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“The Voice” wrapped up its two-week Knockouts on Monday night ahead of the approaching Playoffs set to begin next week. All four coaches have selected their five members who will compete for the top spot on Season 23.
For Blake Shelton, this marks the final team he will coach on “The Voice.” After handing out a Playoff Pass to Mary Kate Connor which gave her an automatic spot, Shelton’s remaining four performers are NOIVAS, Grace West, Kylee Dayne, and Rachel Christine.
Blake Shelton is Looking for One More Win
Tyler Golden/NBCBlake Shelton is joined by this season’s Mega Mentor, Reba McEntire, on Season 23.
There is no coach who has been more successful at leading one of his singers to victory. Having been a coach since Season 1, Shelton has claimed nine victories as he looks for No. 10 in his 23rd season.
In the premiere of Season 23, Shelton expressed his desire, “this is my last season so I’ve got to win.” Among his most notable winners are Cassadee Pope (Season 3) and Danielle Bradbery (Season 5). He also won Season 22 with Bryce Leatherwood.
Shelton first shared the news that he would be stepping away from the NBC singing competition in an Instagram post last October.
“This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me,” he explained.
His nine wins are far and away the most by any coach to appear on the show. Kelly Clarkson has won four times and Adam Levine, who started alongside Shelton as a coach, has three to his name.
Team Blake’s Members Are Proud at The Opportunity
Trae Patton/NBCBlake Shelton and the five members of his final team on Season 23.
Following Monday’s episode, Shelton’s singers took to Instagram to share the team photo as many of them also wrote what it means to be a part of his final team.
Grace said in her post that she is “beyond grateful” at being among the five final singers he’ll ever have on “The Voice.” She adds that Team Blake is “incredibly talented”.
Likewise, NOIVAS wrote on his page that he’s “beyond grateful.” Mary Kate said her “heart is so full” at the opportunity and that the four teammates she has are “incredible people.”
How Team Blake Was Constructed
Mary Kate was the first among the final five to join Team Blake back in Episode 4. She took on a Grace Potter song with “Stars” which also saw Clarkson turn around but to no avail as she chose Shelton.
The fifth episode was where Shelton picked up Kylee after she gave her take on Maggie Rogers’ “Fallingwater.” All but Clarkson turned around during her performance. The next and last episode of the Blind Auditions introduced Grace to Team Blake as the final member at the time. She earned two turns with Pam Tillis’ “Maybe it Was Memphis.” She goes down as the final turn for Shelton.
NOIVAS was originally on Chance The Rapper’s team before he became available to steal after losing to Ray Uriel in the Battle Round. The three other teams were all full at the time so Shelton was able to lose the steal he had been holding onto to bring him into the fold. In the Knockouts, Shelton once again kept his steal to the final pairing when he added Rachel to round out his team.
Team Blake will return to action with the Playoffs beginning next Monday night on NBC.