Kelly Clarkson sent singer Cedrice in a dizzying fall as she used her last flight to retire her from Blake Shelton’s team in Monday’s episode of The Voice.
During the round of 16, Cedrice, a 28-year-old musician from San Diego, made an excellent cover of Rihanna’s Love On The Brain, but lost to another competitor.
Cedrice seemed resigned to leaving the show, perhaps thinking it was her last chance, as it had already been stolen once before, by Blake, 43, during the battle rounds.
Last save: Kelly Clarkson used her last flight to keep singer Cedrice in competition in Monday’s episode of The Voice
She thanked the judges for “ raising ” her experience in the series and seemed ready to leave the scene when Kelly, 37, pressed her buzzer, silently saying: “ Love her! ”
Shocked, Cedrice immediately burst into tears and covered her eyes, telling the coaches, “You have to stop doing this to me!” as she leaned towards the stage with gratitude.
“ You are a brother of Jonas far from having the four coaches, ” cracked host Carson Daly, 46, acknowledging that Cedrice had started with coach John Legend, 41.
“Can I kiss you? Cedrice mouthed Kelly, who said, “Yeah! and stood up to kiss her.
Stellar cover: Cedrice performed a cover of Rihanna’s hit, Love On The Brain
New coac: Carson Daly stood next to Cedrice as she reacted after being robbed by Kelly
“I had to steal Cedrice because there is no one like her on the show,” said Kelly, calling her “very peaceful, but very passionate, and just a great singer.”
Behind the scenes, she urged Cedrice to “ be excited ” about the show’s upcoming live tours, which will take place in a few weeks’ time due to social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In rehearsals, Blake noted that Cedrice and her singer colleague Toneisha Harris, 44, had chosen songs from Rihanna, and that he could only keep one person in this genre.
Mega mentor: Blake Shelton and mega mentor James Taylor worked with his singers
Before singing, Cedrice thanked Blake for stealing it during the battles, saying that she felt for the first time that she had another chance in life.
James Taylor, 72, was touched by his gratitude and talent.
“Cedrice’s voice is like Baked Alaska,” he says, listening to her sing. “It is hot and very strong and it is piercing at the same time.”
Praise: “Cedrice’s voice is like Baked Alaska. It’s hot and very strong and piercing at the same time, ” said James.
Popular choice: Toneisha Harris, 44, also chose a Rihanna song to cover
Cedrice dedicated her song to her partner Mark, a musician she called “the love of my life”.
Originally from Roswell, Georgia, Toneisha sang Diamonds for her late father, who instilled in her a love of music and whose presence she still felt around her.
“Toneisha can have a voice as good as the one I’ve heard so far in this group of singers,” admitted James, comparing her to 77-year-old Barbra Streisand and the late Aretha Franklin.
Dedication of the song: Cedrice dedicated her song to her partner Mark, a musician she called “ the love of my life ”
Before continuing, James helped Toneisha with her nerves, trained her to “ count to 50 ” and then to sing, a trick he used often and which promised to bring her back to her “ state basic ”.
After she played, 27-year-old Nick Jonas told Toneisha that it made him “crazy” to see her sing, because he knew he couldn’t do anything near what she had done.
That blew up Blake into an excerpt from Nick’s hit song, Jealous, which coaches often did on the show, after performing the song together on stage.
Killed: After playing, 27-year-old Nick Jonas told Toneisha that it made him “crazy” to see her sing, because he knew he couldn’t do anything close to what she had done
Blake finally chose Toneisha, calling her “leader from day one” who had been consistent in her performances, and Kelly then stole Cedrice.
In another memorable moment from Monday’s show, Allegra Miles from team Nick, 17, received a standing ovation for her bad mood, affecting the version of Sia’s Chandelier.
The teenager from St. John’s, U.S. Virgin Islands, competed with 29-year-old Jacob Miller of Eden, Wisconsin, who did a slow cover of Post Malone’s Better Now.
Country star: Blake finally chose Toneisha, calling her “ leader from day one ” who had been consistent in her performances, and Kelly then stole Cedrice
Standing ovation: in another memorable moment of Monday’s show, Allegra Miles of team Nick, 17, received a standing ovation for her bad mood, affecting the chandelier version of Sia
Blake thought Allegra could help Nick win The Voice this season, and his coach agreed, calling his voice “magical” and keeping him on his team.
