Author: Ms Bich

Dionne Warwick asks Chance The Rapper to explain why he chose to put ‘rapper’ in his stage name… sparking hilarious Twitter exchange

Dionne Warwick is using her Twitter to get to the bottom of some of the most perplexing pseudonyms in the music industry.

And on Saturday, the entertainer, 79, asked Chance The Rapper to explain why he put ‘rapper’ in his stage name if he is ‘very obviously a rapper,’ adding that she ‘cannot stop thinking about this.’

And the Chance The Rapper, 27, clearly excited to be noticed by Warwick, replied to her with haste.

‘Sorry I’m still freaking out that u know who I am. This is amazing!’ tweeted the hitmaker, who boasts 8.3million followers on the platform.

Dionne then replied, ‘Of course I know you. You’re THE rapper. Let’s rap together. I’ll message you.’

‘I will be whatever you wanna call me Ms Warwick. God bless you,’ wrote Chance, which concluded the duo’s entertaining Twitter thread.

Before Chance The Rapper had a ‘chance’ to respond to her pressing inquiry, Dionne sent out two follow-up tweets that had her followers giggling, including one where she referred to herself as ‘Dionne the Singer.’

She also hilariously admitted that ‘Holy by Justin the Bieber @justinbieber and @chancetherapper is one of [her] favorite songs right now.’

For her final victim of the day, Warwick set her sights on Flashing Lights singer-songwriter The Weeknd, asking him to clarify the spelling of his stage name.

‘The Weeknd is next. Why? It’s not even spelled correctly? @theweeknd,’ read the tweet, which amassed 14,000 likes.

Unfortunately for Warwick, The Weeknd, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, has yet to provide her with an answer.

With her Twitter mentions flooded with laughing emojis and praise, Dionne returned to the platform to make a declaration: ‘If you have ‘The’ in your name i’m coming for you. I need answers today.’

Warwick, who will turn 80-years-old on December 12, has been entertaining the masses on Twitter amid COVID-19 quarantine.

‘I swear your presence on twitter is the best thing that has happened in 2020 so far,’ wrote one devout fan, followed by a slew of laughing emojis, on Saturday.

Prior to her viral back-and-forth with Chance The Rapper, Dionne earned some well deserved social media clout after she publicly denied a stranger’s request for the highly sought after Playstation 5 gaming console.

‘To the person who tweeted at Ms. Warwick asking for the PS5… She says no. – DW Team,’ read the tweet, which has earned nearly 2,000 retweets.

In a recent video interview, Dionne addressed the undeniably funny tweet and referred to the PS5 as ‘some sort of toy.’

‘He wanted me to buy him some sort of toy, and I had to answer him and I said, “No! I don’t know you!”‘ she said with a laugh.

The Voice: Shay Mooney admits to getting ‘chills’ from singer Madison Curbelo as Playoffs premiere

Shay Mooney told Madison Curbelo that her performance gave him ‘chills’ on Monday’s two-hour Playoffs premiere episode of The Voice on NBC.

‘There is just something about your voice that carries more than just notes,’ Shay, 32, said. ‘It doesn’t just go to my ears. It goes straight to my soul. That was the first time today that I got chills. I never get chills.’

Madison, 21, from Westfield, Massachusetts, who was Dan + Shay’s Playoff Pass winner, closed out the show with her emotional performance of Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide. All the coaches were blown away by her singing. Madison said she thought about her father and the sacrifices he made for her when she sang.

‘I got chills,’ Reba McEntire, 69, said. ‘You gave me goosebumps. I love your voice.’

‘I’m actually going to ask the producers if I could get a copy of that performance because I want to listen to it again,’ Chance the Rapper, 31, said. ‘It was really, really special.’

‘What you did up there was beautiful,’ John Legend , 45, said. ‘You are amazing.’

The show featured both Team Dan & Shay and Team John Legend contestants and each coach at the end of the episode had to cut two members from their team.

Latin Grammy winner Maluma, wearing shorts under a trench coat with dress shoes and black socks, joined the show to serve as a mentor for Team Legend. Saweetie also came on to serve as a mentor for Team Dan + Shay.

Team Legend’s Nathan Chester, 28, from Chicago, dressed in a green suit, opened the show singing a Beatle’s classic Oh Darling. He spun around during his performance and did a split on stage making John smile.

