The Voice (2011–…): Season 4, Episode 7 - The Battles Part 1 - full transcript

I came here to stay and
going home is not an option.

This is the biggest moment
of my singing career.

I don't want to
journey end right here.

I got to sing for my
soul. Sing desperation.

I'm gonna win this
battle if it kills me.

Welcome to the battle rounds.

It's the most intense part
of the competition yet.

As our four superstars coaches
Adam Levine, Blake Shelton,

Shakira and Usher, take
their teams of 12 into battle.

Bring on the battles.

Team Usher is about to blow your mind.



Two artists will enter the
ring going head to head against

One of their own
teammates in a vocal duel.

The battle round separates
the pros from the amateurs.

Let the battle begin.

I'm get so passionate
about these guys.

I really want them to do well.

It's tough because you know

we're going to have
to send somebody home.

Who is the winner of this battle?

Can I keep them both?

It's really, really
hard for me. I mean...

The winner of this battle...

Is..

But no matter who the coaches choose,



the artists being sent
home may get a second chance

because the steals... Are back.

We got a steal!

Steals are a game
changer on "The Voice".

Each coach is allowed to steal

two deserving artists for their team.

You get an opportunity for talents that
you might have missed out on before.

Which is a great thing.

And if more than one coach
pushes their button...

Two steals!

The power to choose shifts.

Come to me!

I can't wait to steal an
artist from the other coaches.

But before they take the stage,

our coaches will personally
train their artists.

They have to bring it, and that's
what I'm trying to teach my team.

The scariest part of the
show is these battle rounds.

And the coaches will
enlist expert advisers.

What's up, fellas?

Adam has brought in
Hillary Scott, lead singer,

and seven-time Grammy
winner from Lady Antebellum.

I'm a huge fan of The Voice.

I love the battle rounds.
It's do or die time.

Blake has the help of nine-time
Grammy winner Sheryl Crow.

I love the fact these kids
are all getting to learn

from people that have
already been out there.

Shakira's adviser is Joel Madden,

coach on The Voice Australia and frontman
for the multiplatinum band Good Charlotte.

There's no one like shakira,

and if it wasn't for the
people who mentored me,

I wouldn't be doing this for a living.

And Usher has three-time Grammy
winner, Pharrell Williams.

I like The Voice because
it's really about who's best.

It's about that person that cuts
through like a lightning strike.

All right, all right, all
right. You all ready to battle?

And the new coaches are
bringing a style all their own.

If you're going to change my melody,
you'd better be sure about it.

- What's funny?
- Nothing.

This is funny to you?

You can't teach a person to be a star.

All I'm doing is hopefully unlocking
things that are naturally there.

And in the end, it's
really about who's best.

All of their training will lead
to the vocal fight of their lives.

It's go time.

Because in the end, only
one artist will win it all.

That was not a great battle. That was the
best battle I've ever seen on the show.

Team Usher, baby!

- The battle rounds start...
- Right now!

Before the first battle,

let's head over to Adam and his adviser,

Hillary Scott, lead singer of
Grammy Award winning Lady Antebellum.

I have the best team.
You can just tell me.

You can say that I have the best team.

- I think you do.
- I know.

Let's take a look at
Adam's first matchup.

19-year-old, Amber Carrington
from Rockwell, Texas,

versus 30-year-old Sasha Allen from
Brooklyn, New York.

After losing her mom to cancer, Amber
left the comforts of her Texas town

hoping to shine on The Voice stage.

Amber filled Adam's
team, frustrating Blake.

I hate Adam right now.

- You are so good.
- I've never had a vocal lesson before.

That means I get to say
I also discovered you.

Sasha, a classically trained
pianist and mother of two,

delivered a moving
performance of a country hit.

Wowing all four coaches.

You are what I've been
waiting for all day.

And picked Adam as her coach.

- How are you?
- Good.

I'm excited. I was so
surprised to see Hillary Scott

of Lady Antebellum, like hello.

I love them. They're so awesome.

You both have incredible voices

for an entirely
different list of reasons.

But these are duets. You're
singing a song together on stage,

and you want to connect
with one another.

I picked "Try" by Pink,
and I think for both,

Amber and Sasha, it will be a challenge

because it's so emotional
and a little bit dark.

Amber has a gift.
She's a country artist.

I'm more on the R&B side.
Bu I think it's a great song.

Creates a middle ground for everybody.

One of the most beautiful
things to me about this song is

there's something so hypnotic about it.

And wherever you are in your
life, put yourself in that song.

Sasha is very experienced.

She's been in the business a lot longer.

It's very scary for me
because she is so powerful.

Sasha, there one thing that Amber
was doing which is really great

is kind of this, like...

It's very floaty.

And there's so much power in your voice,

you run the risk of doing too much.

It's more melodic for them.

It's very like triumphant but haunting.

Okay.

If I want to win this battle,
I have to feel the song.

Something about it
has to touch your soul.

- Hello, young lady.
- Hi there.

- Have a seat.
- Thank you.

The next day, Amber meets
with Adam and Hillary

to discuss concerns
about her performance.

How do I compete with somebody
that has such a huge Voice?

Don't concern yourself
with what she does.

I would say concern yourself
mostly with what you do.

- Okay.
- You are you.

And you're beautiful and
you deserve to be here.

- Own that.
- I like that. Thank you.

I think that the most important is
to connect emotionally to the song,

and the words saying "get up and
try," that's kind of like my motto

because when my mom passed
away, it was very hard,

but I didn't want to be one of those
people that fell into that depression.

Of course.

That's the most important thing for you.

Yeah.

I'm doing it for my mom and myself,
but I'm very excited, you know, to...

Even though she can't be here,

I just want to make her proud.

Darn it.

It's the day before their battle,

and Amber and Sasha have one
final rehearsal with their coach.

Amber, when you come
in on the first chorus,

You have the ability
to hit a lot of notes.

You've got to really hit that one on.

- Yeah.
- Because you're a little under it.

It's okay.

The main challenge is coming straight
into the high note on the chorus.

I just need to like hit it.
Right at the beginning.

Sasha made a lot of progress
last time we did this song.

But also has work to do.

She thinks a little too much.
About everything.

I have one note for each
of you before you move on.

