highest vote-getter on each team, and those four contestants will sing in the Wildcard Instant Save for the final spot. Let's get into it — we have a lot of  dreams to crush tonight!

TEAM KELLY

America's Vote: Desz

Coach Save: Cami Clune

In the Wildcard Round: Tanner Gomes

Eliminated: Madeline Consoer

__________

TEAM GWEN

America's Vote: Carter Rubin

Coach Save: Ben Allen

In the Wildcard Round: Payge Turner

Eliminated: Joseph Soul

__________

TEAM BLAKE

America's Vote: Ian Flanigan

Coach Save: Jim Ranger

In the Wildcard Round: Worth the Wait

Eliminated: Sid Kingsley, Taryn Papa

__________

TEAM LEGEND

America's Vote: John Holiday

Coach Save: Tamara Jade

In the Wildcard Round: Bailey Rae

Eliminated: Chloé Hogan

__________

THE WILDCARD INSTANT ROUND

Team Blake: Worth the Wait, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" by Martina McBride

There's a lot of country in this Wildcard Round, so Worth the Wait needs to be on point to stand above the rest. There are some rough notes especially in the beginning, and although the ladies pick it up toward the end, this is not their best performance. Coach Blake Shelton is proud though, and he feels confident his trio is getting a ton of votes already.

Team Gwen: Payge Turner, "Diamonds" by Rihanna

As the only non-country artist here, Payge might have a decent shot at winning this thing. Also helping her: This song choice. It's right in-line with what she's been doing all season and her confidence on stage and vocal control remain very much intact, despite the high-pressure situation. Coach Gwen Stefani calls it "stunning" and once again praises Payge's authentic artistry.

Team Kelly: Tanner Gomes, "Pickin' Wildflowers" by Keith Anderson

Tanner does what Tanner does best and brings the party to The Voice stage. He's always having a good time! He's not the best technical vocalist of the bunch, but he knows exactly what he's doing. Coach Kelly Clarkson applauds him for "bringing the honky-tonk" and pleads with America to vote him through "so [she] can dance some more."

Team Legend: Bailey Rae, "Never Again, Again" by Lee Ann Womack

Like Tanner, Bailey knows exactly what kind of country artist she is and she brings her classic country twang out one more time for the Wildcard Instant Save. This is a great song choice for her. Coach John Legend tells Bailey Rae that he loves to see her stay true to who she is: "The easier route would be to do the hottest new thing" but instead Bailey sticks to her throwback sound. "Your voice paired with these classic songs feels so right," he says.

After making me cry with all their heartfelt notes of gratitude to their coaches (this whole group seems so sincere!), we learn how this thing shakes out. And the winner of the Wildcard Instant Save, rounding out the Top 9 is... Team Legend's Bailey Rae! See you next week as the remaining contestants duke it out for one of four spots in the finale. Yep, that's right, we're headed to the semi-finals.

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Maggie Fremont

Anyway, let's take a look at your Top 17.

TEAM KELLY

Desz // “What’s Love Got to Do With It” by Tina Turner

We need Desz in the finals. We deserve Desz in the finals, people. I mean, the low notes! The vocal control! The performance value. THE RANGE. All of this was showcased in her take on this Tina Turner classic. Friends, readers, countrymen, that note that blew the roof off the place? Can we talk about that note? John Legend calls Desz “an assassin” in the way she’s so intentional in every note, every move, even her look. He is “thoroughly impressed,” and that’s not nothing. 

Madeline Consoer // “What If I Never Get Over You” by Lady A

Madeline may be Team Kelly’s chameleon, but she’s seemed to settle in the pop-country lane and it really suits her voice. Still, with so many country artists this year, it’s going to take a lot for her to stand out — which is extra hard to do after the performance she’s following. As always, Madeline’s great at connecting emotionally to her song. Blake Shelton approves of her genre selection, of course, and also loves the song choice for her. Coach Kelly Clarkson loves how much Madeline's voice opens up on those big notes — she really can tackle anything.