‘Best performance ever,’ Reba said. ‘You had me at the very beginning when you had a hold of that microphone, and you were looking this way, and then when you did the splits, I went, ”Man, that’s something else”.’

‘Amazing performance,’ Chance said. ‘If I were you, I would send him to the lives.’

John, who was wearing a cardigan sweater that looked like a robe, agreed.

‘You can sing, man!’ John said.

Karen Waldrup, 37, from Mamdeville, Louisiana, was the first contestant to take the stage for Dan + Shay team and sang Lainey Wilson’s Heart Like A Truck. She was stunned in rehearsals that she got tips from Grammy nominated Saweetie.

‘You know there is no deadline to dreams,’ Saweetie said. ‘I feel like a lot of people would have thrown in the towel but you have that ambitious spirit. And that’s really important for the world to see.’

Karen sang wearing a black dress and sequined cowboy boots.

‘Karen, spectacular,’ Reba said.

‘I think that was my favorite performance you have done so far,’ Dan Smyers, 36, said. ‘We know you’ve got a powerhouse voice. But I felt on this song you connected to the lyrics more so than any of the previous performances. You are a pro. You left everything on the stage.’

Team Legend’s Kamalei Kawa’a, 27, from Paukukalo, Hawaii, picked Bob Marley’s hit No Woman, No Cry to perform.

‘I always take my roots and essence everywhere I go because that’s what makes me feel unique,’ Maluma told him during rehearsals.

‘That was so amazing,’ Chance the Rapper said after his performance. ‘Great breath control. Great improvisational moments.’

‘You’ve covered Bob Marley twice and I just feel you are honoring his legacy in such a beautiful way,’ John said.

For Team Dan + Shay, Anya True, 17, from Encinitas, California, bravely picked Taylor Swift’s hit All Too Well to perform. She said the song reminded her of the growing up journey.

‘It was nice to see someone so young shine so bright,’ Saweetie said.

Anya played her guitar as she sang and the crowd cheered for her.

‘It was a very cool performance,’ Chance said.

‘That was my favorite performance of yours so far,’ Dan said. ‘You absolutely stepped up and crushed it.’

‘You have this kind of Julia Michaels way that you sing,’ Shay said.

‘We have to send two people home and we love every single person on our team,’ Shay said.

Team Legend’s Playoff Pass winner Bryan D. Olesen, 49, from Lincoln, Nebraska, performed a moving rendition of Toto’s hit Africa. Maluma said that Bryan’s vocal range was ‘out of this world.’

Bryan wore a pink suit while he sang and the coaches gave him a standing ovation.

‘You seem like you are already a superstar,’ Dan said. ‘It’s compelling. I can’t take my eyes off you. It’s not just the pink suit. It’s that voice.’

‘You need to be on the lives,’ Reba said.

‘I’m glad I used my Playoff Pass on you, you deserved it,’ John said.

Olivia Rubini, 24, from Wilmington, Delaware, on Team Dan + Shay went next and sang I’ll Stand by You by The Pretenders. Olivia asked Saweetie if she had any advice for young women in the business.

‘My biggest advice is not taking no for an answer,’ Saweetie told her. ‘So always fight for the yes, know your boundaries, never settle with your standards, because if you respect you, the world will respect you.’

Olivia, wearing a sequin embellished fringe dress, belted out the song.

‘I wish there was a little bit more dynamics,’ Chance said.

‘Olivia you are always such a wonderful singer,’ Legend said. ‘I feel like this song wasn’t the best song for this moment.’

‘She’s just such a great singer,’ Shay said.

Team Legend’s Mafe, 22, from Miami, performed Adele’s hit Someone Like You. She was so excited to see that Maluma was helping her in rehearsals.

‘I’m here just to say that I’m proud of you as a Latino because for us coming to the states, becoming a big star is not easy,’ Maluma said.

‘I just absolutely loved it,’ Reba said when she finished.

‘That was fantastic, Mafe,’ Shay said.

‘You’re fantastic,’ John said.

Dan + Shay’s team member Tae Lewis, 32, from Goldsboro, North Carolina, performed Randy Houser’s hit Runnin’ Outta Moonlight. Dan encouraged him in rehearsals to make the song his own.

‘Lives absolutely,’ Reba said.

‘You are so fantastic, man!’ Shay said.

