The Voice’s final nine contestants teamed up in three groups of three Monday night to celebrate to the musical juggernaut that is Taylor Swift. The pairings made for some of the most dynamic highlights of the live semifinal show.
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For the evening’s first trio performance, Team Niall’s Huntley joined forces with Team Legend’s Mac Royals and Lila Forde for a heartfelt, plaintive rendition of “Exile,” Swift’s hit duet with Bon Iver, from her 2020 album Folklore.
[RELATED: The Voice: Watch Lila Forde’s Show-Stopping Performance of Joni Mitchell’s “River”]
A “Fantastic Performance”
Huntley started the song off with his low growl, then came Royals with his smooth and soulful voice, followed by Lila’s sweet and soaring vocals. The three singers then proceeded to alternate expertly trading lines and harmonizing.
After the performance, host Carson Daly commented, “Coaches [were] quick on their feet for that one … That was fantastic.”
“Supergroup Vibes”
The show’s second collaborative performance featured three of this season’s vocal powerhouses—Team Reba’s Jacquie Roar and Team Niall’s Mara Justine and Nina Iris. The trio tackled Swift’s 2017 tune “Don’t Blame Me,” from her album Reputation.
The three singers took the pop-gospel tune to another level, each having the opportunity to showcase their impressive pipes, as well as harmonizing seamlessly.
“Wow, that just blew everybody away,” Daly commented afterward. “What is happening here? Jacquie, Mara, and Nini, holy mackerel, had this room just stunned. That had supergroup vibes!”
Ruby Leigh, Jordan Rainer and BIAS Get “Mean”
The last trio performance of the night featured three of this season’s country singers—Team Gwen’s BIAS and Team Reba’s Ruby Leigh and Jordan Rainer, the latter of whom was the beneficiary of the instant save on The Voice’s playoff rounds. The contestants took on Swift’s Grammy-winning hit “Mean,” from her 2010 album Speak Now.
For the performance, BIAS, Ruby, and Jordan really leaned into the song’s twangy country and bluegrass vibe, begin and ending the tune with tight, gospel-inspired harmonies. The tune also featured BIAS and Ruby strumming acoustic guitars and Jordan picking a banjo.
All nine final contestants also performed solo, delivering renditions of songs chosen specially for them by their fans. The Voice’s season 24 continues on Tuesday, and America will find out which contestants will make it to the final five.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
