Jose Luis’ “Unbelievable,” “Absolute Star” Knockout Blew Gwen Away: “Wow, Wow, Wow”

In any given season of The Voice, narratives emerge around each individual vocalist. You get the young, fresh talent that matures before your very eyes; the seasoned pros proving that they can be stars on another level; and, of course, the singers who aren't quite there yet but have so much room to grow that you can't help but keep tabs on them.

Then there are the stars, the undeniable presences who steal the show from their very first performance, who just keep right on drawing your eyes and ears. With a fierce performance on the Knockouts this week, Jose Luis proved that he's one of those singers.

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Watch Jose Luis Performance on The Voice Season 26 Knockouts

Jose Luis performs during Season 26 Episode 12 of The Voice. Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC

Luis, a young singer from Puerto Rico, took the show by storm earlier this season with an emphatic 4-Chair Turn Blind Audition, then won his Battle round against another promising vocalist, Austyns Stancil. He's been a Team Gwen member since the beginning, and in the Knockouts, he was pitted against fellow Team Gwen vocalists Camryn Brooks and Deon Jones, a newcomer after a Steal from Team Reba during the Battles. 

For his song, Luis chose Wicked star Ariana Grande's hit "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)," a choice he said was inspired by a "heartbreak" that led him to deconstruct his entire personality and examine what he really wanted in life. Luis was chosen as the closing act of the three-way Knockout, and right away his voice took over the show, until by the end, Stefani was up and out of her seat. When it was time to evaluate the Artists, all four Coaches had kind words for all three singers, but Luis was almost immediately singled out.

"Jose, I would have to choose you, because that performance just cements you as one of the great voices that I've ever heard on this show," Coach Michael Bublé said. 

Coach Snoop Dogg praised Luis' transformative power as a performer, and spotlighted his ability to take over a stage. "When that mic is in your hands, you turn into somebody different," Snoop said. "I love that you recognize the moment and you step right into it. That's what stars are made of."

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Coach Reba McEntire added, "When that spotlight goes on, you turn into this performer that is so confident. It was a great performance."

When it was time to pick a winner of the Knockout, Stefani praised all three of her singers, but it was pretty clear right away that Luis was her choice.

"You are unbelievable," she told Luis. "I'm blown away by you, you are an absolute star. You're so effortless with your gift. Wow wow wow."

After the Knockout was officially over, Stefani further cemented Luis' place as one of The Voice Season 26's clear breakout stars, saying, "He is just undeniable. It's like one of those singers where you're like, 'How are you real? You're so composed, you're so emotional,' and I just want to see what he does next."

Catch new weekly episodes of The Voice on NBC Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Miss an episode? Not to worry — stream it on Peacock the very next day!