Team Legend’s Zoe Levert, 20, from New Orleans, moved the coaches with her cover of Iris by the GooGoo Dolls. She turned the song into a ballad. She asked Maluma for advice.

‘Talent without discipline is nothing,’ Maluma said. ‘Keep writing your own songs because that is not something that every artist could do. You’re going to make it. You’re full of talent.’

The coaches gave her a standing ovation.

‘That was my favorite performance,’ Chance said.

‘Zoe that was unbelievable,’ Dan said.

At the end of the episode, John made the tough call to eliminate Mafe and Kamalei.

Dan + Shay also had a tough decision, but ultimately decided to eliminate Anya and Olivia.

The Voice will return Monday on NBC.

Chrissy Teigen, 38, gives husband John Legend, 45, a LAP DANCE on stage with topless women in the background during family vacation

Chrissy Teigen showed her husband John Legend a good time this week.

The 38-year-old lingerie model was seen giving her spouse a racy lap dance when they were at a burlesque nightclub during a coastal vacation with their four kids.

The eye-popping video was shared to her Instagram account on Thursday as her pals Jenna Dewan and Kate Hudson gave her props in her comments section.

Chrissy pulled up John on stage, push him into a chair, then sat in front of him as she moved her hands down his chest and placed her face in his crotch as he smiled from ear to ear.

During the steamy lap dance, scantily clad statuesque women posed behind him and then shockingly pulled off their tops which showed their bare chests.

The performer was in a black suit as Chrissy had on a red fringed and beaded showgirl outfit with a feather on her head and high heels.

In the same post, she shared images from her vacation.

And in one of the photos, she was with one of her four children, which made for a stark contrast from her sexy dancer clip.

The most striking image was of Teigen showing off her stunning figure in a pumpkin orange one-piece swimsuit.

The model looked to be in top shape as she posed under a shower on a super yacht at sea.

She stuck out her tongue to drink some of the water. The suit was semi sheer and low-cut, giving fans a look at her chest.

The cover girl has been on vacation with her husband all week.

The model and Legend initially met in 2006 while working on a music video shoot, and they went on to become engaged in 2011. The happy couple waited for two years before they held a wedding ceremony in Italy.

Teigen and her husband started their family with the birth of their daughter Luna, seven, in April of 2016, and they welcomed Miles two years later.

The pair planned to welcome a third child in 2020, although the author had to have an abortion performed in order to save her life.

The two welcomed Esti this past January, and they surprised many of their fans with Wren’s arrival five months later via surrogate.

In December they stepped out in style as they celebrated the musician’s 45th birthday at The Polo Bar in New York.

The model put on a leggy display in a pair of tiny black shorts and fishnet stockings for the night out.

The mother-of-four paired the sizzling ensemble with a plunging semi-sheer black blouse and added height to her frame with black heels.

She rounded out the look with a gold purse, and wore her brunette tresses in loose waves.

Meanwhile the All of Me crooner matched his wife in a black outfit, wearing a kimono-style blazer with a silk button up and black pants.

John rocked a neatly trimmed beard to ring in his birthday.

Chrissy wore glamorous make-up for the occasion, including winged eyeliner, pink lipstick, and bronzer on her cheeks.

The loved up-pair held hands as they braved a bit of drizzle on their way out.

The duo enjoyed a night out without their kids, after spending the afternoon playing with drones with their two eldest children Luna, seven, Miles, five, in Washington Square Park.

As the family stepped out to celebrate the superstar turning another year older, John appeared to have a blast with his little ones, who were bundled up in padded black jackets and hats.

Teigen was every inch the doting wife as she stuck by her man’s side and walked arm-in-arm with him down the sidewalk toward the public park in Lower Manhattan.

Between tossing a football around and flying drones, the cookbook author was spotted bursting into a laughing fit.

For their laid-back outing, the mother-of-four wore an off-the shoulder puffer jacket, leggings and $ 1,750 Prada booties.

The birthday boy looked warm in a beige puffer jacket over an off-white turtleneck, coordinating slacks and white sneakers.

Gwen Stefani Shares Sweet Backstage Moment With Son Apollo and Blake Shelton at Coachella

The No Doubt singer was feeling the love after her set at Coachella over the weekend.

Gwen Stefani lit up the second weekend of this year’s Coachella as she performed with No Doubt once again.

The songstress was cheered on by tens of thousands of fans — including her husband, Blake Shelton, and 10-year-old son Apollo.

