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Why Nathan Chester & Bryan Olesen’s “A+++” Battle Made the Coaches Quote Gladiator
It's Battle time, and The Voice kicked off the Season 25 rounds with a showstopper.
The Battles are back on The Voice, and it's clear from the very beginning of Season 25's showdowns that we're in for something special this time around.
While the Blind Auditions are always a great place for vocalists to show their stuff and work in their own particular style, the Battles bring out something else entirely, giving singers a chance to work in different styles, play off each other, and often reach new heights in the heat of competition. That means some Battles are so good that none of the Coaches can quite believe what they've heard, and that was the case with the kickoff Battle of Season 25.
Nathan Chester and Bryan Olesen's Battle on The Voice Season 25 Singing Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"
For the first Battle of the season, Coach John Legend paired singers Nathan Chester and Bryan Olesen for a cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," a song he felt could showcase both singers in a way that highlighted their strengths and challenged them to work in a new form.
RELATED: Every Blind Audition on The Voice Season 25
"They can belt, they're soulful, they're powerful," Legend said of his singers. "This song has that power that I know these artists can deliver."
And Legend wasn't wrong. When Olesen and Chester took the stage, they took turns belting the song, hitting high harmonies, and trading off poses, including a starting and ending position that saw them dropping to one knee in a way that reminded Coaches Dan + Shay of both Braveheart and Gladiator.
"I think either one of you guys could take the win," Coach Chance the Rapper said. "I think it was a great performance. That's why everybody was screaming, so congratulations."
RELATED: “You Could Win”: How "Bono," "Rock Star" Bryan Olesen Gave the Season's "Best" Blind
Like Chance, Dan + Shay and Coach Reba McEntire all declined to offer any real help to Legend in picking a winner for the Battle, with all four Coaches calling it a neck-and-neck showdown in which both singers proved themselves. When it came time for his decision, even Legend seemed stumped.
"This version sounded like no other version. You were both A-plus-plus-plus," Legend said.
But of course, there could be only one winner, so Legend went with Chester, knowing all the while that he had a Playoff Pass in his back pocket, which he then deployed on Olesen. So, at the end of the first Battle of the season, both singers triumphed, and both remained on Team Legend.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC, and streams next day on Peacock.
