Reba McEntire almost broke down crying after listening to Dylan Carter’s beautiful rendition of a Whitney Houston song on Monday’s episode of The Voice on NBC.
‘I saw you get so emotionally involved, and that’s when you know you’ve got a great song and a great singer, when it touches your heart,’ said new coach Reba, 68, after all four coaches hit their buzzers.
Reba wiped away her own tears and her voice cracked with emotion while she spoke with Dylan, 20, from Saint George, South Carolina.
‘You made the queen cry,’ Niall Horan, 30, said. ‘In the best way possible.’
‘From the moment you opened your mouth, I was like this is my guy,’ Gwen Stefani, 54, said. ‘Your voice is so warm.’
Got emotional: Reba McEntire almost broke down crying after listening to Dylan Carter’s beautiful rendition of a Whitney Houston song on Monday’s episode of The Voice on NBC
‘It feels like the emotion of the song is really real to you,’ John Legend, 44, said.
‘When I saw you all turn around, I saw my mom,’ said Dylan, who revealed that he hoped Reba would turn when he took the stage.
He picked Whitney Houston’s song I Look To You for his blind audition because he used to sing that song and his mother always asked him to sing that song at her funeral.
Dylan said that his mother died suddenly of a blockage in her heart when she was only 47.
‘She would be jumping up and down if she knew I was on The Voice,’ Dylan said. ‘This was her dream for me.’
Dylan said he tried to sing the song at his mother’s funeral, but couldn’t get through it so this was his second chance. Dylan went with Reba filling her final team slot as it was the last episode of Blind Auditions for season 24.
Huntley, 33, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, was the first performer of the two-hour episode. He sang the Jane’s Addiction song She Talks To Angels and all the judges immediately turned their chairs.
‘Your voice is incredible,’ Reba said.
Funeral song: Dylan picked Whitney Houston’s song I Look To You for his blind audition because he used to sing that song and his mother always asked him to sing that song at her funeral
Four chairs: John Legend, Gwen Stefani, Niall Horan and Reba turned their chairs for Dylan
Second chance: Dylan said he tried to sing the song at his mother’s funeral, but couldn’t get through it so this was his second chance
Warm voice: ‘From the moment you opened your mouth, I was like this is my guy,’ Gwen told Dylan. ‘Your voice is so warm’
‘You sound like you have been singing forever,’ Gwen said.
‘Your voice has so much polish,’ John said. ‘You sound like you have been on big stages.’
Huntley brought his six-year-old daughter Stella on stage to help him make his decision. Stella took the microphone and said she was going to pick Niall and he gave her a hug.
Azán, 28, from Dallas, went next. She was a quality control specialist by day, but also sings with her husband at events in her free time. She sang Jill Scott’s song Golden. Reba and John both turned.
‘Stick with this young boy from Ohio and come to Team Legend,’ John said.
‘I loved everything about it and I couldn’t wait to turn around,’ Reba said.
Azán picked John to be her coach. He got up and walked over with his Team Legend jacket and the two of them hugged.
‘I’m trying to fill up my team with all-stars,’ John said to the camera.
First up: Huntley, 33, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, was the first performer of the two-hour episode
Helping out: Huntley brought his six-year-old daughter Stella on stage to help him make his decision
The pick: Stella took the microphone and said she was going to pick Niall and he gave her a hug
Dallas singer: Azán, 28, from Dallas, sang Jill Scott’s song Golden
Team jacket: John held up his Legend team jacket while lobbying for Azán
Eli Ward, 21, from Waterloo, Illinois, who ran track and cross country at his college, said he plays gigs and writes and produces his own music. Eli sang Bruises a song by Lewis Capaldi. Gwen turned around at the start and was followed by Reba.
‘You started off so good and that tells me you have so much potential,’ Gwen said. ‘As soon as I turned the whole performance went into another place and I was like what happened to him? You were so solid.’
Gwen said it was okay because he was here to be coached. Eli picked Gwen.
