Ep 11. The Knockouts Premiere

In season 7, episode 11 of The Voice, titled "The Knockouts Premiere," the competition heats up as the remaining artists face off in one-on-one matchups. This episode marks the beginning of the knockout rounds, where each coach is tasked with choosing two artists to perform solo songs of their choosing. Each performance is evaluated by the coach, as well as a celebrity guest judge, who offer feedback and ultimately decide which artist should move on to the next round.

The episode opens with a recap of the battle rounds and highlights of each coach's remaining team. The coaches – Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine – share their thoughts on the upcoming knockouts and discuss their strategies for picking songs and preparing their artists to deliver standout performances.

The first knockout pairing features two powerhouse vocalists from Team Blake – Dave Fenley and Michael Lee. Dave chooses to sing Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man," while Michael delivers a rendition of "Whipping Post" by The Allman Brothers Band. Their coach, Blake, is thrilled with both performances, but ultimately chooses Michael as the winner of the knockout.

Next up is a face-off between Team Kelly's Chevel Shepherd and Sarah Grace. Chevel performs "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks, while Sarah Grace takes on "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles. The celebrity guest judge, Mariah Carey, is blown away by both performances and urges Kelly to choose wisely. In the end, Kelly decides to keep Chevel on her team for the live shows.

The third knockout match-up features Team Adam's DeAndre Nico and Jarred Matthew. DeAndre sings "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley, while Jarred opts for "Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross. The guest judge, Jennifer Love Hewitt, is struck by DeAndre's emotive performance but applauds Jarred's smooth vocals. Despite the tough decision, Adam ultimately chooses DeAndre to move forward in the competition.

Lastly, Team Jennifer's Kennedy Holmes and Lela perform in the final knockout round. Kennedy chooses Beyoncé's "Halo," while Lela performs "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & The Papas. The guest judge, Halsey, commends both artists for their unique interpretations of their songs and offers her support for their future careers. Ultimately, Jennifer chooses Kennedy as the winner of the knockout.

As the episode draws to a close, the coaches reflect on the successful knockout performances and anticipate the live shows, where their chosen artists will face off against each other and the competition will only get tougher. Who will make it to the end and be crowned the winner of The Voice season 7? Tune in to find out.