Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Jack Austin secured the final steal during the battle round on The Voice Season 28. (NBC Photo)

Michael Buble rescued Jack with a well-earned steal following a battle round match with the country-pop trio DEK of Hearts.

DEK of Hearts, of course, advanced for Team Niall. So did Ralph Edwards for Team Snoop, Teo Ramdell for Team Michael and Peyton Kyle for Team Reba.

DEK of Hearts, Teo and Ralph all turned four chairs during the blind auditions.

Editor’s note: Following the links attached to each singers’ name below will take you to a profile of that singer, complete with information about music they’ve already released.

THE COACHES GOT IT RIGHT

TEAM NIALL

The match: DEK of Hearts vs. Jack Austin
The song: “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons
The background: DEK of Hearts, the Nashville-based trio of Dylan John, Emily Clapp and Kollin Bailey, turned four chairs in the blinds, singing “Heads Carolina, Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina on the season premiere. Jack Austin, 21, of Battle Creek, Michigan, performed “This Town” by Niall and turned three chairs.
The feedback: Reba McEntire says she thoroughly enjoyed the performance and suggested Niall advance all four of them. Which, of course, he cannot do. Michael complimented all four singers, but gave the edge to DEK of Hearts because they’re so unique. Snoop Dogg complimented them on doing an “amazing job.” Niall loved the joy all four artists brought to the performance.
The outcome: Niall awarded the win to DEK of Hearts, saying they represent his first opportunity to work with a group. Michael then swooped in with a well-deserved save for Jack.
My take: I’ve written it dozens of times already. I write it again. It’s tough for a group to stand out in the battles on The Voice. Never was it clearer than in this performance. DEK of Hearts did its best, focusing more on harmonies than separate solo parts. But Jack still came off as lead singer and DEK of Hearts as his backing band. That’s a credit to Jack, who was impressive vocally and dancing when he wasn’t singing. I’d give him the edge by a whisker. That said, if I was Niall, with Aiden Ross already in my Top 8, I might advance DEK of Hearts, knowing they’re likely to deliver finals-worthy performances in every other phase of this competition. And, once again, I’d urge The Voice to ditch the battles and have two rounds in the knockout format. Remember, we’re picking “the voice,” not the best duet partner.

THE COACH GOT IT RIGHT

TEAM SNOOP DOGG

The match: Ralph Edwards vs. Jerrell Melton
The song: “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims
The background: Ralph, 30, of Fresno, Calif., performed “Lights” by Ellie Goulding in the blinds and turned all four chairs. Jerrell, 29, of Fayetteville, Ga., landed one of the last spots on Team Snoop, singing “Go the Distance” in the blinds.
The feedback: Niall praised both singers, specifically the purity of Jerrell’s voice and the power of Ralph’s. Reba gave the edge to Jerrell. Michael predicted Ralph will go far on the show. Snoop called them both superstars.
The outcome: Snoop named Ralph the winner, saying he has a voice like no other. Jerrell was eliminated.
My take: This song choice played to Ralph’s strengths, letting him show off his rasp, his booming voice and his showmanship. Having him sing this in the battles might have been a bit of a strategic mistake because he could have slayed with it in a later round. Jerrell had some standout moments. But it was Ralph’s battle from that very impressive opening line on.

THE COACH GOT IT HALF RIGHT

TEAM REBA

The match: Peyton Kyle vs. Shan Scott
The song: “Don’t Dream it’s Over” by Crowded House
The background: Peyton Kyle, 26, of Gainesville, Ga., performed “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars in the blinds. Shan, 28, of New York, performed “Wish I Knew You” by The Revivalists. Reba was the only coach to turn for both artists.
The feedback: Michael called the performance “unbelievable,” but gave Peyton the edge based on his range and his control. Snoop said he loved what the two singers did. Niall gave Shan the edge based on her distinct tone.
The outcome: Reba awarded the win to Kyle, calling him a powerhouse, but saying she also still wished she had her save for Shan. Shan was eliminated.
My take: This performance was a bit sleepy. I blame the song choice more than the artists. On the right song, I’m sure I’d prefer Shan’s smoky, raspy vocals. On this song, Peyton Kyle got to show off his range and provided more of the vocal highlights. So I guess I’ll disagree with the song choice and agree with the outcome given that song choice.

ANOTHER MONTAGE

TEAM MICHAEL

The match: Teo Ramdell vs. Elias Gomez
The song: “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
The background: Teo, 34, of Tiujuana, Mexico, performed “Historia de un Amor” by Luis Miguel in the blinds and turned all four chairs. Elias, 29, of Cincinnati, Ohio, performed “Lonely Teardrops” by Jackie Wilson and turned three chairs.
The feedback: We didn’t hear any and saw just 40 seconds of a battle. The singers were harmonizing for most of that time.
The outcome: Michael awarded the win to Teo, saying his voice has a little of everything and reminds him of a young Luis Miguel. Elias was eliminated.
My take: This was an odd match to montage considering the two singers turned seven of a maximum eight chairs in the blinds. Of course, I think it’s incredibly lazy of The Voice to montage any performance during the battles, considering all the airtime wasted on behind the scenes footage and blabbering by the coaches. Speaking of which, do we really need to witness a 47th and 48th contestant gushing over guest mentors? And, once again, I pose this question: Since the cameras were rolling, why can’t The Voice put the entire performance on YouTube or its social media sites?

The members of DEK of Hearts — Dylan John, Emily Clapp and Kollin Bailey — listen to feedback following their battle on The Voice. (NBC Photo)