Tanner Gomes // “Lovin’ On You” by Luke Combs

Kelly’s good ol’ country boy, not surprisingly, goes full out country. But compared to Madeline, Tanner is deep, all-in country. Again, there are tons of country options this season and Tanner might not hold up against some of Blake’s heavy hitters. Still, Tanner makes his coach very happy — she praises his instincts when it comes to musical choices, but also just loves that he’s always having a great time up there. It’s infectious. 

Cami Clune // “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS

Cami Clune is such an exciting contestant to have on a show like this: You never know what she’s going to do each week and she keeps growing in her confidence. Aside from her artistry, her vocals on this song are stronger than ever. She brings the drama and the power. Also, she makes me believe I too could pull off the longest of fake nails, bless her. Kelly Clarkson calls Cami a “one-woman show” and compares her to Annie Lennox, telling her she’s “so dramatic in the most classy, cool way.” That comparison has to feel pretty good.

TEAM GWEN

Payge Turner // “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC 

Oh, Payge. I needed this song choice and I needed this glitter suit. Many thanks for these gifts. Like Cami, Payge is in her own lane and she uses what little time she has in this performance bonanza to remind us of that. It’s such a smart choice. Host Carson Daly tells Payge that the whole thing “felt like a James Bond opening sequence” and Payge’s own coach Gwen Stefani compares her to Prince. Gwen especially loves how Payge made it her own without making it completely unrecognizable. (I mean, it’s very different from the original, but yes, you never forget it’s an NSYNC jam.) So, uh, yeah, everyone really enjoyed it. 

Ben Allen // “There Goes My Life” by Kenny Chesney

Every team has at least one country artist, and Ben Allen is Gwen’s — a steal from Blake’s team. It was a great move on Gwen’s part: Ben’s voice is so rich and round and he seemed to fly under the radar in earlier rounds. That’s probably why, according to Gwen Stefani, Ben decided to strip the song down and really showcase his vocals. It’s a great choice, allowing us to hear his voice in a new way and really pay attention to what he’s capable of. Carson Daly’s enjoying watching Blake seethe a little bit over letting this guy go.

Joseph Soul // “How Deep Is Your Love” by The Bee Gees

Joseph Soul’s voice is so warm and inviting and although he hasn’t gotten as much airtime as some other contestants, the guy can work some runs. Like Payge, Joseph Soul really makes this song his own. His coach is beyond impressed and excited to see that he “showed a side no one has seen yet” and looked more confident in who he is as an artist. She also applauds the fact that she didn’t hear one bad note and that he’s so skilled in moving between his head and chest voice. All important things in a singing competition!

Carter Rubin // “Hero” by Mariah Carey

I mean, we can all agree that Carter should be sailing to the finals, right? He’s the perfect vocal competition contestant, which is not to knock his talent — the (newly) 15-year-old takes on Mariah Freaking Carey. With some growls and all the power notes to go with it. And the runs at the end of his performance? Unreal. Once again, Carter leaves his coach in tears (can we get an update on Kelly Clarkson, guys?). She’s continually proud and inspired by him, not just because the boy has some vocals, but because he seems so at ease in this high-pressure situation.

TEAM BLAKE

Jim Ranger // “Rumor” by Lee Brice

Blake won with a pastor last season, could this be a repeat? In the team package, Blake calls Jim Ranger “a dark horse” but I feel like he’s been floating toward the top of the pack for some time now. He’s always so emotionally connected to the song, he sounds like he could be on the radio today, and hi, yes, that rasp. And after that performance, Jim’s coach certainly doesn’t view him as a dark horse anymore: “I believe in my heart you’re gonna be in the finale. Let’s go win this thing,” an excited Blake Shelton tells his artist.

