‘The Voice’: See John Legend, Gwen Stefani & Niall Horan All Cry Over ‘Underdog’ Singer
The Knockout rounds continued on Tuesday’s (November 14) episode of The Voice, with one performance, in particular, leaving the coaches, especially John Legend, in floods of tears.
Lennon VanderDoes from Team Niall took to the stage to deliver an emotional performance of Jason Mraz‘s “I Won’t Give Up,” which not only received high praise from the coaches but reduced Legend and Gwen Stefani to tears.
“Ever since I became a dad, I definitely cry a lot more than I used to. It’s hitting me more,” said Legend, who shares four children with his wife, Chrissy Teigen.
“I just felt you being fully yourself, and it felt so moving to me. I don’t know why I keep crying. I can’t stop,” the “Ordinary People” singer continued, telling VanderDoes that he sees him as his team’s “underdog.”
Stefani was also in tears, and fellow coach Reba McEntire had to rush over with tissues (see pic below). “Lennon, I hope you realize that that’s the biggest compliment another artist could give you is just to sit there and cry because you touched John to his core,” McEntire said.
“These two crying says it all,” Niall Horan agreed.
Despite the powerful performance and high praise from the coaches, Horan ultimately chose Alexa Wildish as the winner of the Knockouts, sending VanderDoes and fellow contestant Julia Roomes home.
However, the journey might not be entirely over for VanderDoes and other eliminated contestants. At the end of the episode, host Carson Daly gathered the four coaches backstage, telling them, “Something happened this particular season. The artists are getting better and better. In the Blinds, we had more four-chair turns that we’d ever had. The Knockouts… we’ve never seen anything like it.”
He continued, “So, we’ve changed the rules. We’ve had to do something rather drastic — something that’s never been done in all seasons on The Voice.”
The show then cut to a grid of FaceTime calls with Legend, Stefani, Horan, and McEntire speaking to four previously eliminated contestants and inviting them back to the competition. The identities of the returning artists were kept hidden, and viewers will have to wait until next week to find out who will receive a second chance.
Could VanderDoes end up on Team Legend? Let us know your thoughts on this surprising twist in the comments below.
The Voice, Mondays & Tuesdays, 8/7c & 9/8c, NBC