Blake Shelton struggles with new 'Voice' twist: 'I'm quitting the show right now!'
For the first time ever, Knockouts on The Voice are featuring three-way knockouts in which the coaches group three of their artists to perform against each other with only one moving on to the live playoffs. A twist that coach Blake Shelton was not super keen on, after all three of his artists delivered solid performances.
"This is awful," said Blake following the performances. "You guys all did incredible. Two of you were supposed to suck!"
While R&B singer Kevin Hawkins seemed like the artist who would have won the round,he was sort of semi-sabotaged by his own coach after Blake advised him to use more of his full voice rather than his falsetto, which John Legend described as "a little bit disjointed." However, Blake took responsibility for the choice, as he shared, "In rehearsal, Kevin was probably 80% in the falsetto, and I'm the one that said, 'Hey, man, give me some more of the full voice.' I take responsibility. That's why that happened."
Blake had such a tough time picking the winner of the round, that he joked he was quitting as he exclaimed, "I quit. I'm quitting the show right now. You guys broke me. You three broke me! I quit. Bye bye." Maybe a little foreshadowing, since Blake did in fact reveal earlier this month that he is leaving The Voice after 23 seasons, and Monday's episode was likely taped prior to that announcement.
But before he made that tough decision, he still had to choose the winner of the knockout and that was indie-pop stylist Bodie.
Video Transcript
[AUDIO LOGO]
BLAKE SHELTON: This is the most pressure that's ever been on--
- Yes.
BLAKE SHELTON: --the artists in the show. So welcome to season 22.
- [LAUGHS]
KYLIE MAR: For the first time ever, knockouts on "The Voice" are featuring three-way knockouts, in which the coaches group three of their artists to perform against each other with only one moving on to the live playoffs. A twist that Coach Blake Shelton was not super keen on after all three of his artists delivered a solid performance.
- Wow!
BLAKE SHELTON: This is awful. You guys all did incredible. Two of you were supposed to suck.
[LAUGHTER]
Oh my god.
KYLIE MAR: While R&B singer Kevin Hawkins seemed like the artist who would have won the round, he was sort of semI-sabotaged by his own coach after Blake advised him to use more of his full voice, rather than his falsetto, which John Legend ultimately described as a little bit disjointed.
BLAKE SHELTON: In rehearsal, Kevin was probably 80% in the falsetto. And I'm the one that said, hey, man, give me some more of the full voice. I take responsibility. That's why that happened.
KEVIN HAWKINS: Thank you.
KYLIE MAR: Ultimately, Blake had a tough time picking the winner of the round, so much so that he joked he was quitting.
BLAKE SHELTON: I quit. I'm quitting the show right now.
- After 22 seasons!
BLAKE SHELTON: You guys broke me.
- Give it up for Blake Shelton.
BLAKE SHELTON: You three broke me. I quit.
- Bye-bye. Bye-bye.
JOHN LEGEND: It's been a great run. It's been a great run.
KYLIE MAR: Maybe a little foreshadowing since Blake did, in fact, reveal earlier this month that he is leaving "The Voice" after 23 seasons. And Monday's episode was likely taped prior to that announcement. But before he made that tough decision, he still had to choose the winner of the knockout. And that was--
BLAKE SHELTON: The winner of this knockout is Bodie.
- Bodie, congratulations!
[AUDIO LOGO]
