‘The Voice’: Malik Heard Triumphs With Nick Jonas’ “Chains,” Joins Team Christina Aguilera

Caila Ball-Dionne | March 8, 2016 9:09 am

The Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton “will they, won’t they” drama on The Voice is so Season 9 (though the outcome is still shocking). Season 10’s “will they, won’t they” drama is rooted in last minute chair turns. Coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams and Christina Aguilera have kept contestants guessing until the last possible moment during many performances, and there was even a button press so late that it didn’t even count on Monday night!

Arguably there’s some sort of strategy with the last minute turn, in that it’s possible to slip in unnoticed by the other coaches. It totally worked, too…the first couple of times. Now, it’s so commonplace that even Blake has caught on. At least it leaves the contestants sweating on national television for longer, right?

With that, here’s who made a team after mild, coach-induced anxiety attacks:

Hannah Huston, 24 – Lincoln, NE

Her experience with attention-seeking four year olds will probably come in handy when it comes to coach relations for Hannah Huston, a pre-school teacher from Nebraska. This bundle of energy sings Allen Stone’s “Unaware,” and despite a unique tone and steady pitch, Blake, Christina and Pharrell wait until she wails out a big note at the end to turn around.

“I love the rasp, that’s what got me hooked,” says Christina. “I love where you took it at the end.”

“I thought you had a great voice, but so much of your personality comes bubbling out of your being,” says Pharrell of the animated performer.

“This girl is so freaking good,” says Blake. “There was a soulfulness of your voice, an extremely accurate falsetto.”

Wooed by the producer coach, Hannah joins Team Pharrell.

Brian Nhira, 23 – Tulsa, OK

Pop singer Brian Nhira makes a risky choice singing a coach’s song. He adds some impressive runs when singing Pharrell’s “Happy,” but it’s nothing mind blowing. Blake and Pharrell both turn around, but it’s not until Brian sings “Jesus Loves Me” off the cuff during coach selection that he really shows his talent and range.

“I got so much respect for you that I did something so humiliating as to hit my button when you’re singing his freaking song,” says Blake.

“You went up there and you had yourself a good time,” says Pharrell. “Clearly you sang the song much better than I do.”

Also clear? Brian belongs on Team Pharrell. Excellent effort, though, Blake.

Brittany Kennell, 26 – Montréal

As though designed in a lab specifically to appeal to Blake, country singer Brittany Kennel sings a Sheryl Crow song with a vibrato sort of resembling Gwen Stefani. Country music + former mentor + current girlfriend = Blake turns around in record time. Pharrell joins the race (at the last minute, of course) after Brittany’s unique version of “Strong Enough.”

“Your voice is magical,” says a smitten Blake.

“You definitely have a different tone, and your vibrato is one of those crispy, classic vibratos,” says Pharrell.

Solidifying her country leanings, Brittany joins Team Blake.

Natalie Yacovazzi, 28 – Chicago

We’ve got another returner in the house! Season 9 hopeful Natalie Yacovazzi wasn’t going to let one nationally televised rejection let her down (or four, if you go by coaches), so back she came with something to prove. Though her first few bars of Kelly Clarkson’s “Mr. Know It All” are impressive, the rest gets really shaky with breath and pitch issues. Adam, however, turns around before it all goes downhill.

Christina hears something she wants to work with as well, but hits her button just a touch too late. (You have one job here, Christina. One.)

“Your beginning of your Blind was crazy,” says Adam. “I pressed my button out of pure reflex.”

Malik Heard, 19 – Dallas

Malik Heard is so good that Christina and Pharrell don’t even wait the requisite 88 seconds before turning around: they just go for it. He’s on point and has an impressive range singing Nick Jonas’ “Chains,” and has both coaches all but salivating for him.

“I knew it was something super special when I heard some of those accurate, amazing runs,” says Christina. “I really believe that we could do this together.”

“I would love to be a part of this point going forward in your life,” says Pharrell. “I worked with Justin [Timberlake] when he was your age. And Britney [Spears] too, by the way.”

Weird move opening that door, Pharrell, because here comes Christina with the retort.

