The Knockout Rounds differ from the Battle Rounds in that each artist sings a song they have selected, rather than facing their competition in a duet with a song selected by their coach. Then, when they are done, the coach will select who is going through, except for the four Saved artists. The four Saved artists will compete against each other for America’s vote, and only the person with the highest number of votes goes on to the Live shows. So many times during the Battle Rounds and the Knockout Rounds, the coaches are heard to say, “I can’t believe I paired you up and now I have to pick just one of you.” And sitting at home, you think, “Yes, that wasn’t too smart,” so when Parade.com had the opportunity to speak to Blake, John and Nick directly, we asked them how that happens.
How Do The Voice Coaches Pair Teams?
“Part of it is thinking about different lanes and genres that people are in, so when you go to the Lives, you want the best of that particular lane or genre to be in place, and so you put people that are in similar spaces against each other so the best person in that lane can win and then go forward to the live rounds, and then, hopefully, be the best person to represent that genre,” John told Parade.com. The problem as he sees it is, going into the Battle Rounds, the coaches have only heard their artist sing once in the Blind Auditions, and even going into the Knockout Rounds, they have still only performed on The Voice stage twice. “So, sometimes you may think someone’s possibly the favorite for a certain round, but they ended up losing because the other person showed you a different side of themselves,” he continued. “I think, you have to go into it open-minded. You have some ideas and strategies going in, but I allow myself to be impressed by what they do on the stage.” Blake added that there are always surprises. Even when he thinks he knows which of the two artists he will keep, it doesn’t always work out that way. “I would be lying if I didn’t say that in rehearsals, you’re seeing and hearing what you’re seeing and hearing, so you can’t help but think to yourself, ‘Oh, my God. So and so is going to win that. They were really good in their Blind Audition and they’re killing it here, so I’m probably going to go with them.’ Probably 75 percent of the time that ends up being true for me.” In fact, sometimes he is so sure of who he is going to keep on his team that he is already planning in his head what he hopes to do with that artist, because he just knows they are going to win their Battle or Knockout Round – and then, they don’t. “Sometimes the other person just steps up to the plate,” Blake pointed out. “I always have a hard time not rewarding somebody who does every single thing you asked him to do you, that you suggested that they do, and then you still pick the other person. So many times, I have thought I knew what I was going to do, but I just couldn’t do it in good conscience.” John added that the coaches shouldn’t reward the people who they think rehearsed the best, they should reward the ones who, show up at the Knockout Rounds and give an excellent performance. “So that’s what we try to do,” he said. “It’s hard not to be biased going in with all the other information that you have, but if they deliver on the day when it really counts, then they should win.” As for Nick, who is only in his second season as a coach, he said he takes a similar approach to that taken by John. “I put people up against each other that may be in the same lane and see who rises to the top of that particular challenge. I never go into it knowing who I am going to pick. It’s really tough. The Knockout Rounds means so much to each of these artists, where we become really invested in each step of their journey, so watching people go home is always unfortunate. It’s a tough spot to be in, but it’s a decision that has to be made and you’ve just got to go with your gut and whatever feels right in that moment.” The Voice airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Next, Blake Shelton says he’s ready to challenge—and beat—Ariana Grande in season 21 of The Voice.
