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See Why Bryan Olesen’s “Flawless” Battle Got Him 2 Steals and the Playoff Pass
The Battles are here, and The Voice Coaches kicked them off with some high drama.
Battle rounds on The Voice are always a place for some great tension, drama, and most importantly, redemption. Yes, some singers go home, but others prove themselves so thoroughly that the Coaches can't possibly let them leave, setting up unforgettable second chances that leave fans talking for weeks.
RELATED: An Official Recap of Team Legend on The Voice Season 25
During Season 25, those second chances got an extra boost of drama with the return of the Playoff Pass, a one-time-only feature that allows a Coach to not just save a contestant, but send them straight past the Knockouts and into the Playoffs. It's a vote of confidence like no other, and this season it got deployed in the very first Battle.
Watch Bryan Olesen's Playoff Pass Save on The Voice Season 25
For the first duet of the season, John Legend chose vocalists Nathan Chester and Bryan Olesen, two singers with different styles but similar power, for a cover of Adele's hit "Rolling in the Deep."
"I've actually covered this song too," Legend explained during rehearsals. "Hearing a guy's voice on this song, I think it really works. It has a lot of passion and energy and urgency, and I felt like that two of you together… it's gonna sound amazing."
After working on arrangements with his two singers, Legend felt the song was in the right place to play to both Chester and Olesen's strengths, and it was time to take the stage. Chester and Olesen had the whole studio on their feet with a Battle that showcased Chester's soul-influenced vocals and Olesen's more rock-driven style, and by the time it was done, none of the other Coaches wanted to help Legend out by picking one over the other.
"Can you imagine a quartet of people more unhelpful than these four people? Obviously you two created this problem by being so incredible," Legend said after his fellow Coaches declined to pick a winner.
RELATED: “You Could Win”: How "Bono," "Rock Star" Bryan Olesen Gave the Season's "Best" Blind
Still, Legend did have to make a decision, and in the end he chose Chester, leaving Olesen open for a Steal. Lucky for him, not one but two Coach's chairs lit up, as both Reba McEntire and Dan + Shay opted to make a play for the vocalist. But even that wasn't the end of the drama, because before Dan + Shay could even make their case, Legend spoke up again.
"I've heard enough," he said, and hit his button to reveal the Playoff Pass.
"I knew what I was doing," Legend said later as Olesen celebrated not just a Save, but a Save that will allow him to skip an entire round of the competition.
"You guys were so perfect together, I couldn't let either of you go home," Legend told Olesen.
So, both Nathan Chester and Bryan Olesen are still in the game, and Olesen has the chance to really step back and develop his style even more as we head toward the Playoffs.
To see how far both singers will go, keep watching The Voice, Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC, and streaming next day on Peacock.
