Reba Ruthlessly Uses Her Block in Hopes of Landing an Underground Ballroom 4-Chair Turn Artist
Brandon Montel
By my count, there have been 16 four-chair turns so far in Season 24 of The Voice, and John Legend is leading the coaches with a total of six of those on his team, so when 29-year-old Brandon Montel from Memphis took the stage for a Blind Audition of “Hard Place” by H.E.R., Reba finally used her Block on John.
Brandon moved from Memphis to Los Angeles six years ago and has done a lot of background singing, but in addition to that, he’s also involved in the Underground Ballroom culture, which was featured in the FX TV series Pose.
“The Ballroom scene is an LGBTQ+ subculture,” he explains. “We compete for trophies. The category that I walk is Face. Face is about selling face, pointing out my features, showing off my bone structure and smiling. Finding Ballroom has made me more aware of the confidence that I never thought that I had. It’s prepared to be the artist that I am today.”
That extra confidence may have been what got all four coaches to turn for Brandon.
“Brandon, we've been unceremoniously prevented from working together by the queen over there,” John tells him. “Most of the time, she’s a benevolent queen, but every once in a while, she'll do some ruthless, cold-blooded, dirty things.”
Reba defends herself, saying, “Only when I believe in it.”
Then John, who used his Block on Niall, lies, “I would never do such a thing to you, Reba." Then he adds, "If Reba messes up and there's a steal opportunity, I will be first in line.”
Related: Watch the 'Powerful' Blind Audition That Gets All Four The Voice Coaches to Turn
Niall jumps in then, hoping that John’s being blocked gives him a better shot at landing Brandon on his team.
“That was so good,” the former 1Der says. “Your runs were tasteful; your tone is so good—something that actually we haven't heard. I definitely don't have a team member like you, so I would absolutely love to work with you. I've been waiting for you.”
Reba butts in, pointing out, “Brandon, you're the reason why I blocked John.”
And John can’t resist saying, “Don't reward this kind of behavior, Brandon.”
Reba continues, “I have been holding my Block, waiting for this opportunity because you are so special. I don't have anybody like you. Your pitch, everything about your soulfulness as a performer, I knew you were a performer so then when I turned around and I saw you I thought, ‘Oh, man. Am I so glad that I blocked John.’ I would love to have you on my team. I've got lots of years of experience and I can bring it all to you. Please consider me.”
Courtesy: NBC
Gwen has had a hard time going up against Reba all season and this time is no different. She has to take a break to get a sip of caffeine to make her plea.
“I thought your performance was gorgeous and beautiful and very original sounding,” she begins. “I would love to be your coach. I'm trying to fight right now—wait let me get some caffeine (she sips and then is back). I've been in a band, I've been a solo artist, I've bounced around in so many different genres of music, and out of everything that I've done in my career, being on this show has brought me so much joy. That's why I keep coming back. I love being here and I love coaching people. You are adorably cute. Pick me!”
Then it was back to Niall, who loves to get in the last word: “Brandon, seriously, I would absolutely love you on my team. You'd be so good to work with. You seem like such a nice person.”
John wrapped up the pitches saying, “I am so disappointed that I can’t coach you but you do have three decent options here. It could be better, honestly, but who do you pick as your coach?”
While Brandon is deciding, Carson Daly turns to his mom and grandmother and asks who they think he’s going to choose, and they both say Gwen. And they were right. He picked Gwen.
Related: The Block is Back on The Voice—Watch John Legend Block Niall Horan to Land a Four-Chair Turn!
Gwen was ecstatic. She said, “Finally, I’m back. My first person today and it was a four-chair turn. Brandon is just a beautiful singer. I think he has a soulful heart, but it feels very unique. This is the most four-chair turns of any season I've ever been on that I can remember. It's been incredible. I don't know if I would have got him if Reba hadn't blocked John, but, lucky for me, it worked out.”
Brandon shares, “I chose Gwen because I believe that she can bring out the artist in me, bring me out of my shell completely.”
And Reba is a little sorry she used her block, saying, “As soon as I heard him, I knew that's the one John was wanting to go with, so that's why I blocked John. Then he went with Gwen instead. I guess I kind of wasted a block on John.”
Then John stood up and declared, “I just want the audience to know what happens when people block me. Niall blocked me and he did not win the artist he blocked me for. Reba, she did not win the artist she blocked me for. So, the lesson is: Don’t block me. It’s going to backfire.”
The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