The supportive duo came out for the crowded celebration of music in the California desert on Saturday, and they all shared a sweet moment backstage when they showered Stefani with love after the band’s performance.

As seen in the Coachella livestream, Shelton and Apollo waited backstage for Stefani with the rest of her loved ones, and they embraced in a hug following the show.

This was after Shelton and Apollo were spotted in the audience before the show kicked off, and Apollo was seen giving his stepdad a hug as they walked through the crowd.

A video posted to Youtube showed the country crooner and the 10-year-old — whom Stefani shares with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale — arriving before the No Doubt set and taking a seat in a private area to watch the show.

Meanwhile, Stefani herself took to her Instagram Stories to share some fun snapshots from the pre-show soundcheck, where she was joined on stage by Apollo.

Her young son was all smiles as he sang into a mic with his mom, while rocking a VIP Coachella lanyard.

Gwen Stefani/Instagram

The fun family outing comes just a few days after Shelton spoke with ET from his new bar, Ole Red Las Vegas, last Wednesday. The 47-year-old country singer reflected on how much his life has changed over the last decade since he met Stefani, 54, during her freshman season as a coach on NBC’s The Voice.

“If I could have a repeat of these past 10 years, [that] would be perfect,” he said of what he hopes the future holds.

“Next month, we’ve got an 18-year-old, which it blows my mind that already happened. And in a couple of years, we’ll have another 18-year-old,” Shelton continued, referring to Stefani’s Kingston, 17, and Zuma, 15, from Stefani’s marriage to Rossdale. “[After that], it’s gonna be I guess a lot more alone time, which I’m not mad about that either.”

“But we still have Apollo. So we have another almost 10 years before we can kick him out,” Shelton added with a laugh. “So it should be a lot of fun.”

The country star also commented on Stefani’s performance with No Doubt during the first weekend at Coachella, calling it “the greatest concert I’ve ever seen.”

“I’ve never seen Gwen perform like that. It’s a different kind of performance with No Doubt, than when it’s Gwen,” Shelton said. “It’s just a different kind of energy.”

Blake Shelton Felt Gwen Stefani Dealt a Crashing Blow to His Ego

Blake Shelton is by far one of country music’s biggest stars, having sold millions of albums since his 2001 debut. But as big as he is, he once felt even his star-power occasionally diminished when in Stefani’s presence.

Blake Shelton found being around Gwen Stefani ‘unbelievable’

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton | Trae Patton/Getty Images

Shelton has experienced firsthand what it feels like to be around his superstar of a wife. He’s used to being celebrated and praised by legions of fans. But when it came to Stefani, the “Hollaback girl” singer‘s popularity seemed to be on another level. On Shelton’s 40th birthday, he once recalled feeling upstaged by his wife after bringing her out for a duet.

“I’m doing my normal, you know, what I think is rockin’. Standing up there with my acoustic guitar in front of my stand and singing my songs,” Shelton once said in an interview with Chelsea Handler (via Taste of Country). “I had my band work up one of her songs, ‘Hella Good.’ And I thought, ‘Man, that’d be so cool to have her come out and surprise.’ It’s the worst thing I could have done because all it did was make me look terrible.”

In a 2017 interview Shelton did with Entertainment Tonight, the country singer added that Stefani’s star power could be a catch-22 regarding his ego.

“Oh my God, at some point, it kinda builds your ego up when you walk into a room with Gwen,” he said. “But also it’s a crashing blow to your ego when you realize all the cheers and people shouting at ya. You realize it’s not you; it’s her! But it’s still exciting at the same time. Being in the vicinity of her is unbelievable.”

How Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton handled insecurities in their marriage

Stefani recently opened up about marriage life with Shelton, and her own insecurities in their relationship. These insecurities don’t stem from stardom, however, but from aging. Stefani is already older than Shelton by seven years, and the singer wonders what her husband will think of her when she’s even older.

 “I had been going through those times where you’re questioning: ‘Oh my gosh, am I just getting older? Am I cute?’ In my own relationship, even though I know the truth of what’s happening today, you still create drama in your own mind about your insecurities and what might happen. I was in that phase of the relationship with Blake and getting paranoid,” Stefani said in an interview with Nylon.

But it was an insecurity that both of them shared.

“These are conversations that she and I have with each other,” he chimed in. “‘Are you still going to love me when I’m old or if I forget who I am?’”

