The Voice Season 26 Episode 8 Recap: Five Contestants Eliminated as Reba McEntire Makes First Steal

The much-awaited reality series, The Voice, commenced its battle rounds in the last episode, resulting in the departure of four contestants. Season 26, Episode 8 aired on October 22 at 8 PM ET on NBC, featuring the second night of the battle rounds, where 12 contestants faced off against each other.

During these intense battle rounds, coaches Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Reba McEntire, and Gwen Stefani matched two of their 14 acts in direct competition. In these critical moments of the competition, one artist advances within the team, while the other is eliminated.

In the previous episode, four contestants were sent home, but judges had the chance to utilize their steal option to save a losing artist. Last night, both Michael and Gwen made use of their initial steal opportunities. However, in the most recent episode, the coaches were more reserved with their steals, with only Reba employing her option to rescue one artist from the six battles.

Highlights from The Voice Season 26 Episode 8

The evening began with a battle between Adam Bohanan and Kevin James Graham from Team Reba. Adam, who once lived in England, cultivated a passion for music there, and Reba described his voice as more soulful compared to Kevin’s hard rock approach.

The pair performed “Lose Control”by Teddy Swims, infusing their unique styles into the rendition. Gwen lauded their harmonious collaboration; ultimately, Reba chose Adam, whose sound closely mirrored that of the original artist. Thus, Kevin was eliminated from The Voice as none of the other coaches opted to steal him.

Following that, Team Snoop saw the experienced duo MisterMoon battle against young soloist ChrisDeo, who celebrated her 17th birthday during their mentoring session. Snoop selected “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”by Amy Winehouse for their performance. After a passionate showcase, Snoop decided to advance ChrisDeo, leading to MisterMoon’s exit from the competition.

Next, Michael Bublé showcased a song he claimed “changed music forever” from an artist he described as “the most significant figure in American music history.” Team Bublé’s Edward Preble and Mark Shii battled it out in a duet for their rendition of Louis Armstrong’s iconic “What a Wonderful World.”

Mark, a roots/folk musician chosen as Michael’s Coach Replay pick, competed against the standout music student Edward. The judges appreciated the diverse styles brought by both singers, yet Michael ultimately selected Edward, eliminating Mark from contention.

A montage performance featured both Team Bublé and Team Snoop, with Torion Sellers paired with Jeremy Beloate from Team Bublé performing “Just the Way You Are”by Bruno Mars. Michael later noted that he preferred Jeremy’s distinctiveness for the next round, leading to Torion’s elimination.

Meanwhile, Team Snoop combined Suede Lacy and Torre Blake for a performance of “What I Do For Love”by Bobby Caldwell. Recognizing both contestants’ hidden talents, Snoop chose Torre as the victor, sending Suede home from the competition.

The final battle of the evening featured Frankie Torres and Gabrielle Zabosky from Team Gwen, who delivered a stirring rendition of “Never Tear Us Apart”by INXS. Gabrielle, who earned a 4-chair turn during auditions, noted her good rapport with her competitor.

The bluesy arrangement showcased both singers’ unique vocal qualities, earning them praise. Ultimately, Gwen selected Gabrielle, but Reba utilized her steal option to rescue Frankie from elimination.

The Voice airs every Tuesday at 8 PM ET on NBC.

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