The Voice Finale Recap: [Spoiler] Is Named the Winner of Season 25
All five of The Voice’s finalists took a turn around the stage Tuesday night, but only one of them was doing a victory lap. Which? C’mon. You know the drill. Before we’d find out who won, we’d get a star-studded evening of entertainment, this one extra special owing to a celebration of the show’s 25th season featuring flashbacks galore. (Baby Adam Levine! Young Blake Shelton!)
The Voice: Every Winner of Every Season — and What They’ve Done Since
Among the highlights of the guest performances were Thomas Rhett teaching a master class in how to nail fast singing on his new single “Beautiful as You,” Muni Long bringing the sultry on her viral hit “Made for Me” while surrounded by chandeliers I kept expecting to go all Phantom of the Opera, and The Black Keys adding the alt to pop-rock with “Beautiful People (Stay High).”
In hour No. 2, Yellowstone’s wild-eyed Lainey Wilson — remember Ryan’s country-singer girlfriend Abby? — really got the party started with her rollicking “Hang Tight, Honey” (after which Reba issued her official invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry). Kate Hudson proved that she’s as solid a singer as she is an actress on her ballad, “Glorious.” (On an unrelated note, her mod wedding dress was gorgeous, no?)
By and by, Season 23 winner Gina Miles gave what was touted as the first performance of her new single, a cover of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”… even though she’d sung that same ballad in her season’s Playoffs. (Huh?) Carson Daly gave a shout-out to the late Debra Byrd and Ernie Fields Jr., who’d played integral roles in the music on The Voice over the years. And Jelly Roll performed “I’m Not OK” to let me know that his name is not just something that they’d make on the Great British Baking Show.
As for the coach/contestant duets, Dan + Shay’s team-up with Karen Waldrup on Lady A’s “You Look Good” sounded (damn) good, though I wouldn’t have minded if the contestant’s mic volume had been turned up a smidgen. On Joe Bonamassa’s version of “Feelin’ Good,” John Legend brought out the best in Bryan Olesen. (But why was the EGOT winner dressed like Fonzie?)
Later, Reba McEntire and Josh Sanders took us to church with a spirited rendition of Randy Houser’s “Back to God.” (I’m sure I’m going to hell for thinking it wasn’t nearly as much fun as his cover of Houser’s “Boots On.”) Next, she and Asher HaVon were kinda mismatched on Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald’s ’80s hit, “On My Own.” Aaand John and Nathan Chester blew the other duets clear off the stage with their version of “When a Man Loves a Woman.”
Finally, in the moment of truth, Carson Daly announced that the audience had voted into…
Fifth Place
Karen Waldrup (Team Dan + Shay)
Fourth Place
Nathan Chester (Team John Legend) — Nooo! Gutted!
Third Place
Bryan Olesen (Team John Legend)
Runner-Up
Josh Sanders (Team Reba McEntire)
Winner
Asher HaVon (Team Reba McEntire)
So, your thoughts about the results? And the season as a whole? Vote in the polls below, then read Asher’s take on the competition here.
