Rookie coach Reba McEntire, the queen of country, was much-hyped at the start of The Voice Season 24, but so far she’s had a difficult time sparring with her more experienced and cutthroat co-stars: John Legend (who’s in his eighth season), Gwen Stefani (her seventh), and reigning champ Niall Horan. Reba appears to be not only the monarch of country music, but also the queen of one-chair turns, as six of her thirteen team members were recruited by default.
Reba, America’s redheaded sweetheart, “didn’t recognize how double-crossing [this competition] was, so it’s been a shock…. She’s had enough of it already. She realizes they’re all fakes and she’s had to resort to underhanded tactics to be heard, which is not her manner. Yahoo Entertainment has requested comment from NBC.
Considering how this season’s Blind Auditions have unfolded thus far, it’s evident that Reba (understandably) believed her pleasant demeanor and decades of experience — she frequently references being a “third-generation rodeo brat” who began performing at the age of 13 — would be sufficient to attract contestants. Her perishable recruitment incentive, tater tots, is not nearly as motivating as the collectible team jackets and hoodies offered by her rival instructors.
So far in Season 24, despite her earnest efforts and undeniably remarkable résumé, Reba has not established herself as the coach to beat. Niall has assured Voice viewers that she possesses a “superpower” that enables her to be “very in tune with some very great artists who are going to surprise us in the future,” so perhaps there is a method to her madness. Perhaps she has a devious strategy up her embroidered sleeve after all.
In the meantime, the self-proclaimed “King of the Voice” — John Legend, who after Blake Shelton’s departure has become the show’s original veteran judge — has become the monarch of four-chair turns. Eight of Team Legend’s twelve competitors, including two who auditioned on Tuesday, are four-chair marvels. We still have one more episode of Blind Auditions before next week’s Battle Rounds, but it appears that John, not Reba, is the coach to beat this season.
Here are the successful contestants from Tuesday’s hour-long episode, who earned between two and four chairs:
Willie Gomez, 37, performs “La Bachata”
This Miami-based Bachata dancer, who has worked with Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, and even Britney Spears (who sent him a video good-luck message), had the moves and the sultry tone of a burgeoning Latin music heartthrob. John assured him, “You can do everything possible to become a major celebrity.” Gwen was actually engaging in blatant flirtation with Willie, expressing admiration for his “vibe” and “energy.”