“I worked with both of them before he ever met them, on The Mickey Mouse Club.”

Even though Malik was born well after The Mickey Mouse Club went off the air, he still knows better than to argue with Christina after she brings up the Disney days.

He joins her team, and will just have to binge-watch MMC before the Battles.

Peyton Parker, 20 – Kennesaw, GA

Since moving to Nashville with her parents to pursue music, Peyton Parker has discovered that busking really doesn’t pay the bills. The street musician has an impressive tone, though, and gets Christina, Pharrell and Blake to turn for her when she sings Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” She actually sounds like such a good fit for Team Adam, but he misses the boat (or the button).

“There’s something special about you,” says Pharrell.

“I heard some Ashley Monroe in your voice,” says Blake. “Your pitch was so perfect.”

Christina knows she has an uphill battle to fight against Blake for the country singer. “There’s nobody on my team like you, so you will not have the competition that you would have on – say – Blake’s team,” she says. Then she breaks out a cowboy hat and attempts a Blake Shelton Oklahoma accent.

The theatrics don’t work on Peyton, who goes for the actual Okie, joining Team Blake.

Kristen Marie, 20 – Oklahoma City

Don’t let the geography fool you, Oklahoma native Kristen Marie does not actually automatically go to Team Blake. The indie singer performs Gary Jules’ rendition of Tears For Fears‘ “Mad World,” and her subtle performance gets the attention of Blake and Christina.

“I’ve not only had hits in Oklahoma, but all over the world,” says Christina. “I’m interested in making you rise above, Kristen, and I would love to have you on my team.”

“Okies stick together,” says Blake, really reaching. “You’re not like anybody else on this show. I’m damn sure not like anybody else on this show. People like us need to stick together.”

She picks Christina, because being from Oklahoma isn’t everything.

Nate Butler, 19 – Shamong, NJ

Former Philadelphia Boy’s Choir singer Nate Butler takes a soulful turn for his Blind Audition. He breaks into Mayer Hawthorne’s “The Walk” in an incredibly high falsetto, and goes back and forth between his falsetto and his full voice. The transitions are problematic, to say the least, but Blake, Adam and Pharrell think they can help him and turn at the last minute.

Pharrell knows the way to any guy’s heart is to tell him he sounds like a woman.

“When you first started singing in your false, it was like, ‘there’s an interesting chick up there,’ and then instantly you went to your chest voice and I was like, “whoa, that’s a dude,’” he says. “What I’d like to work with you on is diving deeper into who you are and who you’re going to be.”

“You in your brightest spots were phenomenal,” says Adam. “The [falsetto] transition was a little strange, and you haven’t quite mastered that.”

“Listening to you is so much fun. There’s just a vibe to what you do,” says Blake.

Hoping he can learn a lot from the fellow high singer, Nate joins Team Adam.

Ryan Quinn, 25 – Westmoreland, NY

Closing out the night is rock singer Ryan Quinn. Ryan blows the coaches away with his performance of Eric Clapton’s “Can’t Find My Way Home,” earning the only four-chair turn of the evening. They all give Ryan – a music teacher for traumatized children – a standing ovation.

“I’m jealous of your tone, because it’s extremely round,” says Adam. “I’m going to keep my claws out and I’m going to fight as hard as I possibly can to make sure that I can get you on my team.”

“You are one of those voices that needs to be heard worldwide,” says Christina. “It sounds like you can do just about anything.”

“You were hitting notes so high my eyeballs would have been hanging out of my head,” says Blake.

“The fact that you were so wise to take your gift and channel it to help others, there’s nothing that’s going to go wrong for you,” says Pharrell. “I would love to work with you.”

Such praise, but he can only pick one. Ryan sticks in genre and joins Team Adam.

That’s gotta hurt…

They’ve got to save time somewhere, and it sure isn’t going to be from coach banter. Instead, they cut performances from Gina Castanzo and Trey O’Dell from the telecast. You can see both of them on Team Blake during the Battle Round.

The Voice machine keeps churning through contestants tonight when The Blind Auditions continue!