Worth the Wait // “Love is Alive” by the Judds

Blake’s team has some serious contenders and although Worth the Wait’s harmonies are getting better every time they perform (all the coaches agree this is the family trio’s best performance yet), I don’t know if just being a trio will give them a pass this season. It was nice to hear Jacy take the lead, and proud coach Blake notes that the live rounds really show the coaches and the audience what the artists are made of. He thought Worth the Wait stepped up.

Ian Flanigan // “Make You Feel My Love” by Bob Dylan

This is a great song choice for Ian Flanigan — it gives him a chance to show that he’s not just a barreling, gritty voice, by allowing him to show some real emotion. It works! All four coaches hop out of their seats as he finishes up a truly moving performance (am I just worn down by the sheer amount of performances we’ve been through? Who knows! The Live Playoffs, everybody!). Blake, who seems sincerely hyped by his team this season, sums it up nicely: “This show is called The Voice. When have you ever in your life heard a voice like that? Recognize it and reward it.” 

Taryn Papa // “I Hope You’re Happy Now” by Lee Brice and Carly Pearce

For the Four-Way Knockout, Taryn sang a Faith Hill song and that’s exactly who her voice reminds me of every time she sings. Just giving us all the '90s power country we can handle. Speaking of, after her performance, Blake tells her she needs to get her vocals on a Martina McBride song, which is also not a terrible idea. Taryn does her thing, and gives a solid, strong country vocal, but is that enough to stand out on Blake’s team?

Sid Kingsley // “Beyond” by Leon Bridges

It’s pretty insane that someone as good as Sid Kingsley has now been on three different teams — although, perhaps it's a testament to his talent that even though he hasn’t won a round yet, he’s still hanging in there. By sitting behind his keyboard for this round, Sid feels a little removed from the whole performance, but his vocals remain as insane as ever. He’s a pro. Blake praises Sid for being “an incredible musician” and perhaps more importantly, for being “an incredible vocalist.” He makes it all seem effortless.

TEAM LEGEND

Tamara Jade // “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley

I’m still thinking about Tamara’s Stevie Wonder Knockout performance because it begs to be thought about. And then she shows up here to do her own take on “Crazy” — the woman is a true performer. Or, as her own coach calls her, “a superstar.” She owns the stage any time she walks on it, and more than that, she squeezed every great vocal moment out of that song that she could. “You know you’re supposed to be here,” John Legend tells her, wowed by Tamara’s confidence and showmanship. Plus, he calls her voice “magnificent” and “beautiful.” So, Tamara has that going for her, too.

Chloé Hogan // “my future” by Billie Eilish

Chloé Hogan made all the coaches take notice of her artistry with her SWV Knockout song, and now she’s working on making the audience do the same. Once again, she shows off her prowess in making great, meaningful musical choices and takes us on a dynamic journey. Coach John Legend calls the performance “graceful and tasteful” and praises her for getting her take on the song “exactly right.” All four of the coaches are on their feet by the song’s end.

Bailey Rae // “Sweet Music Man” by Kenny Rogers

A few questions: Is Bailey Rae the most country of all the country on this show this season? Is this the best Bailey Rae’s sounded? The answer might be yes to both? She’s strong and precise and tells a story. John Legend, who gives props to Kelly Clarkson for suggesting Bailey perform this song, tells his country artist that her “voice has so much presence and clarity” and he “loved hearing her voice on that song.” It’s a pleasing performance for Bailey Rae’s coach.

John Holiday // “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra

We’re ending the show with some of John Holiday’s vocal Olympics, naturally. Part of me wishes he had saved “All By Myself” for this moment to make the choice undeniable, but his coach praises his artist for showing us all that he can do, across various genres, throughout this competition. It’s a fun, jazzy way to end the night and John Holiday continues to show off his insane vocal control. “You’re one of the greatest vocalists we’ve ever seen on this show,” John Legend says. 

Take a deep breath, people: We’ve made it through 17 performances. Who are we thinking cracks the Top 9 and how do you think it’ll break down between America’s votes and who each coach decides to save? There will surely be some angst. 