Amber, you need to
be confident about it.

Sasha, stop thinking.
Just sing the song.

The difference between
amber and I, I think

she's probably more spirit driven.

I have more experience,
but I'm all in my head.

Confidence, sing.

- Don't think.
- Don't think.

Amber and Sasha will probably
be one of my hardest decisions.

So their work's cut out for them.

It's the night of the battle,

and amber and sasha are
getting ready to face off.

I think it's really
scared battling sasha.

You know, she turn four
chairs. She's so great.

I'm feeling excited, nervous, scared.

Being a classical musician,

you have to be very
techniqcal and very precise.

I'm going to have to challenge
myself to completely be genuine.

Tonight it will be strictly emotion.

I need to get in my zone,
hit all the right notes,

and just leave my heart out there.

My mom will definitely be
on the stage with me tonight.

I'm definitely here to show my children
that dreams can come true.

Entering the battle
stage from Team Adam,

it's the country singer
looking for her fresh start,

Amber Carrington.

Versus the mother of
two with the big voice,

Sasha Allen.

Let the battle begin.

Representing team Adam, Sasha

and Amber, great job.
That sounded great ladies.

Adam, we'll give you a
minute to take all that in.

We'll get comments
from the other coaches.

Blake Shelton, what did
you think of the battle?

I loved it. You're
both artist that's are

ready to do this. I've
got to sayy the biggest

surprise for me is
Amber doing a rock song.

Not a surprise is Sasha.
You're a four chair Turner, but

I think you took in the notes so
much that, when you got so laid

back, you tried to catch back
up with the pocket sometimes.

That's the only thing that I
heard that was just really good

- overall.
- Thank you, Blake.

- Usher, what did you think?
- I really was impressed by

both of your performances.
You know, it is these moments

where you begin to shape who
you are, and I do know that the

birth of an incredible
talent happened here.

Thank you, Usher. Shakira,
what did you think of

- the battle?
- I would have liked to be in

- your shoes right now, Adam.
- I wouldn't either.

I think that these two
contestants are probably two of

your best contestants.
I'm very impressed.

Adam, you obviously have the
final decision, and before you

give us that final
decision, what did you think?

I'm so proud of you guys. I
think this is hands down one

of the best battle rounds
we've ever seen on this show.

Amber, I'm the only one
that turned around for you.

I think you shocked everybody
today because you were a little

insecure. You came
out here today, and all

of a sudden, you're
a professional singer.

So you don't need any
lessons. You're there.

You're amazing.

Sasha, you are a professional.

Hearing you with Amber,
initially, I might have thought

you were going to wipe the floor
with her, but Amber's making

this decision very, very
difficult for me because you

both did a stellar,
amazing, inspirational job.

I know it's tough, Adam,
but who is the winner of this battle?

I don't know.

The winner of this battle

is Amber.

Amber Carrington moving on,
chosen by her coach Adam as the

- winner of this battle.
- Initially, I thought that

Sasha was going to be the clear
winner, but this show surprises

you like that. You end
up making decisions that

you didn't necessarily
think you were going to make.

Amber really exceeded my expectations.

I can't believe I just won that battle.

I'm freaking out. Can you
believe I just won that

- battle?
- If your mom were here, she

would say you did good, little girl.

- I'm so very, very proud of you.
- Just hug me.

- I love you all.
- I love you too.

Center ring with Sasha.
Coaches, let me remind you

that... okay. We've
got steals all the way

Come to me!

I knew it.

You're back in the game. Never a doubt.

- Were you nervous at all?
- Yes, yes.

Usher, Shakira in on the
steal for Sasha Allen, and now

the power reverts back to you.
Let's talk to these two coaches.

Usher, you were first,
man. Why do you want Sasha?

Because I think that some of
the greatest moments we all have

in our careers are moments where
it could be perceived as a loss,

but I see this as a success
because, if you choose to come

on my team, I'm going to use
some of the greatest information

and secrets to really help
you unlock your true potential.

I think that I could win
this entire show with you.

A spicy plea from one of the
greatest entertainers on planet

earth, Usher. Shakira?

I'm convinced that you and I
can actually win this show too.

For the record, for the record,
I think that I can work with you

because stage presence is very
important from now on in this

competition, being able to make
America fall in love with you.

This whole thing here in
"The Voice" is that you're

experienced, but I'm a
pretty damn good coach.

I also turn for you. I
think the first cut is the

deepest. Please don't break
my heart for the second time.

Who's going to be your new coach?

I'm freaking right now, man.

I'm going to go with a gut feeling here.

Coming up...

More great performances.

Have our coaches making
agonizing decisions.

- I'm sick to my stomach right now.
- You really have a very, very

- hard decision.
- Please, steal on of them.

And our artists hoping for a steal.

You were saying good-bye, and
now you're right back in this thing.

Before the break Adam chose
Amber Carrington as the winner

of the battle...
But Usher and Shakira were quick

- to try and steal Sasha Allen.
- Come to me.

Now Sasha has a big decision to make...

Who's going to be your new coach?

Shakira, mamy!

I'm shaking right now, man.

I'm going to go with
a gut feeling here.

I'm going
to go with Shakira.

Shakira! Steals Sasha Allen
from team Adam.

And steals her from Usher.

Work it out. Work it out.

- We're going to be great.
- He's crying.

- He's crying.
- Oh, he hates me.

I don't get it. I was dumbfounded.
I was flabbergasted, mortified.

I'm grateful to Adam.

He gave me good advice. I'm
very excited to work with

Shakira. I think she can teach me what I

need, show me her sexiness.

It's not personal.

- It's not personal.
- Thank you.

- I'm sorry.
- I just know what I could have

- done with you.
- I felt like it's a woman

- thing, the woman thing.
- I hope that it works out well

- for you.
- Oh, no, don't give me that.

Don't give me that. It's a woman thing.

You got a great coach.
I'm better, though.

- She made Usher cry.
- I didn't see that one coming.

Let's head over to Shakira
and her team's adviser, rock

star and Good Charlotte
front man, Joel Madden.

- Joel.
- Shakira.

Having Joel here is giving
my team fresh perspective.

Thank you for asking me to come.

Joel has also been a coach
in "The Voice Australia."

