LIVE: ‘The Voice’ 24 Episode 22 — Reactions, Results, and Recap

Meanwhile, Team Niall’s Mara Justine is the team’s last performer of the evening. She performed her rendition of Lose Control.

Legend told The Voice host Carson Daly that it was going to be “impossible” for voters to send home a total of three contestants on Tuesday, Dec. 5. Niall shared with Justine that the performance was the best version she did all week. He also told her it was “by far” her best performance.

Team Reba is the first team to finish night one of The Voice season 24 live shows. The final teammate, Jordan Rainer, performed Stanger in My House. 

Although Rainer wanted to play instruments during the performance, McEntire had advised her that it was a “bit distracting”

Fellow coach Niall stated that Rainer has a “gravitational pull” as a performer. He also stated that she was “so cool” to watch. McEntire described Rainer as a star who “demands attention” while on stage.

Prior to taking The Voice stage by force for her rendition of Ex-Factor, Azán, as well as John Legend and advisor Chance the Rapper had to get special clearance from Lauryn Hill to perform the song, as it was the first time it was sung on the show’s stage.

After the performance, Gwen Stefani stated that she appreciated how the trio reworked the song to become something new, as it allowed her to “let go” of her obsession with the original. Legend praised Azán’s “passion and emotion” while performing the song.

Watch Azán’s performance here. 

Team Niall’s next performer, Huntley, took to The Voice stage and performed “With a Little Help From My Friends.” He stated that the performance was dedicated to his mother.

Happy for his team member, Niall stated that the performance was in a “different league” compared to Huntley’s rehearsal. The former One Direction bandmate declared to the audience that Huntley deserved to be around until the end of Season 24.

Gwen Stefani says Huntley needs a label: read more here.

Younger contestant Ruby Leigh of Team Reba took to The Voice stage next, with her own rendition of McEntire’s hit track You Lie.

Following the performance, Niall Horan had nothing but praise for Leigh and stated she gave him goosebumps. He also said he appreciates how she performs songs on the stage in her own special way.

McEntire, who was teary-eyed, declared that Leigh had blown the performance out of the water.

Up next, Team Legend’s Lila Forde performed Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls. She played the piano during the performance.

The Voice fans immediately couldn’t help but be drawn to Forde’s musical abilities. “Lila Forde on The Voice is one of the most authentic artists I have seen on shows like The Voice and American Idol,” one fan shared on X. “She isn’t doing vocal gymnastics karaoke. She sings from her soul. You can tell she is a songwriter. Amazing.”

Other X users quickly responded to the performance by pointing out her singing in positive ways. “Lila Forde’s voice is INCREDIBLE!! She worked that piano and put her all in that song!”

Team Gwen’s next performer, Tanner Massey, took to The Voice stage and performed Thnks fr th Mmrs by Fall Out Boy. 

Although most of his performances have been praised throughout the season, The Voice audience wasn’t sure about his latest. “Tanner Massey always brings intensity to the stage,” one fan shared on X. “The quieter parts of the song showed his tone and style best, the louder section & bgvs nearly drowning him out. The last 3rd of the song was a little strain. It was Ok.”

Another fan wasn’t impressed at all with Tanner’s performance. “Tanner Massey’s performance was a mess.”

Following Team Niall’s Nini Iris, Team Gwen’s Kara Tenae took to The Voice stage to perform Love by Keyshia Cole.

Fans immediately reacted with confusion, as they didn’t know why she wasn’t famous for her music talents already. “@NBCTheVoice how is Kara Tenae not a star already???” one fan asked on X.

“Kara Tenae reminds me of so many of the great RnB girls from the 90s, such a sweet tone, vulnerability, and a street innocence. Love love LOVE her!” another fan added.

Team Niall’s first performer was Nini Iris, who sang Lovesong by The Cure.

The Voice fans couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the performance. “Nini Iris has so many soaring, emotional moments. Love her runs, that dark chest opening, and then bursting into the upper notes. She bit into this melody and left no crumbs,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another fan wrote, “Nini iris has and will be my winner pick for #TheVoice”

At the start of The Voice season 24’s first live shows, Jacquie Roar of Team Reba kicked off the evening’s performances by singing Wildflowers and Wild Horses by Lainey Wilson.

The performance made Reba McEntire tear up, but it made the entire audience emotional as well.

The Voice fans quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Roar. “That’s how you kick off the Live Shows with that performance,” one fan declared. Another added, “Jacquie is awesome.”

As he continued to discuss The Voice season 24 contestants, Niall Horan told Extra that the competition between him and fellow coaches, John Legend, Gwen Stefani, and Reba McEntire, is fierce.

“I think everyone has someone that can win,” he said. “Across the Blinds, I definitely battled it out with John more.”

While speaking to Extra, Niall Horan stated that former The Voice coach Blake Shelton is a “wind-up” over text.

“The [group chat] with him and Gwen [Stefani], today, was actually going off,” Horan said. “He’s just such a wind-up… He’s always doing something to stir some crap around the place. He’s a genius at that stuff. He knows how to wind everyone up.”

Blake Shelton had appeared as a The Voice coach from season 1 to season 23. This is his first season not part of the show’s production.

While on the red carpet ahead of The Voice season 24 first live shows, Niall Horan praised Reba McEntire for her first season performance.

“She’s taken to that chair very well,” Horan said. “Reba is everything you want Reba to be. She’s been just such a great addition. She’s such a nice woman and clearly very knowledgeable about music.”

Horan further pointed out that McEntire is very affectionate and caring about her The Voice team. “She’s funny – and that’s pretty much everything you need in a coach.”

Prior to the start of The Voice season 24 live shows, Gwen Stefani joked about the “advantages” that fellow coach Niall Horan has on the show.

As she continued chatting with Extra’s Megan Ryte, Stefani stated that it’s been really fun working with Horan, who is the reigning champion. “He’s really good on the show,” she said. “He knows his art. He knows his music. I just really think he’s a cool artist.”

However, she does admit it’s frustrating to work with him due to his One Direction stardom. “Because he’s like every girl that comes through is, they’d die for him. It’s not even a fair race at this point. It’s because of One Direction back in the day. [The contestants] grew up on that.”

As she prepared for The Voice season 24 live shows, Gwen Stefani shared her thoughts about collaborating with new coach Reba McEntire sometime soon. 

“I got to sing with her so far,” Stefani told Extra’s Megan Ryte about McEntire. “‘Cuz I got to sing with her on the coach’s performance. And we just shot our Christmas thing together, which was just so cute because you get to do it over and over again. You get to hear her do like all her little nuances and like little runs. You just go, ‘Ok you’re a legend.’”

Stefani then said she’s “down” when it comes to working with McEntire. “I would do anything… I feel like, you know what I mean, you got to live hard now.” 

While speaking to Extra’s Megan Ryte, Stefani couldn’t help but gush about Reba McEntire, who is in her first coaching season on The Voice.

“She’s just one of those rare artists that has been having this super long career,” she explained. “It just keeps – it’s not even a reinvention. She just keeps being her and her and her and her. And when you see her for the first time, even if I didn’t grow up on country [music], she’s that iconic. Even I am like, ‘Oh my gosh I feel I’m looking at a poster that’s standing next to me.’” 

Stefani also said that McEntire is so recognizable. “Her personality, not to talk behind her back, but is she’s so humble. Her professionalism and everything about her is not what you would expect.”