Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Kayleigh Mathews and Lillie Kolich turned in the performance of the night Monday on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Kaleigh Mathews earned the first steal of Season 30 and four-chair turn artists Lillie Kolich and Koumba Diallo advanced as The Voice battle round began in earnest Monday night.

The Voice aired one battle during last Tuesday’s episode, with the sister duo of Ferryn and Brinkley Wright getting a win over Brandy Neelly. Ferryn and Brinkley also turned four chairs in the blinds.

Also advancing Monday night were Alt Bloom, Everett Bounds, Joe Henley and Connor Closs.

Artists eliminated Monday included Cal Cook, Caroline Alexis, Lance Tanazas, Morgan Lett and Kenna Elpers.

The night ended with a magical performance of “Girl Crush” by Lillie and Kayleigh. Soon after Queen Latifah named Lillie the winner, Kelly Clarkson and Riley Green pushed their save buttons in an attempt to win over Kayleigh.

Monday’s show ended without revealing which team Kayleigh opted to join. But fans won’t have to wait long to find out. The battles continue Tuesday in another two-hour episode.

Here’s a recap of Monday’s show.

See also …
The matches we’ll see Tuesday night
So what is Cut Week?
A look at which team is the strongest on The Voice

BEST OF THE NIGHT

TEAM QUEEN

The match: Kayleigh Mathews vs. Lillie Kolich
The background: Kayleigh, 31, of Tucson, Ariz., turned 4 chairs in the blinds, singing “When I Call Your Name.” Lillie, 25, of Albuquerque, N.M., turned all 4 singing “Bakc to Friends.”
The song: “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town
The feedback: Queen Latifah called it beautiful. Kelly Clarkson said she’s heard the song many times, and that’s one of her favorite versions. Kelly gave a slight edge to Kayleigh. Adam gave a slight edge to Lillie. Queen said neither of them should go home.
The outcome: Queen Latifah named Lillie the winner, saying she has a flavor that’s all her own. Kelly Clarkson and Riley Green then tried to steal Kayleigh.
My take: Having both advance was the only fair outcome. Kayleigh has an absolutely brilliant country voice. Lillie brought so much emotion to that performance. I would have given a slight edge to Lillie because I think she’ll be a bit more versatile. But, wow, that was a great battle.

THE COACH GOT IT WRONG

TEAM RILEY

The match: Caroline Alexis vs. Everett Bounds
The background: Caroline, 25, of Ozark, Ala., turned just Riley’s chair in the blinds, singing “Take Me There.” Everett Bounds, 23, of Hesperia, Calif., also turned just Riley’s chair, singing “Drivin’ My Life Away.”
The song: “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
The feedback: Kelly appauled both performers, calling it an even battle. Adam said the performance left him feeling well out of his element. Riley praised the attitude Carolina brought to the performance and Everett’s flair for performance.
The outcome: Riley awarded the win saying Everett is a natural in an upbeat country atmosphere, something his team needs.
My take: My, my, these two started dating during the show. Then they were paired for a flirty battle. Caroline has a such an appealing twang and played her part very well in that performance. They delivered a fine ending, and Everett let Caroline have the final line. I would have given the win to Caroline. That said, if the goal was to truly judge their voices, this was a crappy song choice by Riley.

The match: Joe Henley vs. Kenna Elpers
The background: Joe, 19, of Grand Bay, Ala., turned two chairs in the blinds singing “Anymore.” Kenna, 23, of Cynthiana, Indiana, turned two singing “White Horse.”
The song: “Don’t Mind If I Do” by Riley Green
The feedback: Kelly said Kenna’s voice is like a beautiful butterfly. She said Joe’s voice demands attention. Adam and Queen Latifah both gave a slight edge to Joe based on the uniqueness of his voice. Riley agreed, but said Joe probably wouldn’t have been able to do so well without Kenna’s influence on the duet.
The outcome: Riley awarded the win to Joe based on his distinct voice. Kenna was eliminated.
My take: In spite of his lack of experience, Joe has a deep soothing tone that’s very appealing. Kenna has more of a ethereal tone, and she got a little lost in the early part of this performance. That said, she came on strong at the end and wound up carrying the harmonies. So I would have given her the edge. She also appears more ready for The Voice gauntlet.

