The Voice: Tae Lewis was eliminated in the Knockout Round premiere... but had John Legend, Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay all trying for the Steal

John Legend, Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay all used their steals to try and grab 32-year-old Tae Lewis for their team on Monday’s two-hour action packed Knockout Round episode of Season 25’s The Voice on NBC.

Tae, 32, from Goldsboro, North Carolina, was just saying his goodbyes after losing to Asher HaVon, 31, from Selma, Alabama, when John, Chance and Dan + Shay all hit their buzzers to steal him.

‘The other coaches use their steals for Tae and now we’ve got a war,’ Host Carson Daly, 50, said.

‘I was the first one to push the steal button and I was also the only other coach in the blind audition who turned for you,’ John, 45, said. ‘There is a home for you on Team Legend.’

Shay Mooney, 32, said he would help him get to the next level. Chance, 30, also tried to get him to join his team.

Copy link to paste in your message

John Legend , Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay all used their steals to try and grab 32-year-old Tae Lewis for their team on Monday’s two-hour action packed Knockout Round episode of Season 25’s The Voice on NBC

Copy link to paste in your message

Tae, 32, from Goldsboro, North Carolina , was just saying his goodbyes after losing to Asher HaVon, 31, from Selma, Alabama , when John, Chance and Dan + Shay all hit their buzzers to steal him.

Copy link to paste in your message

‘I was the first one to push the steal button and I was also the only other coach in the blind audition who turned for you,’ John, 45, said. ‘There is a home for you on Team Legend’

In the end, Tae decided to join Dan + Shay.

‘Tae knew exactly where he wanted to be,’ Shay said. ‘Team Dan + Shay, Team Country.’

Tae competed against Asher who sang Toni Braxton’s Unbreak My Heart. Tae picked Nothin’ On You by Cody Johnson as his song.

Both of them had country icon Keith Urban to help them during rehearsals as this week’s mentor.

‘I love mentoring,’ Keith, 56, said. ‘I love being able to offer any advice that might be helpful.’

Asher said in rehearsals that picked his song because he recently went through a break up.

Keith encouraged Asher to pace himself emotionally during the performance.

Keith encouraged Tae to take ownership of his emotions during his singing.

‘Asher and Tae, that was just so raw,’ Chance the Rapper, 30, said when they finished. ‘One of the best performances on this TV show, period, ever.’

‘Tae, you really stepped up in that moment,’ Shay said. ‘You kind of took it to this next level.’

‘For whoever Reba does not choose there is a place for you on Team Legend,’ John Legend, 45, said.

‘You guys give me chills, make me cry,’ Reba, 69, said. ‘I felt like a proud mama sitting here.’

Reba picked Asher as the winner of the round which was when the other coaches stepped in to try and steal Tae.

On Team Dan + Shay, Olivia Rubini, 24 from Wilmington, Delaware, belted out Elton John’s Tiny Dancer going up against Frank Garcia, 19, from New York, who performed El Triste by Jose Jose in Spanish. Keith encouraged Olivia to do the song in a higher key and played his guitar to help her envision it.

‘That was a game changer, Dan said. ‘Great call Keith.’

Frank sang his powerful Spanish song and wowed the crowd. Olivia also had the crowd and the coaches moving to her music.

Copy link to paste in your message

On Team Dan + Shay, Olivia Rubini, (right) 24 from Wilmington, Delaware, belted out Elton John’s Tiny Dancer going up against Frank Garcia (left), 19, from New York, who performed El Triste by Jose Jose in Spanish

‘I really loved both song choices,’ John said. ‘Frank, your voice is so rich.’

John said he liked Olivia’s performance a little bit better.

‘Frank, your singing was wonderful,’ Reba said. ‘ I couldn’t understand a word you said, though. That’s an old joke. I’ll use it forever.’

Dan + Shay picked Olivia as the winner.

‘Her voice just inherently has a bit of a retro thing to it,’ Dan said. ‘She was spot on with all her notes.’

‘She showed us that she was very coachable,’ Shay said. ‘That she was ready to go to that next level.’

John Legend’s team went next. Nathan Chester, 28, from Chicago sang Fooled Around and Fell in Love by Elvin Bishop going up against Val T. Webb, 43, from New Braunfels, Texas who performed Sweet Love by Anita Baker.