Who has a higher net worth: Blake Shelton or Gwen Stefani?

As of 2024, it seems that Stefani’s net worth is quite a bit more than her husband’s. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the No Doubt singer has accumulated $160 million over the course of her career. Meanwhile, her husband Shelton is trailing behind her at $130 million. Their combined net worths make the pair one of the music industry’s richest power couple.

It’s rumored that the two discussed signing a prenup to protect their individual assets. Although neither has personally confirmed the speculation, a prenup agreement would make sense in the worst-case scenario. Shelton already knew how effective one could be during the divorce process. For instance, a prenup helped his divorce from ex-wife Miranda Lambert less worse than it already was.

“In Oklahoma, it happens so fast. Miranda and I didn’t have any kids, and we had our prenuptial agreement, whatever we had. Once we filed for divorce, it was over in a nine- or 10-day waiting period,” Shelton once said on The Bobby Jones Show (via People).

The Voice LIVE — Record-breaking Reba McEntire reveals secret talent as all four judges turn chairs for young act

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THE Voice has returned for Season 24 and the coaches are pulling out all the stops to get their picks on their teams – including the reveal of secret talents.

Missouri 16-year-old Ruby Leigh took to the Voice stage on Tuesday for a blind audition that had all the judges impressed.

Ruby sang Patsy Montana’s I Want To Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart, winning the praise of all the judges, enough to give the performer a four-chair turn.

The show’s newest coach Reba McIntire spoke to Ruby last, saying: “Being as young as you are, and being a fan of Patsy Montana, I’m a third generation rodeo brat, so Patsy Montana, a country western singer, not just country – there is a difference – I’m very flattered, very proud of my heritage that you’re singing this song.”

The country legend added that her mother taught her how to yodel and gave a sample of what she could do, and in the end, won Ruby over.

Meanwhile, Reba has made history in the singing competition series by being the oldest (at 68) and most experienced coach to have ever worked on the series.

The Voice airs Mondays at 8pm ET and Tuesdays at 9pm ET on NBC.

The Voice 2024 LIVE — ‘Who’s making these choices?’ fans question as rapper Saweetie steps in as mentor

NEW faces joined The Voice last night, albeit briefly, and some fans are questioning the involvement of one of them.

Maluma, a singer-songwriter from Colombia, joined John Legend as a mentor for his five remaining talents for the playoffs, while rapper Saweetie joined Dan and Shay to give their team’s last five performers some advice.

However, some fans were questioning why Saweetie was a mentor.

“Saweetie.. as a mentor.. for a singing show..and for Team Dan and Shay?? Who’s making these choices?” one fan asked on socials.

“What was saweetie doing on #TheVoice?” wrote another. “Lol what is even going on right now lol.”

Tune in next Monday at 8 pm ET to see who Reba and Chance the Rapper send through to the live shows.

Follow our The Voice blog for news and updates…

Reba and Chance up next week

The Voice returns next Monday at 8 pm ET on NBC.

Tune in to see who Team Reba and Team Chance send to the Season 25 live shows.

Team Reba revealed

Headed into the Playoffs, Team Reba currently includes:

Josh Sanders (Beat out Ashley Bryant)
Asher HaVon (Beat out Tae Lewis)
L. Rodgers (Playoff Pass)
Justin and Jeremy Garcia (Beat out Zeya Rae)
Jackie Romeo (Stolen from Team Legend)

Team Chance revealed

Heading into Playoffs, Team Chance currently includes:

RLETTO (Beat out Alyssa Crosby)
Serenity Arce (Beat out Dani Stacy)
Maddi Jane (Beat out Kamalei Kawa’a)
Nadège (Playoff Pass)
Kyle Schuesler (Stolen from Team Dan + Shay)

Team Legend revealed

Going into lives, Team Legend includes:

Zoe Levert (Beat out Jackie Romeo)
Nathan Chester (Beat out Val T. Webb)
Bryan Olesen (Playoff Pass)

Team Dan + Shay revealed

Heading into the lives, Dan + Shay’s team includes:

Madison Curbelo (Playoff Pass)
Karen Waldrup (Beat out Ducote Talmage)
Tae Lewis (Stolen from Team Reba)

Dan + Shay Joke That ‘The Voice’ Will Be the ‘Demise’ of Their Band [Watch]

Dan + Shay recently shared a vulnerable video message with fans, revealing that a personal and professional rough patch almost ended their band for good in early 2022. Thanks to a renewed commitment to working together and maintaining their relationship, the duo bounced back, making what they describe as their best new music to date.

