‘The Voice’: Amy Vachal Triumphs Over Engaged Duo Jubal And Amanda

Caila Ball-Dionne | October 21, 2015 9:32 am
Gwen's "Used To Love You" Video
Watch the emotional visual for her new single, directed by Sophie Muller.

“Never look back” must be the mantra that Pharrell is repeating on loop from his chair on The Voice. Looking back could only cause him pain, because he’d then remember all the stellar performers dropped from teams Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, all of whom were deprived of his long-kept steal. Was his patience rewarded on Tuesday (October 20) night as the only coach with a steal left? In short: No. But more on that later.

Pharrell, Adam and Blake all had one Battle to go on Tuesday night, while Gwen Stefani got a break. It’s a good thing too: If making the “Used to Love You” video was anywhere near as emotionally shattering as watching the “Used to Love You” video, girl deserves to kick her feet up and swipe through Tinder until the pain goes away.

Speaking of swiping right, here’s the last of the contestants who made it through to the Knockouts:

Team Adam: Amanda Ayala vs. Shelby Brown

There is no way that Amanda Ayala didn’t scream into a Voice-branded pillow when she found out her Battle competition. Though the rocker could have powered through many weaker contestants (cough Team Gwen cough), she was thrown to the lion’s den against country powerhouse Shelby Brown. The two sing Stevie Nicks’ “Edge Of Seventeen” (because they’re both 17, so of course), and though Amanda holds her own, Shelby soars through it masterfully.

“You filled the room up with this incredible power,” Gwen tells Shelby. To Amanda, she says, “Your voice is really beautiful, it has a beautiful texture.”

“Thank you for coming out here and sassing it up and believing in yourself,” Adam tells Shelby.“ Amanda, you are such a pro,” he adds.

With minimal hesitation, Adam picks Shelby.

Team Pharrell: Amy Vachal vs. Jubal and Amanda

Sorry, Amy Vachal, but you’re going to have to stick it out through this awkward third wheel situation before you can move on with this competition, and your life. The ethereal folk singer is paired with duo Jubal and Amanda, known mostly for getting engaged during their Blind Audition. They’re still very much overtly in love, holding hands and looking into one another’s eyes both off stage, and during the Battle of The Bee Gees‘ “To Love Somebody.” Amy third-wheels it like a champ, though, and the three harmonize exceptionally.

“Even though it was overpowering, you were shining up there on your own as brightly as these two were together,” Adam tells Amy. “You’re not the third wheel, you’re awesome.”

“You’re like this amazing unit together,” Pharrell tells the couple. “I can only imagine people listening to your voice after having a really tough day, and you just make everything feel like it’s going to be alright,” he tells Amy.

Maybe Amy should sing something to Jubal and Amanda, because they need a real pick-me-up when Pharrell sends them packing. They may have each other, but Amy’s got a ticket to the Knockouts.

Team Blake: Emily Ann Roberts vs. Morgan Frazier

There are literally no stakes going into this last one, because Pharrell still has his steal. Nonetheless, let’s give the classic Battle between two of Blake’s female country singers their moment.

Blake puts 16-year-old classic country singer Emily Ann Roberts against similarly poppy country singer Morgan Frazier to sing “I’m That Kind Of Girl” by Patty Loveless. It’s fun and upbeat, though super twangy, and probably has Pharrell flashing back to all of the fallen contestants who could have benefited from his steal (Amanda Ayala, Cassandra Robertson, Krista Hughes, Celeste Betton: looking right at you).

“The way that you commanded the stage with your personality, I feel like I really got to get to know you.” Gwen tells Emily. “Then your voice was knocking me over, it’s so sturdy and rich,” she tells Morgan.

“In rehearsals, it was hard for [Emily Ann] to kind of come out of her shell, and to do what she just did on stage there? You were swatting flies the whole time,” Blake says, adding to Morgan, “That note that you hit there at the end, that was Carrie Underwood.”

Blake advances Emily Ann, because 16-year-old country singers are his forte. Pharrell steals Morgan.

“I’ve never had a country person on my team before, so this was like a new thing for me,” he says. What enthusiasm.

The Last of the Un-televised

If contestants sing in the forest and no one’s there to hear them, do they make a sound? We’ll never know with the following.

Pharrell advances Darius Scott over never televised Daria Jazmin, Blake advances Nadjah Nicole over Cole Criske and Gwen picks Summer Schappell over the never televised Hanna Ashbrook.

File that all away, because starting next week, Rihanna’s in town to spice up the Knockout Round! Rumor has it she’s throwing some fashion advice in with the obligatory performance advice. Sheers for everyone!