'The Voice' Season 29 Episode 6 recap: Intense knockout round sends 6 artists home with no Saves in play
The Battles are done and dusted on the latest season of ‘The Voice’. And just when contestants might’ve thought they could catch their breath for a second, the competition advanced straight into the Knockouts on March 30. Season 29, dubbed ‘Battle of Champions’, has already been moving at a brisk pace, but the Knockouts took things to a whole new level. Coaches Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and John Legend are no longer pairing artists for duets in this round. Instead, they’re asking them to stand alone under the spotlight, pick their own songs, and make a case for themselves without the safety net of shared vocals.
But here’s the kicker. This round leaves no room for a comeback, as the Knockouts come without any Steals or Saves in play. If a coach decides a contestant is not moving forward, they are eliminated from the competition. The format tweak alone would’ve been enough to shake things up, but the show also brought in some extra firepower to guide the contestants through this tricky phase. CeeLo Green stepped in as the Mega Mentor for Team Adam and Team Legend, while Michael Bublé joined Team Kelly to offer his own brand of advice. Six artists saw their journey come to an end during the episode. Abigayle Oakley, Bay Simpson, Houston Kelly, Mike Steele, Moses G, and Natasha Blaine went home on Night 1 of the Knockouts.
All of them had made it through the earlier rounds but couldn’t quite secure a spot in the next stage. On the flip side, six singers managed to push through and claim their place in the semifinals lineup. Alexia Jayy, Jeremy Keith, JW Griffin, Liv Ciara, Lucas West, and Syd Millevoi advanced after delivering performances that convinced their respective coaches they had more to offer in the weeks ahead. What really sets the Knockouts apart, beyond the obvious solo format, is the level of ownership contestants have over their song choices. That’s because instead of relying on what their coach assigns them, they’re now picking tracks that reflect who they are as artists.
Night 1 only covered part of the Knockouts, which means there are more matchups waiting in the wings, and more goodbyes coming sooner rather than later. The next episode, set to air on April 6, will continue the round and further narrow the field as the show inches closer to its final stretch. For fans keeping up, ‘The Voice’ airs on Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with episodes available to stream the next day on Peacock.