In his other round of 16, Nick pitted Arei Moon, 28, from Boston, against John Mullins, 32, from Nashville.
Arie sang You Don’t Know My Name by Alicia Keys in tribute to her husband, whom she had met ten years ago as a first-year student.
University sweetheart: Arie Moon sang Alicia Keys’ You Don’t Know My Name in tribute to her husband, whom she met as a first year at university a decade ago
Mullins dedicated his song, Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran, to Wendy, his 13-year-old wife, who had lost some of her memory and speech after a fall.
After watching the two candidates on stage, the coaches were separated, John noting that he had sung relief voices on You Don’t Know My Name, chanting, ‘Oooh-ooh’.
“Hey John,” shouted Kelly. “I have this song I need [background vocals] and since you are open to it…. I pay in hugs.
Backup Voices: John Legend noted that he sang backup voices on You Don’t Know My Name, crooning, ‘Oooh-ooh’
Nick was “in turmoil”, trying to decide who to keep, but he finally chose Arei, whom he called “a superstar”.
He also took on a competitor from the John Legend team, using his last KO flight.
John had arranged a puck drop between two of his four chair laps: Thunderstorm Artis, 24, of Haleiwa, Hawaii, and Mandi Castillo, 23, of San Antonio, Texas.
Tough decision: Nick was “in turmoil” trying to decide who to keep, but he finally chose Arei, whom he called “a superstar”
Mandi dedicated his cover of Stand By Me by Ben E. King to his friend Raphael, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2015 and only had five years to live.
“I just want him to remember that if the world falls apart and you feel like everything is taken from you, I will always be there,” she said.
Thunderstorm sang and played the guitar on a rendition of John’s own song, Preach, which he said echoed his own approach to speaking of faith.
Coach song: Thunderstorm Artis, 24, of Haleiwa, Hawaii, performed John’s song, Preach
The young man, who also played drums, bass, piano and “ any percussion ” amazed on stage, but John went with Mandi, admiring his “ flawless ” vibrato and his way of “ dancing around the notes ”.
Nick then stole Thunderstorm for himself, explaining, “I have had my eye on him from the start, and I am perhaps the luckiest man in the world for achieving this.”
Team Kelly’s first knockout round included two singers “ with a wide and wide range ”: Micah Iverson, 26, of Tokyo, and Tayler Green, 27, of Los Angeles.
Sweet rendering: Mandi Castillo, 23, of San Antonio, Texas, played Stand By Me and was named winner by John, but Nick stole Thunderstorm
Micah sang the Halsey Cemetery, which allowed him to stretch vocally and emotionally, as it evoked memories of a relationship in which he “ was not treated well ”.
James praised the fact that Micah was so “present” and Kelly suggested that he give the song “a dark and funky vibe”, with James playing the guitar to illustrate his point.
“If Halsey hears this, she will lose her mind,” said Kelly.
Wide range: Micah Iverson, 26, from Tokyo, sang the Halsey cemetery, which allowed him to stretch vocally and emotionally
Tayler filmed a sensual cover of Cyndi Lauper Time After Time, which Kelly helped to tweak and ended up loving so much that she swelled her notes and threw them away.
“It’s Tayler’s best sound on this show,” noted Kelly. “She is in pain for days.
In the knockouts, Kelly went with her “ instinct ” and chose Micah, feeling that he had been “ imaginative ” with his choice of song and praising his tone and his range “ incredible ”.
Sensual cover: Tayler Green filmed a sensual cover of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time
Another Kelly competitor, Mandi Thomas, 33, of Memphis, then eliminated Anaya Cheyenne, 16, of Norwalk, Connecticut, with her stellar cover from Maren Morris’ My Church.
Competitors who had lost in the battle rounds also participated in a knockout.
Todd Michael Hall, 50, of Blake of Saginaw, Michigan, sang Somebody To Love of OneRepublic, while Nelson Cade III, 27, of John of Anaheim, California, performed the best part of Daniel Caesar.
Keyboard: 27-year-old Nelson Cade III of Anaheim, California, performed the best part of Daniel Caesar
Samantha Howell, 19, from Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, covered Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson, and Michael Williams, 18, from Mason, Ohio, Nick Nick, Calum Scott, You Are The Reason.
The winner will be determined by fan votes and revealed on a live episode.
The Voice returns with a special event next Monday on NBC.
Classic song: Samantha Howell, 19, from Kelly Beach, Virginia Beach, Virginia, covered Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson
