The Voice likes to shake things up every now and then by introducing new rules and performance types. In Season 18, the show updated its rules concerning saves and steals in the battles.
Instead of being able to steal an up-for-grabs artist right away, coaches had to wait to give the artist’s original coach the chance to save them first. If it was clear their coach wasn’t going to save them, then the other coaches could jump in for the steal.
As for the four artists who earned the coaches’ saves, they didn’t get to compete in the knockout rounds as normal. Rather, they were thrown in to a new type of performance, called the four-way knockout.
The Voice recap: Let's see what this Four-Way Knockout is all about https://t.co/WjmG2w19vQ
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) April 21, 2020
In the normal knockouts, two artists from the same team compete against each other. Then, their coach picks the winner.
The four-way knockout differs in a few ways:
- Four artists compete in the round, instead of two.
- The four artists are all from different teams (Team Blake, Team Kelly, Team Legend, and Team Nick).
- The coaches do not pick the winner. Viewers cast their votes to determine the winner. The winner will be named prior to the debut of the live shows on May 4.
One contestant who competed in the four-way knockout was Team Kelly’s Samantha Howell. She sang “Always On My Mind,” which has been recorded by artists such as Elvis Presley, Brenda Lee, and Willie Nelson.
Clarkson was obviously impressed with Howell’s performance, and could be heard saying “Yeah!” as she sang.
Although Clarkson had the power to save Howell in the battles, she didn’t get that power in the four-way knockout. Instead, Howell’s fate was left up to the viewers.
Based on the responses to her performance on Twitter, it seems as though she may stand a good chance at winning the four-way knockout and advancing to the lives. One Twitter user said “Her voice is like sunshine,” when explaining why they chose to vote for her.
See a variety of viewer responses to Howell’s “Always On My Mind” cover below.
Her voice is like sunshine 🌞 on a summer morning. 10 votes!!! #VoiceKnockouts #TheVoice
— SonjaMiaSwiftie.Meow 🐈 (@sonjamiaSwiftie) April 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/OHIO1981/status/1252418679075008512
She was the best of the 4 of them 👍
— Diane (@pghpeanut1_) April 21, 2020
U have amazing voice and hope u make next round……
— Leeanna Hanson (@LeeannaHanson3) April 21, 2020
Good luck, Samantha🍀 Tell Kelly I think you sound like Faith Hill🌟
— Sarah Deal (@sarahdeal) April 21, 2020
We have to wait a few weeks before we learn if Howell won the four-way knockout. Until then, you have plenty of time to watch and rewatch her knockout performance below.
What do y’all think of the new four-way knockout? Should The Voice keep it for future seasons?