So he really knows what he's
talking about, probably more

- than I do.
- Let's meet Shakira's first

- battle pair of the season.
- Cut it out.

17-year-old Garrett Gardner
from Ringwood, New Jersey,

versus 26-year-old J'Sun
from Brooklyn, New York.

Last season, after I wasn't
chosen for a team, I was a

- little bit discouraged.
- Where do you get your

- inspiration from?
- Musically, I got my

inspiration from my dad, who
passed away about two years ago.

- I'm sorry to hear that, son.
- Back for a second time,

Garrett took the stage.

his gutsy performance earned
a last second button push from

- Shakira.
- I know you.

He was here last season.

And I was so pissed when
you guys didn't pick him.

- Thank you.
- 26-year-old J'Sun also came

to "The Voice" inspired by
the memory of someone special.

My grandmother. Even
though she has passed away,

this is what she wanted for me.
Me doing this makes her happy.

J'Sun's soulful version of
The Script For the First Time.

Got Shakira to turn her chair.

So happy to be on your team.
Thank you.

- You're welcome.
- I'm Joel.

- Good to meet you guys.
- Good to meet you.

When I walked in that room and saw
Joel Madden from Good Charlotte,

it was a huge surprise,
and it was absolutely

amazing. I'd just like to say, you are

one of the reasons
that I started to sing.

Thank you very much, man.
That means a lot to me.

So you're influenced by this. J,
you have an R&B pop kind of voice.

So I decided to go for
"how do you like me now."

It is a current song, and it has

- a vintage sort of of feel.
- This song has rock elements to it.

I've never sang any
kind of song like this.

J'Sun got an awesome vocal,
got this tonality that's really sweet.

He could be unstoppable.

Nice.

I love that, when you say...

You went for a high note there,

- which is really nice.
- The most impressive thing

J'Sun has to offer is his
falsetto, which is something

I've always struggled with.

you already have a naturally
raspy voice, so I wouldn't

over do the eh, eh, eh, because
now it starts to feel like an effect.

It's like when I shake my hips.

- I like it.
- But I can't shake it every verse.

I could debate that.

If I rasp too much, I
could lose the battle.

I don't want people
to get bored with it.

Good luck, guys.

As the battle draws near,

J'Sun and Garrett join
Shakira for a final rehearsal.

- Specific comments? J?
- Yes.

You're still giving me that
soulful stuff, but now you're

becoming more of a rocker.

Wow, wow, wow, wow.

J'Sun needs to believe he's a
character within the song, that

bad, bad, bad, bad man. He has
a real chance to win this battle.

I see so much potential in Garrett.
I see a young Jim Morrison.

He could really be a star.

Wow, he's come a long way. I
like him much better than what

I heard during the blind auditions.

I know I definitely can
underestimate Garrett.

At first, I kind of felt
like, oh, I have this.

But now going through the
rehearsals, he's almost ten

years younger than me,
and we're toe to toe.

- That's unbelievable.
- Do the best you can.

You can feel peace of mind that
you've been working hard and

you've been giving your very best.

I know that this battle between
J'Sun and Garrett is going to be

one of the toughest ones.
On one hand, I have grown so

proud of J'Sun, and on the
other hand, I have a weakness for

Garrett too. They are
making it difficult for

me. We'll see what happens.

Coming up...

Garrett and J'Sun face off
in an electrifying battle.

Oh, God, I should have
never taken these guys.

The time has come for
Garrett and J'Sun to battle.

Only one will win and
remain on Shakira's team.

I'm ten years older than
Garrett, and I've had more

experience than him, but it's
not going to be an easy battle.

To get a second chance, it's
a blessing, but if I were to go

home this early, it
would be heart breaking.

- It's now or never.
- Right now I am working at a salon.

I want to win this because I do

not want to be a receptionist
for the rest of my life.

I've always wanted to follow
in my dad's footsteps, so to be

here about to walk on that
stage, totally a dream for me.

Entering now from team
Shakira, the determined second

chance artist, Garrett Gardner.

Taking on the receptionist and
R&B vocalist, J'Sun.

Let the battle begin.

That is how you battle.

Team Shakira,
J'Sun and Garrett Gardner.

Great job, guys.
Let's start with Adam.

Is Garrett, I maybe didn't
get it at first, but I

definitely get it now,
bro. You're amazing.

- Thanks, man.
- Amazing, Adam.

- Blake Sheldon.
- J'Sun, you did the right

thing to showcase what
you're really good at.

You played around with your
falsetto a lot and your stage

presence too. It was
a lot of fun to watch you.

Hey, Garrett, you've already

inspired so many people with
your voice because we've seen

you be decent, and now we're
seeing you be great in a short

amount of time. That's
what working and practice

can do for you. I would
probably pick Garrett.

- Usher?
- You really 100% turned it up, dude.

Like you gave them pizazz.

You gave them show.
You gave them voice.

I almost felt like you guys were
having a tournament up there,

going back and forth. Man,
you all going to freak?

But I felt like you
won this battle, J'Sun.

Shakira, the final decision is yours.

Garrett, that deepness in your
voice really captivates me,

but also your personality
and charisma.

J'Sun, you came in as an R&B
singer, but now you can take any

challenge. You did
amazing today, amazing.

I'm so proud of you too. You
know this is so tough for me

to have to pick between the two of you.

Shakira, who is the
winner of this the battle?

Oh, God, I should have
never taken this job.

Just drink like I do.

- Take a deep breath.
- Okay.

The winner of this battle is...

Before the break, Garrett

Gardner and J'Sun gave the
performances of their lifes.

Leaving Shakira with a
difficult decision to make.

I must confess I have a soft spot for
Garrett, but J'Sun, you can do rock, soul.

It's really, really hard for me.

- I mean...
- Who is the winner of this battle?

The winner of this battle is

- Garrett.
- Garrett Gardner, winner of

- battle team Shakira.
- I'm about to cry.

I can't even express how happy I am.

We'll see Garrett gardner
in the knockout round.

I didn't think I'd get a
second chance, and then to keep

moving on from that second
chance, it shows that I've

really improved from the first time.

Having to pick between

Garrett and J'Sun was one of the
hardest things I've had to do.

Garrett, he's only 17, but
he already has star quality.

