'The Voice': Blake Shelton declares singer front-runner after 'solid' Olivia Newton-John cover

The powerhouses of Team Legend were born for live prime time on “The Voice.”

Singers Omar Jose Cardona and Kim Cruse made coach John Legend proud during the first round of live performances Monday night with their explosive charisma and vocal acrobatics.

Cardona kicked off the live shows with an electrifying performance of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

“Your voice is out of this world,” Legend told Cardona. “Your range is incredible. … You put soul into everything that you do. There’s so much passion and musicality.”

Cruse was hot on Cardona’s heels, delivering a velvety rendition of “I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)” by Aretha Franklin.

“You make such smart, musical and beautiful choices when you put your performance together,” Legend told Cruse. “I just love being your coach. I just get to sit back and enjoy it, ‘cause I don’t have to do any work.”

Here’s what else happened during Monday’s episode.

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Team Gwen singers Kique and Alyssa Witrado stunned with their bold individuality.

Kique captivated the coaches with his moody rock remix of the Harry Styles hit “As It Was.”

“It’s amazing to me the creative level that you’re at for your age,” coach Gwen Stefani told the 19-year-old singer. “You see and know your voice so well. You know what you can make out of a song that’s not even yours.”

Witrado brought her emotional flair to her cover of “Angels Like You” by Miley Cyrus, which earned her the gushy kudos of Stefani, who sees Witrado as a musical daughter.

“You are calm, you are beautiful. I just want to look at you; you’re stunning,” Stefani told Witrado. “I love you, and I love being your mother.”

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Morgan Myles and Eric Who of Team Camila cut straight to the feeling with their emotional performances.

Myles soared with her soulful rendition of Patty Griffin’s “Let Him Fly,” moving coach Camila Cabello with her honest delivery of the folk ballad.

“You’re the truth-teller,” Cabello told Myles. “You sing songs that tell a story, and we can’t not believe you.”

Who rocked the coaches with his fiery performance of “Rumour Has It” by Adele.

“You just light my spirit on fire,” Cabello told Who. “You command the stage. I just feel like you wake everybody up in here.”

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Blake Shelton calls Rowan Grace front-runner after 'solid' Olivia Newton-John cover

Team Blake singers Bryce Leatherwood and Rowan Grace infused the live shows with undeniable authenticity.

Leatherwood charmed the coaches with his heartfelt cover of “I'm Gonna Be Somebody” by Travis Tritt, especially coach Blake Shelton, who was impressed by Leatherwood’s genuine country music spirit.

“There are people who want to be country singers, and then sometimes there’s country people who want to be country singers, which is exactly what you are,” Shelton said. “It just comes from the heart. Everything about you is authentic.”

Grace wore her heart on her sleeve with an emotional performance of “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” the “Grease” torch song sung by Olivia Newton-John.

“You just literally threw yourself into the front-running of this competition,” Shelton told Grace. “You came out here and you simply delivered a solid performance of a classic song, and that’s what this audience loves.”

To vote for any of the singers featured in the top 16, visit The Voice Official App or NBC.com/VoiceVote.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'The Voice': Shelton gushes over singer's Olivia Newton-John cover