In 2024, their newly-sharpened communication skills will come in handy once again: Dan + Shay will be The Voice’s first-ever coaching duo, sharing a special double chair — but just one button — as they duke it out against three other star coaches to snag contestants.

“Who presses the button?!” Shay Mooney asks rhetorically, during the duo’s recent appearance on NBC’s TODAY.

“It’s built-in comedy. It’s perfect,” Dan Smyers adds.

But the pair aren’t immune to getting into fights if they disagree on which contestants to choose — and this time, their arguments will be televised.

“This is gonna be the demise of Dan + Shay right here,” Mooney jokes. “We got ourselves right, and then The Voice got us,” Smyers chimes in.

In all seriousness, though, Dan + Shay don’t seem concerned by the prospect of splitting a coaching chair. After all, they’ve already overcome a decade of the ups and downs of stardom together — to say nothing of the volatile years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We realized that we needed to spend more time focusing on it,” Smyers explains, speaking about the fateful conversation where they decided to rededicate themselves to their Dan + Shay career, and to each other.

“We were like, ‘We’ve got an amazing fan base. We owe it to them to get ourselves right, personally, get our relationship right,” he continues. “We sat down one night, hashed everything out, and we made a goal. You know, moving forward, we wanna spend a few days at least with each other. If we’re not on the road, get back in the room. Write songs. Just hang out like we did 10 years ago when we met. ‘Cause that’s where the magic was, and if you don’t go out of your way to do that, things can go by the wayside.”

Dan + Shay have since released a handful of new songs that they wrote during the time period right after that fateful reconciliation. They are “Save Me the Trouble,” “Heartbreak on the Map” and “Bigger Houses,” the latter of which is the title track of a new album due out on Sept. 15.

Pictures: See Dan + Shay Through the Years

Dan + Shay celebrated 10 years making great country music in 2022. Here are photos of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney from throughout their career together.

‘The Voice’ Fans Are Blown Away by Dan + Shay’s Spontaneous Serenade During Auditions

The country duo took the stage to perform their song “From the Ground Up” for one lucky contestant and her fiancé.

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The Voice is famous for delivering epic moments between the coaches and the incredible talent vying for a place on the show. Season 25 seems to be carrying on that tradition, as Dan + Shay provided the ultimate memory for one contender and someone special in her life.

On the March 11 episode of the NBC series, Dan + Shay, Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper and John Legend met 20-year-old college student Zoe Levert. For her blind audition, she performed Little Big Town’s “Better Man,” written by Taylor Swift. At the last minute, John pressed his button and turned his chair, meaning she’ll be joining his team for the next round.

While joining The Voice on John’s team was exciting for Zoe, she also had to tell new coaches Dan + Shay how big of a fan she is of their music. She introduced her fiancé, Ryan and revealed that their upcoming wedding song will be Dan + Shay’s “From the Ground Up.” Upon hearing this, Dan + Shay got out of their chairs to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime surprise for Zoe.

“I’m getting married next year, my fiancé’s here. Our first dance song is ‘From the Ground Up,’” she told the country stars.

“No! Are you serious?” Shay exclaimed.

“Bring him up!” Dan added. “Do we have a guitar here?”

As Ryan appeared on stage alongside Zoe, Dan + Shay asked if they could sing a little bit of the song for the couple as “a rehearsal for [the] wedding.” Ryan and Zoe were thrilled by the prospect, and they slow danced on stage while the country artists stunned the crowd with an incredible rendition of their tune.

“Now I’m gonna cry, this is a great moment!” Chance said, before taking out his phone to film the performance from his chair. By the time Dan + Shay finished serenading the couple, everyone in the room was on their feet giving a standing ovation.

“Only on The Voice, folks. Only on The Voice,” John summed up.

Upon seeing the impromptu performance play out on television, fans couldn’t stop commenting on the talent Dan + Shay possessed on stage.

“I did not know that Shay had that amazing of a voice! Holy cow!!!” one person exclaimed on YouTube. “DAN + SHAY LADIES & GENTLEMEN! Who wouldn’t cry with that as your first dance?” another declared. “John will be a great coach with her! OMG Dan and Shay! That was amazing never tire of Shay’s voice it’s magic!!!” a different viewer added.

