‘The Voice’ Season 26 Episode 8 Recap: Lots of Heartache Tonight

The Voice Season 26 continues to display that there is immense talent out there. Even from the coaches! The night kicks off with a rousing performance from our quartet singing “Heartache Tonight” by The Eagles. Now, if you thought Snoop Dogg couldn’t sing, you’d be wrong! He does not have as many vocal moments as the tried and true singers of the group, but he holds his own. The irony of the performance is the Battle Rounds will bring an immense amount of heartache. In the Battle Rounds, each coach pairs up their roster of artists in hopes of deciding which of the two singers will continue into the Knockout Round. Of course, with two steals already used, there is hope for those who do get cut by their coach. One would think it would take an exceptional performance to earn it. Sometimes, all it takes is a little pull at the heartstrings.

The Queen and the Rookie Make Tough Decisions

Part 2 of the Battles starts with two of Reba McEntire‘s eccentric soul singers, Adam Bohanan versus Kevin James Graham. It’s an interesting pairing, but one that was necessary, as having both artists on her team was not beneficial in hopes of defending her crown. Bohanan tells Reba during the coaching that he learned to speak with an American accent by watching her show, Reba. If that isn’t endearing, I don’t know what is! For their battle of “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, the modern soul track was outside of Graham’s wheelhouse, but his ability to soar on the high notes allowed him to shine. Despite the vocal inability to reach those rights, Bohanan had the natural ease the track calls for. The performance displays two drastically different artists that bring the coaches to their feet. Both artists were one-chair turns during the Blind Auditions, but the journey continues for Adam Bohanan. Unfortunately for Kevin James Graham, no coaches steal him.

Snoop Dogg continues his journey of pairing drastically different artists together as his first battle of the night is between Queens-native ChrisDeo and the Nashville duo act of MisterMoon. Snoop shares that a major part of why he wants them together is to hear the harmonies. Disadvantage ChrisDeo. ChrisDeo, who turned 17 during the coaching session, shares that she has made a connection with MisterMoon as they remind her of her older sister. This is going to be an emotionally savage performance. Snoop chooses Amy Winehouse‘s version of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” for this battle, a track that couldn’t be further away from both artists. His goal is to push their voices. This was a big song for ChrisDeo and has the disadvantage of the unique blend MisterMoon naturally has. Savs and Leah Colon both have their solo moments, but when they come together, they showcase their superstardom. As much as they would love to become a supergroup called MoonDeo, only one artist can advance. The D-O-Double G selects ChrisDeo as the winner of the battle. It’s a stunning decision. Were the tears during ChrisDeo’s critiques the thing that swayed his decision? It’s very likely. MisterMoon walks away with no steals — a very unwise decision.

Interesting Song Choices During the Battle Round Push the Singers

It’s a character voice battle for Michael Bublé as he pairs up crooner Edward Preble against the folk stylings of Mark Shiiba. They are totally different singers, and Bublé thinks he can find a song that sits in both their worlds. For their performance, Preble and Shiiba sing Louis Armstrong‘s “What a Wonderful World.” Bublé states that Louis Armstrong changed music forever as he invented something never heard before. Shiiba was Bublé’s Coaches’ Replay and proves why he deserved that second chance. His unique voice gave the song new life. For Edward Preble, it was in his wheelhouse. It was a tad too generic and flat. For Michael Bublé, his decision comes down to heart. Bublé gives the win to the safe performance of Edward Preble. Mark Shiiba’s refreshing rendition is left on the cutting room floor. This may have been Bublé’s worst coaching move thus far, as Preble’s longevity beyond this game will be tough. He doesn’t quite have the legs to stand on compared to the modernity of Mark Shiiba.

Gwen Stefani pairs up the youthful auras of Frankie Torres and Gabrielle Zabosky. They are both big balls of energy. This battle makes sense. Stefani decides to go too cool for school with her “Never Tear Us Apart” selection by INXS. She claims there is passion in the song that will allow them to build in their performance. Frankie Torres has a dimension in her voice that fits the song effectively. For Gabrielle Zabosky, she shocks with her dynamics and her ability to tackle a song that is far from her wheelhouse. Both singers prove why they should remain in the competition, making Gwen’s decision the toughest of the entire night. In the end, the Team Gwen singer moving to the Knockouts is Gabrielle Zabosky. But wait! It wouldn’t be an evening of Battles without a steal! As Torres is giving her goodbyes, Reba McEntire uses her first steal of the season at the last possible moment, and it was the smartest move of the night.

This episode was a quick evening of music. Each coach only had a single battle, though a quick montage showcases two cut-for-time battles. They are the battles between Team Bublé’s Torion Sellers and Jeremy Beloate, with Beloate victorious, and Team Snoop’s Suede Lacy and Torre Blake, with Blake victorious. Why didn’t these artists also receive their moment of glory? Timing can be difficult with big shows like this, but here’s hoping Jeremy Beloate gets another moment to shine in the next round, as he is one of the potential stars of the season. With only four performances this episode, The Voice keeps chugging along as we continue through the battles.

The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00pm on NBC. All episodes are available to stream on Peacock.