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How Kristen Brown “Went Up to the Stratosphere” During Her “Magic” Battle and Won
Their sing-off to Celine Dion's "That's the Way It Is" was a close call!
The first part of The Voice is about building the strongest team of Artists possible through a series of Blind Auditions. Having found their competitors, the Coaches then pit team members against one another in the Battles, whittling each team down to only its strongest singers.
To that end, singers Kristen Brown and Juliette Ojeda, both on Team Gwen, took to The Voice stage and duked it out to the tune of Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way It Is.” Despite Celine Dion’s signature tone, both performers were able to make the song their own by bringing a distinct vocal style and stage presence. Together, they delivered a performance so powerful it left two of the Coaches unable to choose a favorite.
Kristen Brown and Juliette Ojeda sing "That's the Way It Is" by Celine Dion on The Voice Season 24 Battles
“Singing Celine Dion, Gwen gave you a challenge,” Legend said. “Juliette, your voice has so much strength and it really cut through the performance. It was really beautiful and powerful. Kristen, I found your tone so interesting. Those medium to quiet moments, I thought, were really special. Altogether, it felt like a really beautifully put together performance with a lot of nuance.”
RELATED: Why Kristen Brown’s Carrie Underwood Audition Caused an Epic Reba-Gwen Faceoff
For those reasons, Legend chose Brown as his favorite performance onstage. Niall Horan was next to the mic, but he was unable to choose a side. “That was magic, that’s such a powerful song to take on… Juliette, your tone is just so pure, you stuck out there the whole way through. So impressive, you should be proud of yourself. Kristen, you have so many sides to your voice. Dynamics is what I’m always looking for, and I thought you did that and more today,” Horan said.”
When Stefani pressed him to choose a favorite, Horan responded only, “I’m glad that you had the two of them together in a way, because we got to hear two powerful divas singing it out.”
McEntire, likewise, found herself unable to chose. “Your voices blended so well. You’re singing harmonies so well and then just went up to the stratosphere, each of you,” she said. “I don’t have a favorite; you both are just absolutely wonderful.”
With next to no feedback from the other Coaches, Stefani was left to make the hard decision about who would stay on Team Gwen and who would move on. In the end, the difference came down to experience and confidence.
“I just am so unbelievably proud of both of you, I’ve loved getting to know you. I think I just have to go with who I think is ready right now in this moment,” Stefani said. “The winner of this Battle is Kristen.”
Unfortunately, Ojeda wasn't stolen by another Coach, so she was sent home. Brown, meanwhile, is headed to the Knockouts for Team Gwen!