‘I got asked to sing this song with Elvin Bishop one time on the Grammys,’ Keith said in rehearsals . ‘We get to the rehearsals and I’m singing a verse, and I go ‘you want to take the second verse’ and he looks at me, he goes ‘ oh you don’t want to hear me sing. Mickey Thomas sang the song. He’s the singer, but I just wrote it.’

‘That’s a good fact,’ John said. ‘An Urban legend you might say.’

Copy link to paste in your message

Val said her song reminded her of her husband who was also a singer. Keith said there was a lot of emotion in her singing.

‘This is going to be a tough choice,’ John said.

After they sang, Reba said this was her favorite part of the show.

‘Nathan I was blown away by your tone,’ Reba said. ‘Crisp and clear. It’s magical….and Val you took us to church. That range you have, whew.’

‘Val your highs were so high,’ John said. ‘And then Nathan it felt like cinematic the way you delivered the performance, because it felt like we were kind of in a movie about that era of music and you were playing this amazing character that you understood.’

John picked Nathan as the winner. Later John asked Bryan Olsen how it felt to have a Playoff Pass and to be able to sit out the knockout round.

‘I’m glad I’m still around for you,’ Bryan said.

Chance the Rapper’s 16-year-old Serenity Arce from Jupiter, Florida, performed Rihanna’s hit Unfaithful and went up against Dani Stacy, 31, from Hanford, California, who sang Miley Cyrus’s song Jaded.

Copy link to paste in your message

Chance the Rapper’s 16-year-old Serenity Arce (right) from Jupiter, Florida, performed Rihanna’s hit Unfaithful and went up against Dani Stacy (left), 31, from Hanford, California, who sang Miley Cyrus’s song Jaded.

Dani said that Keith Urban smelled good like warm vanilla. She dedicated her song to her friend who died in a boating accident.

‘Dani you are talented as a vocalist,’ Chance said. ‘Serenity you were willing to take a lot of risks, but in comparison of your past performance it was not as technically solid.’

Ultimately, Chance decided to pick Serenity.

Reba McEntire had Josh Sanders, 35, from Kannapolis, North Carolina, singing Season 8 contestants Corey Kent’s Wild as Her and competed against Ashley Bryant, 26, from Louisville, Kentucky who performed Heads, Carolina, Tails, California by Jo Dee Messina.

Josh said he wanted to inspire his four children with this song.

‘This is kind of make or break,’ Josh said. ‘I’m 35, I’m a husband, I’m a dad and there’s people relying on me to succeed.’

‘Josh you took all the risks and it paid off,’ Chance said.

‘Man, Josh that was fire, that last note was absolute flames,’ Shay said.

‘Josh you can sell a song so well that I believe it,’ Reba said.

Reba picked Josh as the winner.

Copy link to paste in your message

‘Dani you are talented as a vocalist,’ Chance said. ‘Serenity you were willing to take a lot of risks, but in comparison of your past performance it was not as technically solid’

Copy link to paste in your message

Dan + Shay pitted Anya True, 17, from Encinitas, California, who performed Runaway by Aurora against Kyle Schuesler, 19, from Huntington Beach, California, who sang Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur

Dan + Shay checked in their playoff pass winner Madison Curbelo before they pitted Anya True, 17, from Encinitas, California, who performed Runaway by Aurora against Kyle Schuesler, 19, from Huntington Beach, California, who sang Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur.

Kyle said the song reminded him of his grandmother who cried the first time he sang it to her. Keith tried to encourage him to try to sing without his guitar.

Keith encouraged Anya to try to lose herself in the song.

‘Excellent job by both of you,’ John said after they performed.

‘Kyle, I love the tone of your voice,’ Reba said.

Chance told Kyle that he was an ‘awesome singer.’

Dan + Shay picked Anya as the winner but before Kyle even said his goodbyes Chance suddenly stole Kyle and snatched him up.

‘I was playing the long game,’ Chance said. ‘I was just like a leopard waiting to pounce. I knew I was going to get you on my team at some point. I just had to play my cards right.’

The Voice will return Monday on NBC.