On Monday, Team Reba’s country crooners competed against one another in a traditional duel!
On a brand new episode of “The Voice,” Reba McEntire challenged the contestants to a legendary country showdown.
On Monday, Team Reba’s Ruby Leigh and Al Boogie took the stage for their Battle and sang a duet of the Dolly Parton standard “Jolene.” The song was performed in their honor.
After her incredible yodeling performance in the Blind Auditions, which won her a four-chair turn, Ruby is without a doubt one of the coaches’ season 24 favorites; nonetheless, Niall Horan referred to Al’s tone as being “so infectious.”
Despite this, he was full of compliments for Ruby and told her, “I was so excited to hear you again because what happened here at your Blind Audition was one of the most memorable moments I’ve had on the show.”
Gwen Stefani has said that she often forgets that Ruby is only 16 years old because to the way that her voice and stage presence make her seem. “I had chills up and down my body when you [sang] ‘cry,’ because you yodeled it, and it was stunningly perfect,” she said to the young performer.
Niall and Gwen were both leaning towards Ruby; however, Gwen remarked, “That’s not fair, because Al Boogie, you are amazing!”
“You both were compelling,” John Legend said in agreement. “Al, I believe that you began your career as an underdog… But you really nailed it, guy. You did so well.
Ruby was the recipient of his gushing compliment as he said, “I love how much character your voice has.” You just have a strong sense of ownership over who you are as an artist.
Reba, who served as the duo’s coach, said that the Battle “showed the versatility of you both.”
Ruby, whom she had urged to display more emotion when they were rehearsing, was the recipient of the following compliment: “You performed magnificently, you made me very proud.” However, she continued by saying that Al “stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the ballpark.”
Ruby was victorious in the end, and she will now represent Team Reba in the Three-Way Knockouts!
During an interview with ET, Gwen discussed how odd it is for her to return to The Voice without her husband Blake Shelton at her side. The interview took place in advance of this season’s Battles. After 23 seasons of the NBC singing competition, The Cowboy announced earlier this year that he would be leaving the show.
“It feels kind of like my first season, before I knew he existed,” said the actress. “It’s kind of weird, but it’s also like, I’m having so much fun.”
“Like, the only reason I’m here is because it’s fun,” Gwen said further. “The coaching and actually getting to know your team after the Blinds is my favorite thing, ’cause it’s like, the dream’s there.”
She did, however, acknowledge that it is a bit nerve-wracking to turn to Blake’s chair and instead see The Voice’s newest coach, who happens to be the Queen of Country herself.
Gwen laughed as she reflected on how Reba has managed her first season thus far and thought back to the Blind Auditions.
“She performed an excellent job. She recalled that she wasn’t required to do anything for her. “She would say something to the effect of ‘I believe you were fantastic. I’d be honored to have you play for me, and then they’d say, ‘I chose you!'”
NBC broadcasts new episodes of The Voice at 8 p.m. PT/ET on Mondays and 9 p.m. PT/ET on Tuesdays.