Reba McEntire Did an A+ Gwen Stefani Impression & Nailed Her Signature Gesture

Is there anything Reba can’t do?

NBC’s The Voice is a little bit like summer camp. Everybody gathers together in the same place for a shared purpose, new relationships are forged, and lives are changed. There’s a different slate of kids (contestants) every summer (season), but some of the same counselors (Coaches) come back year after year. Not to mention the unwavering presence of host Carson Daly, who has been with the show since its first season. This creates a certain amount of continuity within an environment that is an intentionally designed revolving door, sending some campers home almost as soon as they’ve arrived.

Even if they win, a contestant’s time on The Voice is necessarily brief; some things only come into our lives for a season, but once you’re a Coach, your influence never totally disappears. Take Gwen Stefani for instance. She first appeared as a Coach on Season 7 back in 2014, alongside Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, and her future husband, then-colleague, Blake Shelton.

Stefani left after her first season, but then returned for seasons 9, 12, 17, 19, 22, and 24. She never strays too long for her influence to totally fade. For all we know, we haven’t seen Gwen sitting in the Coaches chair for the last time. Gwen might be missing from the lineup of The Voice Season 25, but she’s been on at least one Coach’s mind.

Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani on The Voice “The Playoffs Part 2” Episode 2418. Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC

As the Blinds continued on episode 3 of The Voice tonight, contestants were fighting for a coveted spot on the show while Coaches were duking it out for their favorite performers. That was the atmosphere when Asher Havon took to the stage with a stormy rendition of Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain.”

The performance earned Asher an early Turn from both Dan + Shay and Chance the Rapper, but it was Queen Reba who swept in at the last minute with a buzzer-beating Turn and eventually the win. Returning to summer camp, when the campers all go to bed (finish auditioning), the counselors have a chance to talk amongst themselves, revisit the day’s wins and losses … maybe gloat a little bit.

During one such meeting around the campfire (coffee table) the Coaches were discussing their pitching strategies. Reba was riding high on the recent addition of Havon to her roster, and Dan said what everyone was thinking, “Reba’s got fans. Everybody who comes up there.” And why wouldn’t she?

After all, Reba McEntire is more than just a competitive reality television Coach. She’s Heather Gummer (Tremors); she’s the greatest racecar driver who ever lived, A.J. Ferguson (The Little Rascals); she’s got more awards than you could store without concrete reinforcement including a trio of Grammy’s; and she’s been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. We can now add to those achievements a pretty good Gwen Stefani impression.

In response to gentle ribbing from her fellow Coaches and a not-so-subtle accusation that she’s winning artists on fame alone, Reba responded, “I’m going to pull a Gwen,” complete with a head tilt, tight lipped smile, and hands delicately held beneath the chin. Gwen might be gone, but she’s far from forgotten.