No victory for Victoria: A shocking early elimination on 'The Voice'

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As if the swift online backlash to Monday’s The Voice’s Cross-Battles wasn’t enough, Tuesday’s frustrating results show — on which no contestants were cut during the first half, and then when someone finally went home, it was the frontrunner of the entire season — was clear proof that this new-fangled round is a failure.

On Monday, vivacious 16-year-old Kayslin Victoria smashed it with a VMAs-worthy performance (watch it below), but she had the bad luck of going up against Team Kelly’s also-awesome Presley Tennant. With the four coaches each getting only one Steal and one Save during this top 32 round (featuring contestants from opposing teams facing off for public votes), Presley/Kayslin was one evenly matched Cross-Battle that I’d been sure would result in both women being safe. But Kayslin inexplicably wasn’t stolen, nor was she saved by her own coach, John Legend.

Kayslin had a 10-second window to make her case to the panel, and the coaches just let her seconds tick away. When the countdown clock hit zero, I helplessly gasped in shock. Well, damn. John may have just lost his shot at a VEGOT. I can’t believe one of his most promising contestants didn’t even make it to the Live Playoffs.

What made this outcome especially outrageous was the fact that several singers who were downright terrible this week did get second chances — total wastes of these precious Saves and Steals, which should have been rationed out for next week’s Cross-Battles. I never thought I’d say this, but … could NBC bring back the Knockouts, please?

These were Tuesday’s other, mixed-bag results:

Kim Cherry (Team Blake) vs. Betsy Ade (Team Kelly)

Honestly, both of these women should have been axed. Instead, neither were. I understand why America voted for Kim, whose goofy Bell Biv DeVoe number on Monday was at least entertaining. But I can’t understand why both Adam Levine and John wanted to steal Betsy, whose screechy Alanis cover went down like a jagged little pill. But anyway, Betsy apparently didn’t forgive John’s “rookie mistake” of letting her go during the Battle Rounds, so we shall see how she does on her third team of this season. Maybe her next stop will be the Island of Misfit Toys.

WINNER: Kim / STOLEN: Betsy moves to Team Adam

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Matthew Johnson (Team Kelly) vs. Domenic Haynes (Team Adam)

I thought Domenic was the clear winner here. Of these two singers, he’s certainly the one who’d fit in at modern pop radio. But he’s darker, sexier, and therefore more threatening than conservative, smiley R&B crooner Matthew, so maybe I should not have been so surprised that Domenic lost. I’m glad that Adam used his Save on Domenic, but this result does not bode well for Domenic’s future chances.

WINNER: Matthew / SAVED: Domenic stays on Team Adam

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Maelyn Jarmon (Team Legend) vs. Rod Stokes (Team Adam)

Maelyn gave the best performance of Monday, so of course she stayed. Kelly Clarkson stole Rod (“I looked you dead in the eyes last night and I said if you don’t make it, if America doesn’t get it yet, they will on my team,” she told him Tuesday), but sadly, that meant Kelly couldn’t use her Save on Kayslin, which would have been a good fit. John should just consider himself lucky that he still has Maelyn on his team. She’s his only hope now.

WINNER: Maelyn / STOLEN: Rod moves to Team Kelly

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Celia Babini (Team Adam) vs. Oliv Blu (Team Blake)

This result also made no sense: Celia’s Monday performance of Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” was dreadful. Why did John use his one Steal on her? In a thousand years, I wouldn’t be able to explain his logic.

WINNER: Oliv / STOLEN: Celia moves to Team Legend

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Lisa Ramey (Team Legend) vs. Karen Galera (Team Kelly)

Well, finally the coaches got this one right. Karen was a nervous, nasal mess on Monday, and she deserved to go home.

WINNER: Lisa

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Mari (Team Adam) vs. Selkii (Team Blake)

OK, this was another head-scratcher. Cruise ship singer Selkii’s Natalie Imbruglia cover on Monday was so weak, it wasn’t even at a cruise-ship level. Why did Blake keep her? Nothing’s fine. I’m torn.

WINNER: Mari / SAVED: Selkii stays on Team Blake

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Dexter Roberts (Team Blake) vs. Andrew Jannakos (Team Adam)

Dexter already has a good TV track record, having placed seventh on American Idol Season 13, and Blake has a pretty impressive track record with country singers on The Voice. So, I knew Andrew had no chance of prevailing, even though I thought he delivered the stronger performance Monday. However, I was hoping that Blake would steal Andrew — and, in the process, strengthen his team. No such luck. Man, these Cross-Battles are making me cross.

WINNER: Dexter

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Tune in next Monday and Tuesday, for what is sure to be another frustrating week of Cross-Battles on The Voice.

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