- I'm so proud of you.
- Coaches, let me remind you

that J'Sun is available to steal.

J'Sun, is there anything you'd
like to say to your coach, coach Shakira?

I just want to thank you so much.
This has been a dream come true.

And without your help, I would
not have let that come out of me

what came out today. I just
want to thank you for all

of the advice and all of the
warm words that you guys gave

me. Thank you so much.

There he is, J'Sun, everybody.

Thank you, J'Sun.
Thank you so much.

Best of luck to you.

J'Sun's time on
"The Voice" has come to an end.

You should have stolen him.

You know it was unfortunate,
but I couldn't steal.

I didn't feel like it was the
right fit for me, but there's

still a lot of incredible
talent, and I plan on hitting my

- button at some point.
- Let's look at how the next

battle pair from team Blake matches up.

19-year-old Holly Tucker from Waco, Texas,
versus 20-year-old

Michelle Raitzin from
Great Neck, New York.

Baylor University Holly left
her school's marching band to

showcase her talent
at the blind audition

... her soulful sound got all

- four chairs to turn.
- Listen to me, country music

is not something to experiment with.

I think I'm going to have
to pick Blake.

Holly!

My great Uncle was a
famous opera singer.

My dad was in a rock band.

So I feel like I was born to do this.

With her strong musical
roots, Michelle believed her

destiny was success
on "The Voice" stage.

And it led her right to Blake.

When you blew into that upper
register, how the hell do you

not push her button?

- Hello.
- This is my friend Sheryl Crow.

- How are you?
- All of a sudden, I see Sheryl Crow

which was amazing. I
really look up to her as an artist.

She's a super powerful woman,

and it was incredible. Why
did you put us together?

Just basically because of the power.

I mean, golly, this could be
one of thoeds things that I'm

probably going to regret, but
it's just going to make for good

music and a good performance.
It didn't seem fair to pair them

with anybody else as far
as absolute range goes.

Any note that you can think of,
the two can fire back at each other.

I gave Holly and Michelle a

song called "Blown Away" by
Carrie Underwood because it's

got a little bit of pop influence.

It's got some rock. It's got R&B.

Michelle and Holly can both do
that because there's really no

limits to their singing ability.

- That's the second one, right?
- Yeah.

Singing harmony with
Sheryl Crow is just amazing.

That was definitely a dream come true.

I feel like Holly can take any
song book and make it sound gorgeous.

Holly has this very sweet

voice, but I know that for
purposes of our rehearsal today,

it just sounded maybe
a little too sweet.

This song is like she
hates her dad so much.

He's done so many terrible,
awful things so much that she's

setting him up to die in this storm.

So just think about what you're
singing and how to get this,

- attitude-wise.
- The song is about abuse, and

so I'm just going to have
to get into that character.

I know I can do that.

Michelle, great attitude, but
when you release the word away,

you do a little break in your voice.

- It's a little bit pitchy.
- It was incredible to get

feedback from Blake, and I
definitely have my homework to

do. I'm going to definitely work on

the pitch and make sure that
I nail it for the performance.

I just, I love it because I
just feel like no matter what

happens with you guys, there's
going to be so many great

- careers that come out of this.
- Thank you.

- And I get to watch it happen.
- That will be really cool.

As their battle approaches,

Holly and Michelle meet
with Blake to rehearse.

Michelle, you didn't have
any of the pitch things.

I mean, not even one
of them from before.

With Holly, I think you
can get a little madder.

- Just a little bit madder.
- Okay.

-You know what I mean?
- Okay, fine.

- You asked for it.
- There you go. See?

Holly definitely started to
get angry in the band rehearsal.

At the end of the day, we
both are going to put our whole

entire being into this song,
and it's glling to be a battle.

Because they're so amazing,
it's going to be hard for me to

decide. I don't know if I've ever had

one of those epic battles.
This is definitely going to be

one for season 4.

Coming up, Holly and Michelle
take the battle to a whole new level.

And later, Usher brings a
style of coaching all his own.

I'm going to stand over here.

- Attract me towards you.
- Usher, like to get him to

come towards you, it's like really?

It's time for Holly and
Michelle to battle, and only one

will remain on Blake's team.

After all the rehearsals with
Blake, I do feel like he's

brought the confidence out in me.

I'm just so ready to show Blake
that I can get angry and let it all go.

It's very nerve-racking to go up with
somebody who got four chairs turned.

I got one chair turned.
So I have a lot to prove tonight.

Blake has never won
with a country artist,

and I think I have
what it takes to be that person.

I don't want the journey
to end right here.

I need to be the one that's
going to stand up and shine.

My dad was in a rock band.

My Uncle was a famous opera singer.

I want to make my family proud.
This is the most important

- performance of my life.
- Who will win the battle for team Blake?

Will it be former baylor marching
band member, Holly Tucker!

Or the singer living out her family's
music legacy, Michelle Raitzin!

The battle starts right now.

That is Holly and Michelle,
team Blake in the battle round.

Wow, Blake Shelton, my good
man, they left it all out on the

court. That's going to be tough for

you. Let's see if your coaches maybe

can offer a little bit of help.
Usher, what did you think of the

- girls?
- Incredible.

You guys did an incredible
job. You really stepped up.

And I understand totally why you
paired them together because you

both pushed each other. You
both challenged one another.

And I felt like you did a great job.

- Thank you.
- Thank you so much.

Shakira, what did you
think of the ladies' battle?

It was fierce. You really brought it.

I'm sure that you're making
your coach really proud.

Proud is not the word. Sick
is the word I was thinking

of just then. I'm sick
to my stomach right

- now.
- You did great.

Adam?

Holly, so powerful, and yet
still kind of controlled too.

Michelle, I think that you lost
a little bit of your breath at

the end and went to falsetto,
and it was a little weaker than

the rest of your performance.
I would actually probably say

Holly, but you both did a fantastic job.

- Thank you so much.
- Thanks, Adam.

- Coach Blake Shelton?
- Michelle, I'm the only person

that turned around for you, and
right now I'm wondering if the

other three were in a coma
or if they were asleep.

I don't know what might have
happened, but there's no way a

vocalist like you fell that
easily into my lap, and you just

proved to the other three that
you should have been a four

- chair turn also.
- Thank you so so, so much.