Congrats to Zoe, and we can’t wait to see more of her on The Voice!

the voice 2024 reba mcentire william alexander audition reaction

‘Just when I thought nobody would play any dirtier than me’: Chance surprises Blake with ‘long game’ strategy on ‘The Voice’ Season 23 Knockouts premiere

Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper on ‘The Voice’ Seaosn 23. (Photo: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC via Getty Images)

The Voice Season 23 Knockout Rounds — featuring Mega-Mentor Reba McEntire, who’d been retiring original coach Blake Shelton’s adviser way back in Season 1 — kicked off Monday, and I have to say, I love the fact that a series that’s been around for 12 years can still surprise me. Monday’s episode was packed with twists and turns, and the coolest twist came courtesy of one of this season’s new coaches, Chance the Rapper, who cunningly played the “long game” to finally recruit a singer he’d been eyeing for weeks.

Chance had turned for pop storyteller Kala Banham during the Blind Auditions, but Kala chose this season’s other new coach, Niall Horan, at that time. This week, Chance claimed he’d tried to steal Kala during the Battle Rounds, but Kala had ended up moving to Kelly Clarkson’s team instead. I actually see no evidence of Chance’s supposed Steal attempt in my Battles recap from that week; maybe it was edited out of that episode, or maybe his claim was a fib and just another example of his sneaky gameplay. Regardless, Chance definitely was deceptive this week in order to ultimately get his way. And it worked like a charm.

So, here’s what happened. When Kala, Davey/Goliath-style, went up against four-chair Team Kelly contestant Cait Martin — who magnificently covered Whitney Houston’s “All the Man That I Need” — in Monday’s Knockouts, Kelly went with Cait. That result wasn’t a surprise. But as the other coaches commented on both performances (Kala emotionally interpreted the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris”), Chance surprisingly snubbed Kala — instead only raving that Cait “smashed” her “spot-on Whitney” cover and “took that round by the throat.” Whether or not Chance’s gushing praise for Cait swayed Kelly’s decision at all was unclear… but as soon as Kala was available to steal, he pounced.

Blake also tried to steal Kala Monday, pointing out that he — unlike Chance — had just declared Kala the victor of this Knockout. But that’s when Chance’s long-game “strategy” and “tactics” became apparent. “Chance ended up [advocating for] Cait in the Knockout in order to get Kala on his team as a Steal, and I had no idea. I did not see than coming at all. Just when I thought nobody would play any dirtier than me, here comes Chance,” Blake said incredulously, in a game-recognizing-game moment.

Kala did pick Chance over Blake, so Chance’s long-term strategy paid off, and it might continue to bring dividends as Kala finally heads to the Live Playoffs as a permanent of his team. But as surprising as this outcome was, it was hardly Monday’s only Knockouts shocker. Read on for the night’s other big surprises.

TEAM BLAKE: Tasha Jessen vs. NOIVAS

NOIVAS, a former two-time American Idol contestant, brought all that TV experience to The Voice, doing an especially theatrical cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’s “I Put a Spell on You” inspired by both Annie Lennox and Nina Simone’s epic versions (because this proud “girl dad” appreciates “feminine energy”). Reba was impressed, exclaiming, “Holy crap! I had no idea a guy would have that range!” Meanwhile, I had no idea that NOIVAS, who competed on Idol as the much more mild-mannered Savion Wright, could unleash the beast like this. Blake joked that he was worried that NOIVAS had taken the word “Knockout” too literally with this aggressive and unhinged performance, chuckling, “It was shocking and it scared me — and I liked that!” I liked it too, very much.

Tasha’s “Take Me to Church” — another song that Annie Lennox has fabulously put her stamp on, so let’s start the campaign to make Annie this show’s Mega-Mentor or Blake’s replacement in Season 24 — offered a lot less shock value. But she sang elegantly and masterfully, especially considering the sort of highest-of-highs/lowest-of-lows range that this Hozier ballad required. Kelly called Tasha’s performance “raw and beautiful,” saying either contestant would be a great asset to Blake’s team. Blake eventually faced his “fears” and picked the fierce and face-melting NOIVAS, but then Niall, who’d wanted Tasha all along, swooped in for the Steal.

