Night one of The Voice Season 28 Playoffs aired on Monday, and Reba McEntire is guaranteed to have only one singer in the finale.
For the first time on Season 28 of The Voice, America will play a role in the fate of the remaining contestants. 16 hopefuls survived the Knockout Round and earned the right to compete in the Playoffs. Each coach had only four teammates in the Playoffs and was tasked with choosing one artist from their team to take to the semi-finals.
During Monday night’s episode, members of Team Reba and Team Buble sang for their chance to advance to the live finale. Each coach chose one artist to represent them in the finals. The six contestants not chosen, three from Team Buble and three from Team Reba, were all left at the mercy of viewers who voted for one to compete in the finale.
Next week, Team Snoop and Team Niall will take their turn. On Monday, December 15, the final six will perform for America’s votes in the first live episode of the season. A new Voice champion will be crowned on Tuesday, December 16.
Team Reba’s final four sing in the Playoffs.
Peyton Kyle, Ryan Mitchell, Aubrey Nicole, and Aaron Nichols represented Reba McEntire’s team during the first Playoffs episode.
Peyton Kyle, Ryan Mitchell, and Aubrey Nicole were all one-chair turns, and Reba has stood by her decision throughout the competition. Aaron Nichols turned three chairs with his Blind Audition and Michael Buble predicted that he would win the entire competition, making him an early frontrunner.
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During Monday’s Playoff episode, Aaron Nichols was the first to sing and he sang Luke Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart.” Coach Snoop said that Nichols “performed like a superstar.” Aaron’s coach, Reba, said that he set the bar really high with his performance, but she was waiting to make a decision until she heard the other three.
Ryan Mitchell followed with “Undressed” by Sombr, which earned a standing ovation from the coaching panel. “You just keep giving more every time. I think it’s instinctual,” Reba told the singer.
Reba called Aubrey Nicole her “heart of gold” and praised her ability to bring emotion to her performances. Aubrey switched things up a bit, leaving behind her country sound for a soulful cover of “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles. Niall said that he thinks Aubrey deserves to be in the finale. “She’s special, that girl.”
Peyton Kyle was the last of Team Reba to sing for a spot in the finale. He chose to sing “Hold Back the River” by James Bay. Reba told him, “You give a lot in rehearsals, but man, you give it all you’ve got on stage. You’ve got what it takes. I am so proud of you.”
When it came time for Reba to make a decision, she chose to take Aubrey Nicole to the finale. “I chose Aubrey because she has a way of portraying a lot of emotion, and that’s what music is supposed to be about. I definitely think Aubrey has a shot to win the whole competition,” Reba said.
Fans reacted to Reba’s choice.
Fan reaction to Reba’s decision was mixed. Some called it “a very bad choice” and “an unjustifiable one.” Many expressed their surprise, predicting that Reba won’t win with Aubrey. Others supported the decision, saying that she made the right decision.
Vote for which one of the remaining six contestants you would like to see join Aubrey Nicole in the finale HERE.
See the performance that made Aubrey a finalist in the video below.