THE COACHES GOT IT RIGHT

TEAM QUEEN

The match: Alt Bloom vs. Morgan Lett
The background: Alt Bloom, 36, of Whitefish, Mont., turned 2 chairs in the blinds singing “The Bones.” Morgan, 27, of Akron, Ohio, turned 2 singing “I’m Goin’ Down.”
The song: “Ex Factor” by Lauren Hill.
The feedback: Kelly Clarkson called it so good. Riley said it’s going to be tough to top that battle. Riley gave Morgan the edge based on her energy. Kelly was amazed by the two singers and gave Alt the edge. Adam praised Morgan for her vocal choices and Alt for his range. Queen Latifah praised the performance of both singers.
The outcome: Queen Latifah awarded the win to Alt Bloom. She said he won “”by a nose” and that there’s nothing he can’t do. Morgan was eliminated.
My take: Alt Bloom showed off a really special tone from the first note. And Morgan is clearly an R&B powerhouse. I was really surprised by Alt Bloom’s soul and power. And would give him the edge because of his uniqueness.

TEAM KELLY

The match: Koumba Diallo vs. Lance Tenazas
The background: Koumba, 15, of Delano, Calif., turned all 4 chairs in the blinds, singing “Stone Cold.” Lance, 22, of Mission Viejo, Calif., turned 2 singing “Risk It All.” Queen’s team was full at the time.
The song: “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
The feedback: Adam can’t believe Koumba is just 15. Riley called it a seamless duet, praised Lance for holding his own but said Koumba is one of the best singers on the show. Kelly praised both singers, but called Koumba “a beast” of a singer.
The outcome: Kelly named Koumba as the winner, saying she thinks she could thrive on the show. Lance was eliminated.
My take: Oh, my, Koumba is just 15 and has such a rich voice. And shows absolutely no signs of nerves on The Voice stage. Her voice soars so effortlessly. She could wind up being one of the Season 30 standouts.

TEAM ADAM

The match: Connor Closs vs. Cal Cook
The background: Connor, 23, of Middletown, N.J., turned two chairs in the blinds, singing “Too Sweet.” Cal, 28, of Salt Lake City, Utah turned just Adam’s chair, singing “The Dress.”
The song: “Homewrecker” by Sombr
The feedback: Adam complimented them on a super job. Kelly gave Connor a slim edge, saying his tone on his runs was like ear candy. Riley declined to make a choice, complimenting both singers. Queen Latifah gave a slim edge to Cal.
The outcome: Adam declared Connor the winner, calling him one of the sneaky good artists on his team and saying he put himself in a great position heading into Cut Week. Cal was eliminated.
My choice: Connor said he went a long time before he felt comfortable to sing in front of people. He’s plenty comfortable now. And certainly showed off his range in this performance. I would have given him a slight edge, though Cal was also solid.

TEAM RILEY

The match: The duo of Ferryn and Brinkley Wright vs. Brandy Neelly
The background: Ferryn, 20, and Brinkley, 18, of Sevierville, Tenn., turned four chairs in the blinds, singing “When Will I Be Loved.” Brandy, 31, of Louisville, Kentucky, turned 2 with her performance of “Lesson in Leavin’.”
The song: “Mama’s Broken Heart” by Miranda Lambert
The feedback: Kelly gave a slight edge to Ferryn and Brinkley. Adam credited everyone with doing a “great job.” Queen Latifah praised Brandy for the fire she brought to the performance and Ferryn and Brinkley for being so locked in. Riley complimented all three performers.
The outcome: Riley awarded the win to Ferryn and Brinkley, saying they have a great chance of making it past Cut Week.
My take: Oh, my, the battles are difficult for groups because they tend to break up the song so every member has solo parts. Ferryn and Brinkley decided to sing nearly every line in harmony. And, wow, were they on point. They soaring notes they hit in unison where brilliant. They could win The Voice. Meanwhile, kudos to Brandy for delivering that much sass.