WINNER: NOIVAS / STOLEN: Tasha Jessen moves to Team Niall

TEAM KELLY: Marcos Covos vs. Ali

I thought Marcos, who is gay, was going to have a more of a moment when he chose Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” and had a teary conversation with Reba about how he’d always had a close relationship with the Lord, despite being told by homophobes that he was unworthy of God’s love. But I wonder if all that emotion simply got the best of Marcos, because he gave really pitchy, unsteady vocal onstage; I remember him singing much better than this.

Meanwhile, Ali, who is deaf, crooned Daniel Caesar feat. H.E.R.’s sumptuous love ballad “The Best Part” and proved once again that — as Kelly put it — she “feels the music differently.” Ali really delivered when it mattered, although as Blake observed, she “really nails her intention every time.” Kelly said her decision here was “such a bummer,” but I think it was a pretty easy and obvious one.

WINNER: Ali

TEAM NIALL: Gina Miles vs. Kate Cosentino

Niall grouped these contestants together as his “two female character singers,” but really, this was an apples/oranges situation. The meek and girly Gina did a vulnerable version of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” while Kate went with a snarling, stomping garage-rock take on Blondie’s “Call Me.” I preferred Kate’s creativity and risk-tasking spirit, indicating she was the truer artist of the two — Kelly told her, “This is your lane for you!” — but Gina delivered the technically superior vocal, which Kelly said gave her “Florence & the Machine vibes.”

Niall went with his “gut feeling” and chose Gina. I was disappointed see Kate go, but this show is called The Voice, so I get it; I just wish Kate had been stolen. I think Kate might have been better off trying out for American Idol, a show that in recent years has welcomed alt-rock mavericks like Maddie Poppe and Alejandro Aranda.

WINNER: Gina Miles

TEAM CHANCE: NariYella vs. Ray Uriel

This was maybe the most surprising Knockout of the night. NariYella was a four-chair turn and according to Niall “arguably the best singer in this competition,” while Ray was a one-chair “underdog” who “flew in under the radar.” But as Ray noted, he did have a “history of beating four-chair turns.” (In the Battles, Ray beat NOIVAS, originally a four-chair Team Chance frontrunner that Chance had blocked Blake from recruiting during the Blinds.) So, Ray was prepared for this showdown.

After I learned that NariYella was going to take on “Bust Your Windows,” I figured Ray had even less of a shot. But that Jazmine Sullivan breakup song has been covered a lot on singing shows throughout the years, so NariYella really needed to do something special with it. And she didn’t. Hers was, surprisingly, not a particularly fierce rendition; Blake even told NariYella, “There’s something holding you back.”

This misstep allowed the “shapeshifting” Ray to once again slip under the radar with his lovely cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Lately.” His performance was inspired by his own recent real-life breakup, so maybe he just connected to his Knockout song more than NariYella did to hers. Anyway, Chance admitted than if he were to base this week’s decision on both contestants’ overall body of work, he’d go with NariYella, but the new coach understood the assignment, so he focused solely on this specific Knockout and chose Ray. The real surprise was that no one even tried to steal NariYella. (Niall said he would have, if he hadn’t already used his one Steal on Tasha, but I really thought NariYella’s fellow diva Kelly would swoop in.) I never predicted that NariYella would exit the competition this soon, but I respect Chance for playing the game correctly.

WINNER: Ray Uriel

TEAM BLAKE: Kylee Dayne vs. Walker Wilson

This pairing was not so much like apples and oranges as it was like apples and, say, carburetors. My point is, Blake could not have paired up two more disparate singers than indie-pop quirky girl Kylee and skronky country-rocker Walker. And this was another Knockout result that I never saw coming.

Kylee took on the mighty Celine Dion version of Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself,” which Blake said was “biting a lot off” but would “help her step out and get her on people’s radar.” And that it did! It wasn’t the sort of song choice I would have expected from Kylee, and I certainly did not expect all those “Mariah riffs.” As Kelly noted, “The fact that you’re that sort of bold singer shows you want to win!”

Walker’s performance, of “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” was more on-brand and less ambitious, but the Waylon Jennings song with a rich “honky-tonk history” was a perfect fit for his rowdy, rawkin’ style. However, interestingly, Blake also understood the night’s assignment, and he based his decision on this specific Knockout, not on personal taste. So, yes, Blake went against genre, and he let the country contestant, Walker, go home. Wow. Who’d a thunk?

WINNER: Kylee Dayne

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