And Holly, because you set the
bar so high so early on, you

have the challenge of trying to
get there again, which sucked,

but you did it, and you did it
even beyond that, you know what

- I mean?
- Thank you.

- You did.
- Thank you.

- Can I just keep them both?
- No, that's not an option.

Well, screw you.

Blake, I know it's not fun for you,
but who is the winner of this battle?

Man, I really feel like coming
down to a dead even, a tie. I do.

And when I'm faced with a dead
even tie, I have to go with what

I think is natural for
me and what I'm good at.

That's a country artist. So
for me, the winner of this

- battle is Holly.
- Holly is the winner of this

battle for team Blake!
Congratulations, Holly.

You are moving on
to the knockout round.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, sweetie.

I feel incredible.

I felt like I went out there,
and I gave it my all, and I left

it all out on the stage
just like I wanted to.

It was just the most incredible feeling.

I can't believe that just happened.

Michelle Raitzin, everybody.
Thank you so much, Michelle.

Best of luck to you.

I gave it my all.

I did the best I could do.
The experience was incredible,

and I'm really bummed that I'm
not moving on to the knockout.

Holly being a country artist

at heart, it makes more sense
for me to bring her forward to

the live round. I
absolutely think holly could

win this entire competition.

You can download the complete

version of tonight's battle
performances on iTunes.

still to come...

more incredible performances.

Have our coaches reaching
for their buttons.

- We've got a steal!
- You were saying good-bye,

and now you're right back
in this thing.

You had a baby,
and I look incredible.

- Thank you.
- Your hips still don't lie.

- Still don't lie.
- What happened?

I thought you were pregnant.
Did the stork bring you the baby or what?

While our coaches get ready

to take their chairs, let's take
a look at Usher's first battle pair.

21-year-old
Jess Kellner from

Austin, Texas, versus
17-year-old Taylor Beckham from

Dallas, Texas.

Jess attracted two coaches

and was won over by
Usher's smooth comments.

- You want it to last forever?
- Yes, absolutely.

- Then rock with me.
- Damn.

I'm going to go with you, Usher.

High schooler Taylor left gymnastics
to follow her dream of music.

Her performance got two

- coaches to push their buttons.
- You're going to have to work hard.

I really am all about
investing in artists.

And she takes Usher as her coach.

- Ready to get back in the settle?
- Yeah. I'm excited.

Seeing Usher and Pharrell,
it's like, oh, my gosh.

I wanted to pick a song that
I felt you both would like.

"You know I'm no good"
by Amy Winehouse.

- I love it.
- It's sassy.

Apparently Jess

They both have two different
textures, and there was an

opportunity to find a song
that would challenge the both of them.

Amy was partial tone and the
other was conviction and her

- commitment.
- She was all feeling it.

She was 100%. You create
now the next aspect

of entertainment,
which is very valuable.

Get lost. You are there to do one thing,

connect, and give me conviction.
I'm going to stand over here,

and I want you to energetically
attract me towards you.

It's Usher, like to get him to
come towards you, like really?

You guys
have great choices.

- That's only one component.
- And you are still standing

- way over there.
- Yeah.

Performing is not only
hitting the right note.

It's about what you
can do to captivate me.

With their battle
approaching, Jess and Taylor

have one last rehearsal with Usher.

That tone too.

Use that round tone.

Yeah! Let's do that
while we're playing.

Jess has this incredibly warm tone

but performance you need
to be aware of that as well

because you're selling
something to these people.

You're not stuck. You're
going to be able to move,

and then when you go back to
your home, then you guys connect

in that moment, even
if she's way over there.

I want to pull the audience
in. Put a little attitude in it.

A lot of attitude in this one.

In order to win this, I will
about that song, like page on fire.

I put my face right there for
you. There was no reason why you

shouldn't have just made it personal.

You can do that. This is your stage.

This is your moment. Okay, Jess?

I still needed to listen up,
and Usher could tell Jess was

super animated, and if I don't
step up to the plate, she will.

Have a bit of a catfight now.
Getting ready to call it what it

is. It's your job to make it hard

for me to make a decision.

Hey, it's Christina, your

guide to everything going on
behind the scenes "The Voice."

Having a voice means
about making a difference.

Our artists have been giving
back to the community as part of

Starbucks global month of service.

I remember when I didn't have food.

To give back to people, it
really, really makes you feel

good. It really does.

To find out more about how
you can get involved, go to

using #extrashotofgood.

The time has come for
Jess and Taylor to battle.

It's so important to stay
here on "The Voice" because I

want to be a singer
more than anything.

Usher told me he wants
this to last forever.

So I need to go out there with
complete confidence knowing I am

proud of who I am as an artist.
I just need to put it all out

- there on the table.
- Jess has more experience, but

if I just stay confident, I can
be at her level for this battle.

I don't want to keep playing
on the streets in Austin.

I want to play in front
of thousands of people.

So getting past this round is
another step towards that goal.

A battle to stay on team
Usher starts right now.

Entering the ring,
the Texas hair dresser.

Here she is, Jess Kellner.

Versus the former gymnast and
olympic hopeful, Taylor Beckham.

Let the battle begin.

Give it up, representing
team Usher, Jess and Taylor.

Let's talk to Shakira first and

give coach Usher a minute
to take all that in.

I think that Jess has a rich
voice, really silky and velvety

and has all those amazing qualities.

On the other hand, Taylor has
a thinner voice, but there's

something about her persona
that is very angelic and unique.

- It's a tough one.
- If it was a team Shakira

- battle l, who would you pick?
- Probably Taylor.

- Thank you.
- Adam Levine, your thoughts on

- the battle.
- Hi, ladies.

- Hi.
- Really, you're both in sync

in a high pressure situation.
Jess, you have a very robust,

big voice, and you definitely
were very confident, which is

cool. I think that, Taylor, your voice

really surprised me. I
mean, you're young, and to

have that precision is pretty amazing.

You're both great singers.
You're both very talented.

- I would go with Taylor.
- Thank you so much.

Thank you, Adam. Blake Shelton.