Brailey Lenderman, 33, from Roswell, Georgia, said she moved to Nashville to pursue her music. She said after labels told her she needed to lose weight and dress differently that it affected her self esteem. She performed Sheryl Crow’s hit song If It Makes You Happy. Gwen and Niall both turned their chairs.
Reba told her she didn’t turn because she had only one slot opened and heard some pitch problems. Gwen told her she loved her voice and that it has a lot of character.
‘I’m the obvious choice for you on this show,’ Gwen said.
Gwen and Niall both held up their shirts and then Brailey said she would pick Niall. Niall ran up and hugged her.
‘Terrible decision,’ Gwen said.
Track star: Eli Ward, 21, from Waterloo, Illinois, who ran track and cross country at his college, said he plays gigs and writes and produces his own music
Georgia native: Brailey Lenderman, 33, from Roswell, Georgia, said she moved to Nashville to pursue her music
Colby Cobb, 19, from Centre, Alabama, said being on the show was very important to him. He said he felt he was at a crossroads in his life when he grew up he only wanted to be a doctor. He played guitar and sang Somebody Else, but unfortunately none of the judges turned.
‘I wish everybody could make it because you have such courage and ambition,’ Reba said. ‘For you to be up on this stage, millions of people are going to see you, they are going to hear you and love you just like we love you.’
Claire Heilig, 30, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, sang Tennessee Orange by Megan Moroney and said a chair turn would change her life. Gwen hit her button.
‘I think that Claire’s texture and voice is so beautiful and rare that in the studio it would be amazing to work with her,’ Gwen said. ‘I’m so excited she is on my team.’
Gwen took off her shoes and her jacket and screamed ‘my team is full,’ but then she learned she still had one more slot to fill.
‘My team’s not full,’ Gwen said, picking up her shoes and her jacket.
Gwen, John and Niall all pushed their buttons for the next contestant, Lennon Vanderdoes, 27, from Phoenix, who played guitar and sang The Night We Met.
One chair: Claire Heilig, 30, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, sang Tennessee Orange by Megan Moroney and said a chair turn would change her life and Gwen turned for her
With guitar: Gwen, John and Niall all pushed their buttons for Lennon Vanderdoes, 27, from Phoenix, who played guitar and sang The Night We Met
‘I couldn’t have turned quicker,’ Niall said.
Niall told him he had one his favorite voices of the season and shared that he had one spot left on his team and would give anything if he joined his team.
‘I got to go with Niall,’ Lennon said.
‘Lennon is the perfect way to complete Team Niall,’ Niall said.
Taylor Deneen, 23, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, went next and performed Childish Gambino’s Redbone. Both Gwen and John turned around. John begged her to join him and to complete his team.
‘It would be magical for me,’ John said. ‘You just kept getting better and better.’
She told them she worked back home as a songwriter and then performed a song she had written for the coaches. Gwen said she thought she would also be an amazing coach for her. Taylor picked John.
‘I found the best soul singer of the entire blinds,’ John said.
John took the stage and sang ‘Welcome to Team Legend’ celebrating that his team was full.
Katie Wheatley, 27, from Owasso, Oklahoma, auditioned pregnant and said she thought she was the first person to do so. She sang The Middle by Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey, but none of the judges turned.
Calla Prejean, 22, from Houston, said she worked a variety of jobs including being a personal assistant for country singer Sara Evans.
Two chairs: Taylor Deneen, 23, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed Childish Gambino’s Redbone and got John and Gwen to turn their chairs
Team full: John sang a song about his team being full
Houston singer: Calla Prejean, 22, from Houston, said she worked a variety of jobs including being a personal assistant for country singer Sara Evans
Before her performance, Sara taped a message wishing her luck on the show. She sang You’re So Vain by Carly Simon. Gwen hit her buzzer right when she started.
‘Welcome to Team Gwen!’ Gwen said. ‘I’m so excited. I love your tone.’
The coaches all screamed together that their teams were full and balloons fell from the ceiling.
The Voice will return on Tuesday on NBC with The Battles Premiere episode.
Niall won season 23 of The Voice earlier this year in Blake Shelton’s final season on the show.
