NBC’s The Voice Season 21 battle rounds are officially underway!
Team Kelly’s Jeremy Rosado and Jershika Maple went head-to-head on Monday evening (Oct. 11) with a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Hold On.”
Country superstar Jason Aldean was on-hand as Kelly Clarkson’s battle advisor and offered the two contestants a bit of advice before they took the stage.
“Instead of just going all out, keep it a little bit back. Keep it a little breathier in the verse. You want to save the big punch for the chorus. That’s where you’re going to grab them,” Aldean told the two powerhouse vocalists.
Aldean went on to compliment the vocalists, comparing Maple to Beyonce, and praising Rosado’s falsetto. Clarkson then went on to gush over both Rosado and Maple’s vocal abilities.
“I love Jeremy’s voice, he is hitting falsetto notes that girls can’t hit,” Clarkson gushed.
“I love Justin Bieber’s music and I thought that it would be cool to hear these two incredibly powerhouse vocalists sing this song,” Clarkson admitted ahead of their performance.
Rosado and Maple flawlessly combined their vocals, while also showcasing each of their highest points within their vocal abilities throughout the performance.
.@iamjeremyrosado & @Jershikajmaple wow the Coaches with a @justinbieber song. 👏 #VoiceBattles #TeamKelly pic.twitter.com/byC59iuYis
— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) October 12, 2021
Coaches Clarkson, Ariana Grande, John Legend and Blake Shelton were thoroughly impressed.
“Wow, I don’t know that we’ve ever had Battles this good before. This is a blast to sit here and watch,” Shelton gushed. “Jershika, I just had a feeling you were going to come out and blow the roof off the place and Jeremy you’re the one that I was most concerned about because of her. I was going, ‘what is this guy going to do,’ you know? Great job dude, I mean wow, way to step up to the plate. I think just because of the shock factor in this one, I think I would probably pick Jeremy in this one.”
“Oh my God, this show is like the most painful thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Grande joked. “It’s actually incredible, but this stuff sucks. What an incredible performance. You’re such powerhouse vocalists, My fellow Floridian, I love Jeremy. Jershika I was like a pile of flesh and bones and organs like laying here crying. I was like oh my God, I’m dying. Your runs almost catapulted me through the roof. You’re both SO GOOD.”
“They’re so good,” Clarkson added.
“What I was most moved by is the heart that I felt coming from both of you,” Legend added. “Jeremy, your voice has this silkiness to it and range that is ridiculous. You are such a gifted singer, truly. Jershika, those runs, they were so tight and so precise, most people cannot do it, and it really worked for me. You are soulful, and you are a damn good singer.”
“There’s like two amazing powerhouse vocalists that I have to choose from now,” Clarkson said. “You both elevated each other and I thought that was kind of cool and symmetrical. Jeremy, hands down I remember in rehearsals I was like is he singing the high part and honestly Jershika you sang low stuff. That’s why it was crazy, y’all are such… Your ranges are so incredible to be able to create that blend is a sign of a great artist. Y’all have the best hearts in the world, you’re so sweet, and you’re genuine and y’all are just stellar humans.”
“The winner of this Battle is Jeremy,” Clarkson declared.
“Jeremy is one of those vocalists that’s just so powerful and soulful and so honest. I’m just really excited to see what he wants to sing next,” Clarkson said.
“It means everything to me to continue on this journey with Kelly, she believes in me, and I’m going to show her that what she just did is going to be worth it,” Rosado said after being declared the winner of the Battle round.
The Voice returns on Tuesday evening (Oct. 12).