Taylor has this tortured
thing about her when she's

singing, but I enjoyed Jess more
on that thing because, I don't

know, even though it may not
make sense with the lyrics, I

like to see somebody that's
having a ball up there.

I can tell Jess is just enjoying
this moment and having fun with

it. And not only that but also

nailing the vocal parts.
When you can combine all of

- that, that's impressive to me.
- Thank you, coaches.

Usher, you have
the final decision.

I feel like this entire
process, I was analytical at

times and maybe tended to
stretch you far past just your

voice. It was more or less about your

presence, being able to come out
here and captivate your audience

with your energy. By
focusing on that, it takes

your mind off the intricacies of
each and every note to make sure

every note is perfect,
and I doesn't have to be.

I can say you both came out here
and 100% lit it on fire the way

I know you can. And I
want to make sure you

understand that the work is only
going to get harder from here.

Usher, who is the winner of this battle?

The winner of this battle...

- Is Jess.
- Jess Kellner moves on to the

knockout round representing team Usher.

- Congratulations, Jess.
- Thank you for letting me

pursue my dream. I'm
going to work so hard.

I'm going to be what Usher is
wanting me to be what he sees from me.

Coaches, let me remind you
that Taylor is available to steal.

Taylor, what would you
like to say to coach Usher?

I'm just so thankful that I
got to learn from you in the

amount of time that I
did. Thank you so much.

- I like Taylor.
- We got a steal!

Blake Shelton brings Taylor Beckham
right back in this

competition.
Blake, what did you see in

Taylor that made you
want to steal her up?

I went towards Jess knowing
he was going to take who I pick

knowing I was going
to get her. Strategy.

That's how much he puts into my opinion.

Taylor Beckham now on team Shelton.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

I'm sad that Usher didn't
pick me, but...

- Thank you.
- Congratulations.

Blake saved my life. I'm
just so happy and excited to

- be here.
- Taylor Beckham makes it to

the knockout round, this
time representing team Blake.

I'm going to prove to Blake
that it was worth saving me.

I was not about to let Taylor
walk out of here.

I already have just a ton of
respect for her knowing she was

an olympic hopeful. I
want somebody like that on

team Blake and see what
they can bring to the boards.

I do need your help
on that little Taylor.

She's got something to prove, man.

If I can be of help, I will, buddy.

Still to come, powerful performances.

- And another surprising steal.
- We got a steal!

Let's head over to Blake and
his team's adviser, nine-time

grammy award winning artist
Sheryl Crow.

How this battle pair got here.
21-year-old Christian Porter

from Straussburg, Pennsylvania,
versus 24 and 27-year-old duo,

the Swon Brothers from
Muskogee, Oklahoma.

I don't want to be stuck
in that scene forever.

He gambled with a surprising
take on sexy and I know it,

- blowing away three coaches.
- It was like Magic Mike up there.

So much imagination went into

that arrangement. My
gosh, I'd love to have the

- chance to work with you.
- I've got to go with Blake.

After years of performing
with their parents' band, the

Swon Brothers came to
"The Voice" looking for a record deal.

Their performance of Tom Petty's

"American Girl" also got three
coaches to push their buttons.

I'm your guy.
I'm your okie.

- Come on.
- We're going to have to pick Blake.

- What's going on?
- This is Sheryl Crow, everybody.

This is a good surprise.
When I saw Sheryl Crow, she's

like an angel. It's
just awesome to be in the

same room as people of that caliber.

We were kind of curious like
why you put us together like

- this battle.
- Just kind of whatever I think

can mesh well musically.
The Swon Brothers are just so

funny, and Christian's version
of "sexy and I know it," you

know there's a sense of humor
down in there somewhere, and I

just think it's a fun paring.

I gave Christian and the Swon Brothers
"Won't back down" by

tom petty.
It's just one of those songs

that fits well with each of the artists.

We sang another tom petty
song in our blind audition.

- So we feel really confident.
- I like it when you all sang

the harmony.
I thought it sounds great.

The Swon Brothers are very

tight as a duo.
Unfortunately, I can't hit this note.

It's so frustrating.

Is it super, super, super uncomfortable?

I'm pushing right now
because I'm not used to it.

You got that high note.

You just got to open your
mouth and don't be afraid of it.

I'll keep practicing it. When
it comes to the rehearsal,

we'll see what happens.
Do you think the tone and

everything is fine for
the rest of the song?

Dude, you have a great tone.
That's why we fought for you.

- That's why you're here.
- Is just confidence.

It's just confidence, yeah.
For Christian, I think just

believing that he can go out and
sing with two guys on stage and

still own it and make it his
own is going to be his challenge.

Sometimes there has to be a
tiebreaker, you know what I

mean? If you get out there and your

voice cracks on the chorus and
theirs didn't, I'm going to go

- it's a no brainer.
- I'm going to practice really

hard on this.
I have a lot to work on.

As their battle approaches,
Christian and the Swon Brothers

meet with Blake to rehearse.

in the band rehearsal, I'm
feeling really strong because I

came in showing that
I can hit these notes

I gave a few notes to

Christian during our piano
rehearsal, and I came out with

the band and nailed it. It
says a lot about Christian's

work ethic. Christian,
you're singing the

crap out of it. You're
hitting some cool stuff

in there, and your pitch is good.

- Awesome.
- Yeah, man, awesome.

I didn't know what to expect
with his blind audition

performance kind of being a
novelty, but the guy can sing.

So we're just doing two

choruses back to back and
then the tag line at the end.

Hell, yeah.
The Swon Brothers are all over

the map. They're going
to have to tighten

it up. Y'all's half of it is a little

sloppier. Have to get
it together a little

bit. Sometimes it seems like you're

not sure where your
note's going to land.

It seems like at this point
Christian is getting a lot of

praise for stuff that he's
doing, and us two, we've got to

tighten up, which we will.
But it's a little scary.

Just know that this
isn't a hobby for you all.

- This is what you do.
- No backup plans for us.

- That's right.
- Same here.

Swon Brothers don't get
serious and make this

performance as tight as they
can, I mean, I hate to say it,

but they could go home. Same
for Christian being able to

hit the notes. I can
only pick one of you.

So make it tough for
me to figure this out.

Coming up...

... Team Blake continues
to ignite the stage.

Leaving their coach in a
tough spot.

