Team Kelsea’s members are making things are hard for their coach. In a sneak peek of the upcoming battle round episode of The Voice, Kelsea Ballerini’s Iris Herrera and Simone Marijic wowed with their cover of Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceiling.”
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The ladies delivered a haunting performance of the emotional track that left all of the coaches in awe.
“Kelsea honored you by choosing a really great song,” Michael Bublé told the contestants after their battle. “It starts off really exposed, and I thought both of you sang so beautifully in those more tender parts.”
For Iris, John praised her voice’s “wonderful Kind of grit” and depth. Meanwhile, for Simone, he gushed over her “little lilt” and the accents in her voice. Both women, he said, impressed with their harmonies, as their “voices sound so great together.”
“I hoped both of you [would] join my team, and both of you chose Kelsea Ballerini,” he recalled. “I’m going to make it harder for her by not saying who I think would be the winner.”
John Legend seconded Michael’s comments. He told Simone that “it was really compelling to hear you navigate all those really difficult parts at the beginning.” For Iris, John praised her “glorious tone,” which he said was full of power and rasp.
“[I love] your style,” he added to Iris. “I think you carry yourself onstage with the presence of a star. Stay that way. It’s very compelling.”
Adam Levine started his remarks by noting, “It’s funny how I didn’t turn for you guys, and all I’ve been doing is regretting that.”
“The transition from the blind auditions to now is always so surprising, which is a great thing, because that means you guys are evolving and getting stronger,” he said. “It’s a testament to Kelsea. It’s a testament to you guys.”
If it was his choice, Adam said he would pick Iris, “because I’m a sucker for tone and there was a moment in that performance when I looked over at Kelsea and I was like, ‘Oh, yeah.’”
The Voice Coach Kelsea Ballerini Weighs in
Kelsea was far less sure about which direction she wanted to go.
“Simone, your voice to me is like a feather, because you have this really strong, meaty part to it, but then you have these edges that just fray off,” she said. “It feels light and fluffy sometimes, and it feels really strong and powerful sometimes. It was really beautiful.”
“Iris, I’ve said this so many times to her that it’s going to get weird, and if it is just tell me. The vibrato on some of the end of her notes, it’s so tasty,” Kelsea added. “It’s a trademark to your voice.”
Kelsea added that both of the women are “so talented” and “so bold and brave for being here at the age that you are.”
With that, she had a question for host Carson Daly. “Can I pass? What do I do? Do I have to do this?”
Carson informed her that a decision was necessary, but viewers will have to wait until the show airs to see which direction Kelsea leans.
The Voice airs Mondays on NBC at 8/7c.
Photo by Griffin Nagel/NBC
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