Spoiler alert! This story discusses the performance finale of The Voice Season 23, which aired May 22.
The countdown continues to Blake Shelton’s official exit from The Voice, with just one episode remaining following the first half of a two-night Season 23 finale. On Tuesday NBC will pull out all the stops to honor the cowboy’s 12 years in the Big Red Chairs, with musical performances and the return of past coaches of The Voice who sat alongside Shelton — including rival Adam Levine. However on Monday, for one last night, the spotlight was firmly on the artists, with the Top 5 singing two songs apiece as they vied for America’s vote. So based on those performances, who should be crowned the winner Tuesday?
America does not have an easy decision to make, as the Season 23 finalists all proved why they deserved to be in the finale. Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper each contributed one contestant to the Top 5, with Blake Shelton advancing two artists. Here’s a look at what each of them brought to the finale and who should win based on those performances. (The artists are listed in the order they appeared in the episode.)
Grace West (Team Blake)
Blake Shelton’s last button push in the Blind Auditions was the first up in his penultimate episode, and she continued to show off her classic country capabilities with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” (a song made famous by Shelton’s Season 24 replacement Reba McEntire) and then Patsy Cline’s “She’s Got You.” She may have gone old school all season — tackling Dolly Parton, Pam Tillis, The Judds and more in previous weeks — but the 19-year-old sounded as fresh as ever, and the coaches were happy to see her go up-tempo with her first offering. Check it out below:
D.Smooth (Team Kelly)
Kelly Clarkson wanted to see D.Smooth take on some ‘90s R&B, and he looked like he was having the time of his life singing and dancing to Johnny Gill’s “My, My, My.” Chance the Rapper called it one of his favorite performances of the season, and Clarkson couldn’t say enough good things about the 25-year-old after his second song, “What You Won’t Do for Love” by Bobby Caldwell. Clarkson said her finalist inspired her and she thanked him for allowing her to witness his journey, which you can see part of below:
Sorelle (Team Chance)
Chance the Rapper’s sister trio Sorelle opened their finale with their take on Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons,” and there are a million reasons I wouldn’t be surprised if these young women became the second trio to take home The Voice trophy. Niall Horan liked the stripped down version, while Blake Shelton again marveled at how consistently pitch perfect all three of their harmonies were. Following their second song — “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” — Chance said he had to calm himself down to keep from cursing on live TV. See what inspired that reaction below:
NOIVAS (Team Blake)
The cowboy’s second artist has embraced Blake Shelton’s country roots over the course of the season, and while NOIVAS brought the house down with Lenny Kravitz’s hit “Fly Away” as his second song of the night, he leaned into the country with his opener, taking on Chris Stapleton’s “Cold.” His coach appealed to loyal fans of the genre, pointing out that NOIVAS sounded so natural singing country. Could this performance help Shelton to his 10th win on The Voice?
Gina Miles (Team Niall)
Because of how soft-spoken Gina Miles is, I kept expecting her to be eliminated, forgetting what a powerhouse she was when she sang. The 18-year-old proved over and over that she deserved to be there, consistently blowing the roof off the place with her cool tone. Niall Horan said it was the perfect night to show off her pop side, which she did with Taylor Swift’s “Style,” and she followed that with a gorgeous rendition of Sinéad O'Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which caused her coach to say how special she was and how much she deserved to win. Check out her finale performance:
Who Should Win The Voice Season 23? Grace West
I named Grace West as the frontrunner early in the season, in part because of the sentimental bond she’d formed with Blake Shelton as his team's final artist. I stand by the theory that The Voice voters won’t let the cowboy ride off into the sunset without a 10th win in hand, but I also actually think she deserves the win on her own merits. West gave flawless performances all season, making decades-old country classics relevant for a new generation. It’s a strategy that worked for Season 22 champion Bryce Leatherwood, and I think as this season’s only country artist in the finale, she’s got this one.
We won’t have to wait long to find out. The results of America’s votes will be revealed on Tuesday, May 23, in a two-part finale that will also celebrate outgoing coach Blake Shelton’s last episode ever — unless he decides to drop in for a visit, that is. It all starts at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.
