The Voice Recap: Season 25 Premiere Serves Up an All-You-Can-Seat Buffet
Monday’s Season 25 premiere of The Voice answered a question that had been left dangling since it was announced that Dan + Shay would be joining returnees John Legend, Chance the Rapper and Reba McEntire on the coaching panel: Would four-chair turns still be called four-chair turns… or five-, since technically both Dan and Shay would have seats?
The answer — and maybe this was only of such keen interest to Voice recappers — was that four-chair turns would remain four-chair turns (perhaps since the new coaches’ dual seat swivels as one). And right off the bat, a four-chair turn was what we got. Read on, and we’ll discuss not only that performance but those of all the singers who advanced from Night 1 of the Blind Auditions.
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Dani Stacy (Team Chance), “I Will Survive” — Grade: B+ | If Miley Cyrus had turned Gloria Gaynor’s disco hit into a country-pop ballad, this four-chair turn’s version is what it would’ve sounded like. And it was so good — so tasteful, so raspy — that I wished The Voice still put songs from the Blinds on iTunes. I’d have bought the hell out of this.
Justin and Jeremy Garcia (Team Dan + Shay), “Story of My Life” — Grade: B- | I could understand why John didn’t turn his chair for these 17-year-old twins when his fellow coaches did. The kids’ tones were overall lovely, but the sibs were a bit mumbly at times and, perhaps owing to excitement, not always able nail their crucial harmonies.
Tae Lewis (Team Reba), “Somebody Like You” — Grade: B | Having fought prejudice to get a shot as a Black country singer, Tae delivered a nicely controlled, wholly enjoyable rendition of Keith Urban’s hit that piqued both John and Reba’s interest. My one concern about Tae: Does he have the range and firepower to see him through the Battles?
The Voice: Every Winner of Every Season — and What They’ve Done Since
Ryan Argast (Team Dan + Shay), “Speechless” — Grade: A- | Bravely tackling the new coaches’ ballad, the rocker brought an element of cheesiness to the stage that he overcame with a seriously solid vocal. After Huntley’s win last season, I couldn’t fathom why Ryan only got one chair turn; a Michael Bolton type like him could go far on the show.
Nadège (Team Chance), “Get You” — Grade: B+ | John and Chance were both moved to swivel their chairs for Nadège (whose name, she explained, is French and means “hope”). Her voice was so singularly silky, it felt like a caress gliding through the air. John seemed to have won her over when he got up to sing “Ordinary People” with her — but then Chance did the same thing!
Josh Sanders (Team Reba), “Whiskey On You” — Grade: A | Oh yeah, Blake Shelton would’ve turned his chair for this country boy before he’d so much as gotten out his whole first line. But it took Reba and Dan + Shay dang near the whole song to recognize how kickass his rasp and range were. Gonna go out on a limb and predict that we’ll be seeing him in the Playoffs.
OK3 (Team TBD), “Made You Look” — Grade: A | Inspired by Girl Named Tom and Sorelle, this trio reunited after years apart to try out for The Voice. Smart move. Unlike the Garcia brothers earlier in the episode, the four-chair turns’ vocals were hella tight. The cutesy choreography was a questionable move, but if nothing else, again, it showed how in sync they were.
So, your thoughts on Season 25’s coaching panel? Dan + Shay? The first of the Blinds? Vote in the polls below, then hit the comments.
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