Freshman coaches Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper bring the heat to “The Voice,” but they still have to contend with reigning veteran Blake Shelton.
Horan and Chance turned their chairs for country rock crooner Neil Salsich along with Shelton and coach Kelly Clarkson during the season 23 premiere on Monday night. Salsich blew the coaches away with his amazing range and electric rendition of Hank Williams’ “Honkey Tonk Blues.”
“I’m not very familiar with country music, but the texture of your voice — the tone, the range you had, and also the runs you do — it could be interesting,” Chance said. “Why not a rapper and a country singer together? And it would be really cool if I stole a country (artist) from Blake.”
Horan added: “Country storytelling is my thing. (Blake) can’t tell you a story at all.”
But in the end, Salsich chose Shelton as his coach.
“This is my last season and I’m going out with a bang,” Shelton said. “I don’t care if these guys are new and I should be polite. Forget it. They’re going down.”
See what else went down during Monday’s episode of “The Voice.”
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Sorelle, a trio of sisters from Ohio, won over Chance and Shelton with their lively harmonies on their cover of “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy” by Queen.
“In hip-hop, artists like Kendrick Lamar and Drake find younger artists like you guys who put harmonics together and sample them and they become the biggest records you hear on the radio,” Chance said. “I would love to put you guys in (the) position to be able to create some of those things from scratch.”
Shelton then threw the chance pitch. “You can choose Chance, with the goal of one day hoping to be featured on someone else’s record, or you can choose Team Blake and make your own record,” he told the group.
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But Chance wasn’t going to let Shelton have the last word. The “Holy” emcee had Sorelle improvise a lush, three-part harmony using a line from the Nipsey Russell song “What Would I Do If I Could Feel?”
Chance’s demonstration seemed to do the trick, with Sorelle choosing to join Team Chance.
“The chance absolutely killed me at Sorelle,” Shelton said. “Next thing I know he’s producing a record live in front of your eyes. When that happened, I knew it was over for me.”
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Niall Horan steals the country singer from Blake Shelton with a gag on stage
Oklahoma singer Ross Clayton earned himself a four-chair turn with his warm country vocals and sweet rendition of “Blue Ain’t Your Color” by Keith Urban.
Horan, who had yet to have a singer on his team, was determined to sway Clayton. The One Direction alum got up from his seat and pressed the buttons on his fellow coaches’ chairs, turning them away from Clayton.
“Forget about what any of them said. That’s why I spun them around. I didn’t want to hear any more shit,” Horan said. “I got on a show like this when I was 16 years old. … There are fans of mine who would really love to take you under their wing.”
Horan’s chair-spin gag helped break his disgusting streak when Clayton chose to join Team Niall.
“I feel like Niall is going to take my place on this show,” Shelton said. “Playing dirty tricks like that gives me confidence that he can be the liar he needs to be to cover for Team Blake from now on.”
Watch:Niall Horan imitates Blake Shelton’s southern twang in ‘The Voice’ promo
Chance the Rapper overshadows coaches with a playful pitch, nabs 4-chair singer
Soul singer Noivas captivated the coaches with his stirring acoustic rendition of Otis Redding’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” quickly earning himself a four-chair trip.
“You are an incomparable talent and I would love to give you the platform to show yourself to the world,” Chance told the 30-year-old vocalist. “You are a voice of this generation that deserves to be heard.”
Horan chimed in, comparing Noivas’ soulfulness to R&B icon Stevie Wonder.
“I haven’t seen anyone with such passion,” Horan said. “I don’t make this kind of music, but sometimes the best things happen when opposites meet.”
But Chance was prepared to stand out by walking up to each trainer’s illuminated name on stage and changing them to his own with a series of jumps. “You only have one choice,” he said. “I want you to win this show and I want you on Team Chance.”
The playful pitch sealed the deal for Noivas, who chose Chance as his coach.
“It’s rookie season and I’m so proud of my fellow rookie Chance for getting Noivas,” Horan said. “He will take him all the way.”
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