‘The Voice’ Season 21 Episode 5 Recap: Coaches’ Feuds Are Getting Fierce

The Voice Season 21 Episode 5 marked the penultimate night of Blind Auditions. Coaches Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Blake Shelton, and Ariana Grande have become very picky as they fill the final spots on their teams. Plus, the fan-favorite Blake and Ariana frenemy duo has grown stronger — one minute they’re creating a drinking game based on Kelly’s love for the word “navigate,” and the next, Blake is calling Ariana the worst coach ever. Here’s a recap of the night.

Team Kelly

Jershika Maple, 24, Killeen, Tex., became a huge fan of The Voice Season 17’s Rose Short — so much so that she befriended the singer and joined her as a backup singer on Rose’s tour. Now, Rose has encouraged Jershika to audition for The Voice herself. Jershika sang “Can You Stand the Rain” by New Edition, which turned out to be the perfect choice for her lower voice. However, Jershika also knows how to belt, which prompted chair turns from John and Kelly. As Jershika’s new coach, Kelly can’t wait to find songs that highlight her talent.

Wyatt Michael, 24, of Fredericksburg, Va., truly has a sound like no other. He came to his Blind Audition dressed to the nines in a dapper suit and wowed the coaches with “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin. Wyatt’s voice sounded like he pulled it right from a 1940s jazz club, which Ariana loved. She and Kelly both turned their chairs, fully prepared for a battle. Kelly complimented Wyatt’s “timeless” sound, and she’s stoked that she has such a unique voice on her team.

Viewers also caught a glimpse at a one-chair turn: Xavier Cornell, who performed a slow version of “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry. Kelly told Xavier she thinks he’ll be a “dark horse” in season 21.

Team Kelly: Girl Named Tom, Kinsey Rose, Carolina Alonso, Gymani, Jeremy Rosado, Holly Forbes, The Cunningham Sisters, Jershika Maple, Xavier Cornell, Wyatt Michael

Team Legend

KJ Jennings, 21, of Austin, Tex., loves to wake surf. When she’s not doing that, she’s usually singing. She studied jazz at Berklee College of Music and came to The Voice to “be pushed to a higher level.” Blake and John both turned for KJ’s “Put Your Records On,” but John felt like the obvious match for her style. He told KJ that she seemed like an “adventurous” singer and complimented her jazz-pop blend.

BrittanyBree, 26, came to The Voice from Monroe, La., with a background in gospel music. She’s performed in plenty of churches, but this was her first adventure outside the gospel genre. And she killed it. Her performance of “Call Out My Name” by The Weeknd earned the night’s only four-chair turn. Kelly already feels confident that Brittany could make it to the finale, while Ariana called her “unbelievable.” Will she make it to the finals with Coach Legend?

Viewers also saw a one-chair turn on John’s team: Portuguese artist Sabrina Dias, who sang “Garota De Ipanema.” John loved that she gave an edge to such a classic song.

Team Legend: Jonathan Mouton, Jack Rogan, Samuel Harness, Joshua Vacanti, Paris Winningham, Keilah Grace, Samara Brown, Janora Brown, KJ Jennings, Sabrina Dias, Brittany Bree

Team Blake

Manny Keith, 31, of Miami, Fla., grew up with a musician father and dancer mother. So, performing is in his veins. He showed off his pop/R&B sound with “Break My Heart” by Dupa Lipa, earning a turn from Blake. The country singer told Manny he’s an “incredible singer.” Manny told Ariana that he’s a huge fan of hers, and she vowed to steal him from Blake. Watch your back, Shelton.

LiBianca, 20, of Minneapolis, Minn., spent many years in Cameroon, West Africa, where she fell in love with afrobeat music. She chose to sing “Good Days” by SZA for her Blind Audition, prompting turns from Ariana and Blake. John commended LiBianca for choosing such a complex song. Meanwhile, Ariana said she’s “obsessed” with LiBianca. She loved the range in LiBianca’s voice and complimented the emotion in her high notes. Ariana pushed for the singer to join her team, but a sign from God brought her to Blake.

Team Blake: Peedy Chavis, Wendy Moten, Lana Scott, Hailey Green, The Joy Reunion, Carson Peters, Kaitlyn Velez, Berritt Haynes, Clint Sherman, Manny Keith, LiBianca

Team Ariana

20-year-old Ryleigh Plank, of Fort Myers, Fla., grew up loving Kelly and Ariana. So, it felt like a dream come true when both mega-stars turned for her. She opened the evening with a powerful performance of “Anyone” by Demi Lovato, which nearly brought Ariana to tears. Both Ariana and Kelly could tell Ryleigh put genuine emotion into the song. With Ryleigh’s range, she’s a perfect fit for Team Ariana.

And speaking of perfect fits, no one knows whistle notes better than Ariana. That’s why 16-year-old Sophia Bromberg, of San Rafael, Calif., instantly seemed like a match for the “Positions” singer. Her performance of “Heather” by Conan Gray showed off her incredible range. Ariana told Sophia she has “so many people in her voicebox” and wants to help her find a middle ground. Kelly said Sophia “paints” with her vocal cords, but this win went to Ariana.

Team Ariana: Katie Rae, Katherine Ann Mohler, Vaughn Mugol, Chavon Rodgers, Jim and Sasha Allen, Raquel Trinidad, Hailey Mia, Bella DeNapoli, David Vogel, Ryleigh Plank, Sophia Bromberg