The Voice recap: Team Gwen puts on a good show and John Legend can't resist using his steal

Several of tonight's duets seem like foregone conclusions from the start — not because anyone is lacking talent here, but a whole handful of artists get matched up with some of the season's early standouts. But before you call this episode a wash, the final performance is surprising in the best ways. The fourth round of The Voice Battles is a ride, is what I'm saying! Let's get started.

Team Gwen: Kique vs. Tanner Howe

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"Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds

For Gwen Stefani's first Battle of the night, she pairs up two artists who both she and Blake Shelton turned for during the Blinds and they both, obviously, went with the Mrs. I guess we'll find out who made the right choice, huh? Gwen gives Tanner and Kique the classic Simple Minds song "Don't You (Forget About Me)," a song she calls "perfect." That's why when she hears the guys have changed the melody she advises them to go back to the original — if it ain't broke don't fix it, you know? Kique and Tanner make a great team, but Tanner's performance experience is evident and his voice sounds radio-ready. John Legend would choose Tanner, but the other coaches think Kique's voice is too unique to pass up. Gwen calls it "rare," "original," and "stylized." She picks Kique as the winner.

Team Blake: Kevin Hawkins vs. Hillary Torchiana

"Preach" by John Legend

Blake gives Kevin (a Blind Audition standout) and Hillary (a one-chair Blake Shelton special) his buddy John's song because he knows it will allow them both to show off some of their vocal tricks. Funny enough, his first note in rehearsal is that they are overdoing those vocal tricks. Less is more, babies! Unfortunately for Hillary, even though she performs well, she was always the underdog next to Kevin and he really delivers. He has so much confidence and charisma on stage, plus, hello, he can sing his butt off. Blake pretty much says the same thing in his critique: Hillary really stepped up, but we still haven't seen Kevin at his full potential and that's exciting. Kevin Hawkins moves forward to the Knockouts.

Team Camila: Sasha Hurtado vs. Devix

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"Electric Feel" by MGMT

Speaking of underdogs, Sasha Hurtado's task here seems a bit insurmountable: Devix, an alt-indie-pop artist, has already set himself apart from the competition with his vocal stylings. Sasha shouldn't be immediately passed over, but once she admits in rehearsals that she's never heard this song and that makes her even more nervous to be on stage performing it, the writing's on the wall. Team advisor Charlie Puth puts it bluntly: This Battle is going to come down to "who has more star power" and here, that's Devix. Sasha's great and the coaches all agree that she would just soar if she had the right song. Still, Camila Cabello thinks Devix is just further along as an artist and she gives him the win. But wait! Gwen wants to give Sasha a chance to prove herself: She steals Sasha Hurtado for Team Gwen.

Team Legend: Kim Cruse vs. David Andrew

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"Heartbreak Anniversary" by Giveon

And yet another fairly uneven matchup tonight! It's not that David Andrew can't hold his own — he does a lot with his sweet, softer vocals — it's just that Kim Cruse is one of the best vocalists on the show this season. That raspiness on top of everything else she can do! Come on! Team Advisor Jazmine Sullivan calls it "a voice you just never forget." After the performance, John Legend praises David for "the joy" he brings to the stage and tells him that he really "delivered" tonight, it's just that…he's up against Kim. John gushes over the "control" Kim has "over [her] instrument" and calls her "an elite artist." John picks Kim Cruse to represent Team Legend in the Knockouts.

Team Blake: Kate Kalvach vs. Madison Hughes

"Every Rose Has It's Thorn" by Poison

Blake pairs up Kate and Madison because while they both have that "soulful storyteller" country feel to their vocals, even if their voices could not be more different. Madison sounds great in her lower register — in fact, Jimmie Allen describes hearing both notes of Reba McIntire and Garth Brooks in Madison's voice — and Kate is really compelling in her falsetto. In their performance, Kate commands the stage both with her easy presence and her great vocals. It seems all the coaches forgot just how good Kate was and rave about what she can do. John calls out how open and round her voice is when she goes big and Gwen is super impressed with "how [she] interpret[s the song] with [her] body." Blake agrees: He picks Kate Kalvach to move forward, noting just how "connected" she is to the lyrics. She's a storyteller through and through.

Team Gwen: Ian Harrison vs. Alyssa Witrado

"happier than ever" by Billie Eilish

This is a surprisingly great pairing. Ian performed Lord Huron's "The Night We Met" in the Blinds and Alyssa impressed Gwen by singing "Don't Speak" — they both have these stylized indie-pop voices and you can tell they know who they are as artists. In rehearsals, Gwen really wants them to lean into the weirdness and theatrics of the song and they do exactly that. The performance feels like a play with all the back-and-forth and palpable emotion. Partway through, both John and Camila jump to their feet, they are so into it. John loves "the depth" and "presence" in Ian's voice and notes that this song was very much in Alyssa's wheelhouse and she delivered. Blake is most surprised by Ian and how he put it in a different gear, showing a lot of layers to his voice. There's no bad choice here and in the end, Gwen is so wowed by Alyssa's stage presence, she picks her as the winner. She doesn't have to agonize too much about cutting Ian Harrison, though, because John scoops him up for Team Legend.

TEAM STANDINGS

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Team Legend: Valarie Harding, Emma Brooke, Morgan Taylor, Parijita Bastola, The Marilynds (save), Kim Cruse, Ian Harrison (steal from Gwen)

Still to Battle: Omar Jose Cardona, Peyton Aldridge, Kara McKee, Lana Love

Team Gwen: Rowan Grace, Cara Brindisi, Justin Aaron, Destiny Leigh (save), Daysia, Kique, Sasha Hurtado (steal from Camila), Alyssa Witrado

Still to Battle: Sadie Bass, Kayla Von Der Heide

Team Camila: Morgan Myles, Steven McMorran (save), Orlando Mendez, Jaeden Luke (steal from Blake) Reina Ley, Eric Who, Devix

Still to Battle: Chello, Andrew Igbokidi, Zach Newbould, Constance Howard

Team Blake: Austin Montgomery, Jay Allen (steal from Gwen), bodie, Eva Ullman, Brayden Lape, Kevin Hawkins, Kate KalvachStill to Battle: Bryce Leatherwood, The Dryes

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