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Maggie Fremont

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Usher Raymond is really bringing some great Usher-isms to his role as The Voice’s season 19 Knockout round Mega-Mentor. Currently, my favorite is “if you’re in your head, you’re dead,” but “just because you know it all, doesn’t mean you need to show it all” also has some major everyday life applications, too. He’s helping our remaining contestants be the best they can be both vocally and spiritually, you know? 

We’re getting closer to the Live Playoffs, which honestly seems insane, and tonight we have six more Knockout pairings to watch play out. We also get a brief look at Team Gwen’s Joseph Soul ousting Van Andrew because Joseph’s tone “melts” Gwen Stefani and she thinks he seems more ready to take on the Lives than Van. Who will be joining Joseph Soul in the next round? Let’s take a look.

Team Kelly: Desz, “Can We Talk” by Tevin Campbell vs. Sid Kingsley, “Make It Rain” by Foy Vance

Desz is Kelly Clarkson’s powerhouse performer and Sid Kingsley, who Kelly stole from Team Legend in the Battles, has a soulful storytelling tone that continues to wow the coaches every round. Basically: Kelly's screwed herself over here and she knows it, Usher knows, we all know it. Desz is doing a lot with this Tevin Campbell song and Kelly and Usher advise her to scale it back just a bit, mainly so that the woman can find a place to breathe. They tell Sid that his performance is missing some of the emotional ache the song calls for. Both artists take those notes and sing their faces off in front of the coaches. Blake Shelton tells Desz that she is continually raising the bar and John Legend calls her performance, in which she shows off a truly ridiculous range (her low notes made my heart grow three sizes), a “stunning tour de force.” Meanwhile, Gwen tells Sid that the soul in his voice is “natural and pure” and Sid’s former coach John Legend says this was Sid’s “best performance yet.” Kelly is torn, but also knows there are steals still available, so, like, not that torn.

Winner: Desz

Steals: Both John and Blake hit their button to try to steal Sid. In the end, Sid decides he might as well work with as many musical superstars as possible and joins Team Blake.

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Team Blake: Jim Ranger, “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw vs. Jus Jon, “Finesse” by Bruno Mars

Most of Blake Shelton’s Knockouts this season seem like foregone conclusions from the get-go, this one included. Unless Jus Jon does something undeniably epic, you know Blake’s going with Jim Ranger. Jus Jon tries his hardest! With some tweaks from Usher about making the song more dynamic and upping the performance value, Jus Jon gets the coaches dancing and singing along in a way that seems effortless and natural; Coach Blake calls himself “a huge fan.” But Jus Jon is up against Jim Ranger doing something emotional and intimate, and that, paired with his soulful rasp, really draws the coaches in. He never goes overboard, but still manages to tell a dynamic story with the song. Gwen tells him he “could win this show.” Blake praises Jim’s ability to move people. The emotional performance overshadows everything else.

Winner: Jim Ranger

Steals: n/a

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Team Legend: Bailey Rae, “Let Me Down Easy” by Billy Currington vs. Lauren Frihauf, “Cry Baby” by Janis Joplin

Well, Lauren Frihauf’s rehearsal doesn’t go as well as one might hope. She’s a huge Janis Joplin fan, but as soon as she’s done both John and Usher have some reservations about the song choice. Her “sweeter tones” aren’t able to come through in this song and to John, it sounds like Lauren’s pushing way too hard. The song doesn’t sound like her. They work on the arrangement and when the performance comes around, there’s much more of Lauren’s stamp on “Cry Baby.” There’s a lightness to this version and more stylization. Still, she’s facing off against John’s first ever country artist, Bailey Rae. As John notes, Bailey is pure country through-and-through and this is a fun, new challenge for him. It doesn’t hurt that Bailey sings with such clarity and performs those country dips with such authenticity. It’s never a bad idea to go into the Live Playoffs with a country singer on this show, and John Legend knows it.