Y'all were both good.
So what do I do now?

With their battle just
moments away, Christian and the

Swon Brothers are
ready to take the stage

our whole life has been
a race to this moment.

- We have to win this thing.
- I'm going to prove to Blake

that I'm not just a novelty
act. I can really sing and be a

- passionate artist.
- I don't want to let this guy down.

We worked so hard, and this
is it. This is our time.

I need to win this to show
people that I can branch out of

the cover band bar scene, and
this gives me the opportunity to

be the front guy. I don't
think America has seen

my full potential.

Competing in this ring from

team Blake, the bar singer who
takes chances with his music,

Christian Porter!

And the energetic country duo,

the Swon Brothers!

Let the battle begin.

There you go,
our battle for team Blake.

Usher, let's start with
you. What did you think?

Give it up for Christian Porter!

- Thank you so much.
- Is you hit that note.

I hit the note. I hit the note.

You made it. Swon Brothers!

- Yeah.
- I didn't mean to show any

favoritism. I think you guys both did

really, really great. This
performance was definitely

one I think that is going
to be very hard for you.

- Thank you.
- Thanks, Usher.

- Shakira, what did you think?
- I had fun watching you guys,

and the audience did too. The
fact that people enjoyed it

so much is valuable.
I'm curious about duos.

I like how well they work
together and how well they sound

to go. So I would probably pick the

- Swon Brothers.
- Thank you very much, Shakira.

- Adam Levine.
- Christian, I thought you

really surprised me because it's
funny, in rehearsals, you were

struggling with that high note,
but you finally did get it out,

which was really cool. Swon Brothers, you
were great,

but I think that just because
Christian has some sort of

strange delivery that is drawing
me towards him, I would probably

go with Chriristian. But
you guys were all really

- talented.
- Adam Levine, thank you so much.

Coach Blake Shelton, the final

decision is, of course, yours.
How did you think the battle

- went?
- Christian, I heard several

different artists in your vocal,
which is really cool, and you

did hit the note. There
were other parts of it

that were... that landed weird
and were pitchy, but in the

grand scheme of things,
it's not that big of a deal.

Swon Brothers, man, you guys
came on the radio, I would I

instantly know it's the
Swon Brothers singing.

You have a very distinctive sound.

You all were both good. I
don't know that either one of

you all actually took it away
from each other, which sucks for

me. It's always easier if somebody

craps the bed, and then
you can kind of go...

Blake knows a lot
about crapping the bed.

- He's like an authority on that.
- Absolutely.

- So what do I do now?
- You've got to make a

decision, and it's a tough one.
Blake, who is the winner of this battle?

The winner of this battle is...

Before the break, Christian Porter
battled the Swon Brothers

with a classic rock song.
And now Blake has the difficult

decision of who will remain on his team.

I think it's better for me
and whoever I'm working with to

kind of stick with what I know.

And because of that,

the winner of this battle
is the Swon Brothers.

The Swon Brothers, winners
of the battle of team Blake.

- Congratulations, guys.
- Oh, my gosh, this is the best

- feeling in the entire world.
- Swon Brothers move on to the

- knockout round.
- Congratulations, man.

- Thank you.
- We're thrilled to be on Blake

Shelton's team. We're
taking it one song at a time.

Keeps getting better on this show.

I love you all.

Coaches, let me remind you
that Christian is available to

steal. What would you like to say to

- coach Blake Shelton?
- Oh, my God, thank you so much

for this opportunity. I
definitely learned so much

with the short time
that we had together.

I know that I won't be
background music forever thanks

to you. Thank you.

And thank you.
Christian Porter, everybody.

Thank you so much.
Nice having you on.

- Best of luck to you.
- Definitely wanted to win.

I definitely wanted to get stolen.

I had the time of my life on that stage.

I got one steal left. So
I'm going to be very picky

from now on, and I'm going to
get someone who I really, really

- want.
- Thank you so much, man.

I'm not going to let you down, man.

That was a tough one for me,
but I just felt like the Swon Brothers

know who they are.
They're okies.

I'm an okie.
This the first duo to make it

this far in a long time on this show.

Is we cannot say thank
you enough, Blake.

You can try. Go ahead.

I just have a bond with
them. I'm not going to lie.

While Blake celebrates with
the Swon Brothers, let's take a

look at Adam's final
battle paring of the night.

28-year-old Judith hill from
Pasadena, California, versus

35-year-old Karina Iglesias
from Miami, Florida.

Judith landed her dream job
of being Michael Jackson's duet

partner. After his untimely death, she
stepped out on her own.

- Turning four chairs.
- I'm going to light myself on

fire to make sure that
you are on my team.

- Wait a minute, you will?
- I'm not kidding.

I'm going to go with team Adam.

Karina came to "The Voice"
hoping to show her music

students it's never too
late to follow your dream.

She earned that chance by getting
two last second button pushes.

I felt towards the end that
the light fixtures were just

going to explode. No, but for real.

Don't you pull out
your Spanish right now.

And the sparks fell on team Adam.

So it's a man's, man's, man's world.
Clearly, you're here to prove us wrong.

I am a huge James Brown fan.

I love singing soul music. So
I'm really, really happy with

- the song.
- You're both mega singers.

You both have power and totally
different kind of power, by the

- way, for a battle.
- This is a hard song to sing.

This is a hard one. I
paired Judith and Karina

together, a great idea and a
terrible idea because they're

both so good.
This song is about putting

yourself in these very
big legendary shoes.

Judith has the ability to be
technically perfect and also

soulful. Karina, I felt that she was

going to blow the doors off,
a big freight train of people.

I'm giving them big shoes to
fill, but I'm doing it because I

believe in their talent.

This song is particularly
difficult for my voice.

There's no harmony or
melody to latch onto.

Vocally, I've got to
dig in and give the grit.

I've got my work cut out for me.

Judith, I like the dynamic.
Make sure your big moments are

still really big. I know
that you're holding back

a little bit. I can tell.

- Yes.
- Is she a bad ass?

- Yes.
- Karina is an amazing voice,

and she's a very, very powerful
singer, so I've got to challenge

myself to come up to that
level and push harder.

Karina, you have a tendency
to project very loudly.

