“Admired Her Voice”— Reba McEntire from The Voice Takes Frankie Torres from Gwen Stefani

The eighth episode of The Voice season 26 aired on October 22 on NBC, showcasing the continuation of the battle rounds. During this phase, coaches paired their team members against one another to perform a selected song, after which they had to choose who would progress to the Knockout rounds.

In this episode, Team Gwen’s Gabrielle Zabosky and Frankie Torres delivered a captivating performance that left the audience in awe. Gwen Stefani ultimately declared Zabosky the battle’s victor, but just moments before Torres could exit, Reba McEntire swiftly activated her Steal button. In her justification for bringing Torres onto her team, Reba stated:

“I adored her tone, her stage presence; I was just captivated by her voice, and that’s why I felt compelled to use my Steal for Frankie.”

Reba McEntire Steals Frankie Torres on The Voice

In the Voice season 26 Battle Night 2, Coach Gwen Stefani made the tough choice to have Gabrielle Zabosky and Frankie Torres go head-to-head. After witnessing their rehearsal, Gwen felt a wave of regret over her decision to pair them, realizing how well they complemented each other.

“Wow, that was incredible. I’m in trouble here, like, totally in trouble. I had no clue they would harmonize so perfectly,” Gwen remarked.

Zabosky and Torres presented a stirring rendition of “Never Tear Us Apart”by INXS, with Torres opening the song and Zabosky providing soulful backing vocals. Their passionate delivery turned the performance into a thrilling vocal clash, aimed at captivating both the judges and the audience.

Reba McEntire expressed her admiration for Torres, commenting on her impressive vocal tone and range. She also noted that Zabosky’s performance reminded her of Barbra Jean from her own show. Concluding her evaluation, Reba shared her concern that she might have chosen Zabosky if the decision was solely hers.

Faced with an agonizing decision, Coach Gwen Stefani had to part ways with one of the talented singers from her team. Expressing her thoughts on Torres’s performance, she shared:

“Frankie, I truly appreciate your rock vibe, which is quite rare today, especially for female artists. You sounded absolutely beautiful, it was mesmerizing.”

Turning to Zabosky, Gwen highlighted the importance of helping her find her confidence during rehearsals. She encouraged the 25-year-old to embrace her talent and “let loose and just do it.”

Despite the impressive qualities both singers brought to the stage, Gwen was left with the challenging decision of advancing only one member to the Knockout rounds. After careful consideration of their battle performances, she crowned Zabosky as the Battle winner. Gwen explained her choice:

“Gabrielle really elevated her performance and she is incredibly talented. I believe that as she gains more confidence, we’ll witness her vocal abilities shine even brighter. I had to go with Gabrielle.”

While Torres faced elimination and began to say her goodbyes, Reba boldly pressed her Steal button, securing Torres as a new member of her team.

Reba clarified her strategy to Gwen, revealing that she initially had her eye on Torres. Though she acknowledged that Zabosky had performed better, she viewed this maneuver as a calculated move: allowing Gwen to choose Zabosky while also securing Torres for her own team.