Winner: Bailey Rae

Steals: n/a

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Team Blake: Ian Flanigan, “Beautiful Crazy” by Luke Combs vs. James Pyle, “In My Blood” by Shawn Mendes

Apologies to James Pyle, the next contestant to be sacrificed in order to get Ian Flanigan to the Live Playoffs. Like Jim Ranger before him, there’s no way Blake isn’t moving Ian forward. He’s obsessed with that deep, gravelly voice that, in case you thought we’ve run out of ways to describe, has Blake asking Ian if he “drink[s] boiling water” in order to make that sound. This time around John notes that, yes, everyone “marvels” at Ian’s gravel, but the guy also has range and “sounded great up top.” Kelly describes Ian’s style as having “an urgency” that is compelling. Meanwhile, James Pyle does his thing over in the pop lane and while he shows off his powerful range, this song choice doesn’t reveal anything new that would put him over the top against Ian. Still, John Legend is jealous he can’t hit some of the high notes James can, and Blake finds him to be an exciting performer. It still won’t be enough.

Winner: Ian Flanigan

Steals: n/a

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Team Kelly: Kelsie Watts, “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette vs. Madeline Consoer, “Die From a Broken Heart” by Maddie and Tae

In rehearsals, both Kelsie and Madeline are given the same basic advice: They need to be vulnerable to portray the emotion of both of these songs. One gets to that vulnerable place a little better than the other. Taking on Alanis’s rage anthem “You Oughta Know” is a big risk and Kelsie’s version of it is a little too theatrical, instead of brimming with that authentic, raw anger of the original. But the girl does have some power in her vocals. Meanwhile, Madeline gives her best performance of the competition yet. We’ve seen her do various genres, but she seems at home here in this pop-country lane, so much so that after her performance, Blake wonders why she isn’t on his team. John notes that aside from being on-point vocally, Madeline was completely “connected” to the song. Kelly is presented with two very different singers, but it seems clear that Madeline is the type of performer who would do well in the Live Playoffs.

Winner: Madeline Consoer

Steals: n/a

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Team Gwen: Carter Rubin, “You Say” by Lauren Daigle vs. Chloé Hogan, “Weak” by SWV

It still remains astonishing that Carter Rubin is only 14 years old. More than his vocal power and musical choices, it’s the way he can emote through a song that makes him seem much more mature than you’d assume a 14-year-old could be. He shows off all of his tricks again here with a song that is both perfect for singing competitions and overdone. He’s so moving, in fact, that Kelly is a complete mess throughout. She calls it a “finale performance.” But don’t sleep on Chloé Hogan, friends. She comes out on stage a more confident performer than we’ve ever seen from her and she owns this SWV jam. John Legend notes just how difficult it is to pull off a song like that, which isn’t necessarily “built for this competition” the way “Say” is. He is “stunned” by some of the “cool, unexpected things” she did with “Weak.” Even Blake says he wishes he “had a steal” for Chloé.

Winner: Carter Rubin

Steals: John made it pretty clear he’d be stealing Chloé and thinks that the “flawless” and “stylish” singer will fit in perfectly on Team Legend.

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TEAM STANDINGS

Team Kelly: Desz, Madeline Consoer

Still to sing in Knockouts: Tanner Gomes, Marisa Corvo, Ryan Gallagher

Team Gwen: Payge Turner, Ben Allen (steal), Joseph Soul, Carter Rubin

Still to sing in Knockouts: Larriah Jackson

Team Legend: Tamara Jade, Bailey Rae, Chloé Hogan (steal)

Still to sing in Knockouts: John Holiday, Julia Cooper, Cami Clune

Team Blake: Worth the Wait, Sid Kingsley (steal), Jim Ranger, Ian Flanigan

Still to sing in Knockouts: Taryn Papa 

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• NBC shows welcome Kelly Clarkson to the fold with epic ‘Since U Been Gone’ Twitter thread
• NBC sets return dates for This Is Us, The Good Place, Law & Order: SVU,The Voice

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The Voice

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Author:Maggie Fremont - Source: EW