Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Michael B. Williams and Ryley Tate Wilson listen to feedback following their battle on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Eight more artists advanced during The Voice battles Monday night.

And two of those — Ryley Tate Wilson of Team Naill and D. Smooth of Team Kelly — earned playoff passes.

That means they’ll be able to skip the knockout round.

Also advancing were Michael W. Williams, Holly Brand, Ali, Kate Cosentino, Grace West and NariYella.

Here’s my recap.

BEST OF THE NIGHT

Team Naill

The pairing: Michael B. (1) vs. Ryley Tate Wilson (4)
The song: “Heartbreak Anniversary” by Ryley Tate Wilson
The feedback: Chance called the performance “insane.” He gave Michael the edge. Kelly said both singers were so good they should be in the finale. Blake, too, gave a slight edge to Michael. Naill callEd their performance “off the charts.”
The outcome: Naill awarded the win to Michael. He then rewarded Rhyley with the playoff pass, meaning he’ll skip the knockouts.
My take: Strategically, I think the outcome should have been reversed. Michael is more experienced and ready for this, so awarding him the playoff pass would have allowed Ryley to gain more experience during the knockout round. No doubt, though, both were impressive. Michael was flat-out brilliant. Ryley was brilliant for his age.

BEST OTHER PERFORMER

Team Chance

The pairing: NariYella (4) vs. Chloe Abbott (1)
The song: “I Want You Around” by Snoh Aalegra
The feedback: Kelly gave the edge to NariYella. Blake said it felt like NariYella has the song by its throat the entire performance. Naill complimented both singers without voicing a preference.
The outcome: Chance awarded the win to NariYella. Chloe was eliminated.
My take: NariYella captured my attention with that fabulous opening and held my attention through the entire performance. She also seemed incredibly comfortable and confident as a performer.

THE COACHES GOT IT RIGHT

Team Blake

The pairing: Grace West (2) vs. Carlos Rising (2)
The song: “I Told You So” by Randy Travis
The feedback: Naill complimented both singers but said he’d lean toward Grace because she’s unique to the show. Chance didn’t voice a preference. Kelly gave Grace a slight edge, I think.
The outcome: Blake awarded the win to Grace. Carlos was eliminated.
My take: Dang, what a classic country tone Grace has. She absolutely nailed that vocal, leaving absolutely no doubt that she had to advance.

Team Naill

The pairing: Kate Cosentino (3) vs. Tiana Goss (1)
The song: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
The feedback: Chance said he thought both were phenomenal, but gave the edge to Kate. Blake said he thought Tiana took the battle with more consistent vocals. Naill called it an “amazing performance.”
The outcome: Naill awarded the win to Kate. Tiana was stolen by Chance the Rapper, who said he appreciated her soul and stage presence.
My take: Those gals get an A+ for having fun with an oft-done song. And I certainly wasn’t surprised by that performance from Kate, who’s quite a character and has great original music out. I was a little surprised by Chance’s steal because, as multiple coaches said, that’s a tough song to demonstrate vocal prowess.

Team Kelly

The pairing: ALI (2) vs. D. Smooth (2)
The song: “Unaware” by Allen Stone
The feedback: Blake complimented them on an incredible job. He gave the edge to D. Smooth. Naill said he’s lean toward Ali. Chance called the performance “crazy good.” He preferred Ali as well.
The outcome: Kelly awarded the win to Ali. Chance the Rapper tried to steal him. But he was trumped by Kelly’s playoff pass, saying he has the gift to make it all the way.
My take: D. lived up to his name with those smooth R&B vocals and deserved the win. Loved his ab libs too.

Team Kelly

The pairing: Holly Brand (3) vs. Katie Beth Forakis (2)
The song: “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andress
The feedback: Blake and Naill praised both singers, but declined to voice a preference. Chance the Rapper gave the edge to Holly. Kelly also had praise for the two singers.
The outcome: Kelly named Holly the winner, because she’s a country girl she believes can tackle any genre. Katie Beth was eliminated.
My take: I’d agree with Blake that Katie Beth had a unique and interesting tone. But Holly earned the win with her stage presence and those big vocals.