I would say give us a little
more subtlety and nuance so we

can feel the low lows and the ohios.

The thing I love about this
song is it was originally

recorded about I a guy, but
honestly it's more powerful

coming from a woman because you
wouldn't be nothing without me.

I think honestly, as a
country artist, it's the one I

was most excited about because
it's such a simple song, but it

- says so much.
- If one of you guys phones it

in with a song like
this, it's going to hurt.

- Leave it all out there, man.
- Either one could take this.

Karina is a little more dynamic
in her vocal performance, and I

think Judith needs to
show a little emotion.

As their battle nears, Judith and
Karina have one more rehearsal with Adam.

Adam asked me to work on

dynamics, and I think I
gave him what he wanted.

This song is less about
your ability to sing.

It's more about that connection.
Work it out so you're really

talking to each other.
That's what makes it really

- sizzle.
- It's like a dialogue.

Yeah, it is.
You know how if people are

talking and there's a
flow to the conversation.

It's exactly like that.

To create that intense duet,

it needs to be a physical tug
of war, and we're just pulling at

each other with the words.

Judith and Karina, they're
both such amazing singers.

I'm a little upset that I paired
them together, but that's the

reality I have to deal with.

This battle could easily be
one of the most memorable on the

- history of our show.
- Coming up, two of Adam's

artists take the stage for
one of the most epic battles in

"Voice" history and bring
our coaches to their feet.

That was not a great battle.
That was the best battle I've

- ever seen on the show.
- But will it be enough for the

coaches to steal?

It's the night of the
are taking the stage.

The most important thing that
I've learned from being Michael Jackson's

backup singer
is to sing from your heart.

Judith is definitely a force
to be reckoned with, but Adam

also picked me,
and I want to stay here.

I could be a role model
to my students.

This song lends itself
to a very powerful voice.

So I just have to stay focused
and do what I love to do.

I can't predict who's going to win,

but what I can say is
that it's going to be epic.

Battling now from team Adam,

it's Michael Jackson's former
singing partner, Judith hill.

Versus the music teacher and
rocker, Karina Iglesias.

The battle starts right now.

An epic battle from team Adam,

Karina Iglesias versus Judith Hill.

And a well deserved standing

ovation. Well, it was
certainly a woman's

world tonight. Excellent battle.

Adam has such a tough decision to make.

You can think about it. See
if his fellow coaches can

help him out. Blake Shelton,
what did you think of that?

Same thing everybody in this
room. I was freaking out.

That was just... so good.

Judith has been a favorite since

we first saw her here on the show.

I mean, incredible story.
She's got this incredible talent

to back it up. My gosh,
sister, though, you

brought it. I mean, I don't know...

Thank you.

It's got to be intimidating to

sing with her, and you
didn't back down one bit.

I mean, you... it was like
watching a battle l up there.

- It was incredible.
- Thanks, Blake.

The only negative thing I'll
say is Adam's really stupid for

putting you two against each other.

Battles shouldn't sound this good.

- Usher, what did you think?
- It was incredible.

You guys shook this entire
room. You know, you guys were

connected from the moment
you walked out with the bow.

That was pretty cool.
But it really, truly was a

battle that showed both of your
talents and highlights why he

put the two of you together.
He's really stuck with a very,

very, very, very, very,
very hard decision.

- Shakira?
- I think it was almost

deliciously contradictory to
witness so much female power on

stage and to hear them say
that this is a man's world.

I was completely taken
aback by your performance.

I don't know how Adam put
the two of them together.

I think that was a real bad
idea because you're going to have to...

Thank you.

No, because they're both
amazing, and those trills,

Karina, and those high notes.

We already know that Judith is

like a pro, but Karina has
proved to be such an amazing and

solid singer,
and I would pick Karina.

Okay. You might have
an opportunity to

do that too.
Adam Levine, explain your

- thoughts on the battle.
- That was not a great battle.

That was the best battle
I've ever seen on this show.

Now, I've been called stupid
by Blake, and Shakira called me dumb.

No, I didn't say that.

- You said something else.
- I said it was a bad idea,

- Bad idea, very bad idea.
- And it was all true.

I'm a stupid person
with bad ideas.

But I will say this. I
knew how powerful you both

were. So the only loser of this the

- battle round is going to be me.
- Adam, we know it's hard, but

we need your decision. Who's
the winner of this battle?

Wow, you guys floored me.

However,

winner of this batt battle...

is Judith.

Judith Hill representing team
Adam, moves on to the knockout

rounds. We will see you soon.

Good job, baby.

Judith,
I had to go with because

there's just something about her.

She's unbelievable. Kind of
oozes charisma and confidence.

You weren't crying.

You weren't crying
on it's a man's world.

I feel like I was overcome
and did my best and excited.

Karina Iglesias stands
with me center stage.

Coaches, let me remind you,
Karina is available to steal.

Now, is there anything
you'd like to say

to your coach, Adam?

I just, I want to thank you,
Adam, from the bottom of my

- heart for picking me.
- We have a steal!

Shakira comes in to steal Karina
Iglesias away from team Adam.

Shak!

Not getting Karina in
the blind auditions, I had

confidence in her talent. I
used my last steal to get

Karina, and I'm so
happy she's on my team.

These other coaches better
watch out because I'm good.

It means the world to me that

my olita is here. She's
my inspiration, and I'm

happy she got to share
this moment with me.

Team Latino.

As night one of the battles end,
here's where the team stands.

Adam picked country
artist Amber Carrington

and vocal power house
Judith Hill.

Blake chose
former marching band

musician Holly Tucker and
country duo the Swon Brothers.

And stole former gymnast
Taylor Beckham from team Usher.

Usher chose indy artist Jess
Kellner to move on for his team.

And Shakira picked returning
artist Garrett Gardner and stole

both R&B artist Sasha Allen
and Latin rocker Karina Iglesias

from team Adam.

Tomorrow night the steal
continues to be a game changer.

- We got a steal!
- As the rivalries heat up.

He thinks he's going to beat
me with a country artist.

We're talking
Adam Levine here, right?

For one new coach,
this is not a game.

Is this funny to you?

It all leads up to the most surprising
steal The Voice has ever seen.

All right.

Now you got to let me talk.
Oh, my God.

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