Fans go wild as country icon Reba McEntire crashes The Voice Season 29—and they’re demanding she stay for good!

‘The Voice’ recap: Reba phones in as John, Kelly, and Adam battle for country singers

‘The Voice’ Season 29: Pictured: (l-r) John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine
Trae Patton/NBC

The Voice is back for Season 29 — and for the first time ever, three former champions are squaring off in a “Battle of Champions.” Four-time winner Kelly Clarkson returns to the big red chair for the first time since Season 23, while three-time champ Adam Levine and Season 16 winner John Legend reunite after last coaching together on Season 27. The trio has only shared the panel once before — Season 16, which marked Legend’s debut and his lone victory. And while she’s not officially part of the competition, Reba McEntire made her presence felt, phoning in during the premiere to endorse a coach as country hopefuls took the stage.

If Kelly or Adam hopes to outmaneuver John this season, they’ll have to do it under new rules. During the Blind Auditions, each coach will build a team of 10 artists — but there’s no “Block.” Instead, the coach who lands the most three-chair turns earns a new “Super Steal,” allowing them to override another coach’s steal during the Battles. Comedian Druski and NBA legend Derek Fisher track the Triple Turn leaderboard, while Carson Daly returns as host.

Read on for our The Voice 29 recap of “The Blind Auditions Season Premiere” performances which aired Monday, Feb. 23 at 8 pm ET/PT on NBC.

Lucas West

Age: 20
Hometown: Fairport, N.Y.
Song: “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John
Chair turns: Adam, John
Adam’s comments: “I was blown away by how different you are … doing it soulful and doing it simply, I don’t see that enough on the show.”
Kelly’s comments: “You are very talented. I just knew that they had already turned around.”
John’s comments: “You just came out here and gave such a beautiful performance and you showed yourself to be quite a pianist as well.”
Result: Team Legend

Alexia Jayy

Age: 31
Hometown: Mobile, Ala.
Song: “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
Chair turns: Kelly, John, Adam
John’s comments: “You have it all. Not only do you have the raw ability, but you know how to deploy it in the right way.”
Adam’s comments: “The song you sang, Aretha Franklin, written by Carole King. Two very different people came together to create one of the best moments in music history because they were different… maybe the way for you to go all the way here is to do it with somebody that maybe not everybody would expect… you have one of the best voices I’ve ever heard on this show ever.”
Kelly’s comments: “It’s such a big, bold statement … I could hear you wailing on a country song honestly.”
Result: Team Adam

Julia Golden

Age: 19
Hometown: Carthage, N.C.
Song: “Strawberry Wine” by Deana Carter
Chair turns: John, Kelly
John’s comments: “You have such beautiful texture to your voice; it feels like you’ve got so much heart when you sing.”
Kelly’s comments: “You have to be authentic, you have to be believable, and that’s what you were for me.”
Reba’s comments via recorded video: “People have asked me, can John Legend coach a country artist? Heck yeah, I wish he’d coach me … I am the queen of country music and I endorse John Legend.”
Adam’s comments: “I’m not Reba McEntire, I’m not Blake Shelton, but I endorse Kelly.”
Result: Team Kelly

Abigayle Oakley

Age: 25
Hometown: Las Vegas
Song: “Call Your Girlfriend” by Robyn
Chair turns: Kelly, John, Adam
Adam’s comments: “I am such a fan of what you do … because when you have something special it just shines through no matter what.”
Kelly’s comments: “The superpower for you is definitely that head voice of yours. It’s so pretty and it’s like kind of broken-sounding as well and sad, which is like Joni Mitchell vibes for days.”
John’s comments: “I love when you flipped up to your head voice … we know an artist like you can do really well on this show with great coaching.”
Result: Team Kelly

Landon Price

Age: 17
Hometown: Jackson, Miss.
Song: “Glory” by John Legend
Chair turns: None
John’s comments: “I thought you were very creative with how you sang it and there were a lot of choices that weren’t in the original record that I thought were really cool and really bold of you. Now that I know you’re 17, I’m just kicking myself.”
Kelly’s comments: “Sometimes it is important for us to have just little bit more life happening, like for us to really understand that message and let it bleed through.”
Result: No team

Jonah Mayor

Age: 31
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Song: “Il Mondo” by Jimmy Fontana
Chair turns: Kelly, Adam
Adam’s comments: “You’re super awesome and I think you and Kelly are gonna do great things together… what you do is so singular and there’s not gonna be anyone like you… there’s so much power in your voice, there’s a lot of presence in you.”
John’s comments: “It was gorgeous, like flawless, beautiful … I was thoroughly impressed by what you did.”
Kelly’s comments: “You said I think three syllables and I was like choose me, pick me, love me. … I’m down for the ride.”
Result: Team Kelly

Bay Simpson

Age: 26
Hometown: Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Song: “The Waiting” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Chair turns: Adam
Adam’s comments: “I’m really happy that it happened the way that it did … the tone and the way you delivered certain parts of that vocal really showed me an understanding of you know rock-n-roll music.”
Result: Team Adam

Liv Ciara

Age: 16
Hometown: St. Peters, Mo.
Song: “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande
Chair turns: Kelly, Adam
Adam’s comments: “Your voice is so mature and developed in that way that is special enough to make us turn around, but what is awesome is that you’re young because you already are so way ahead with your voice and the way that you connected to that vocal the whole entire time.”
Kelly’s comments: “I love what you did … I love that you did a completely different take on it. You flipped it and made it more sad.”
John’s comments: “I’m really impressed by your story of coming back.”
Result: Team Kelly

Aaron LaVigne

Age: 43
Hometown: Cincinnati
Song: “Feels Like the First Time” by Foreigner
Chair turns: Kelly, John
Adam’s comments: “Respect for singing that song, that’s a monster.”
Kelly’s comments: “I hit my button because I have no one like you on my team.”
John’s comments: “Your voice has like a gentleness to it and I was a little bit worried that it wasn’t gonna cut through and then by the end you showed us that you can really wail.”
Result: Team Kelly

AJ Robinson

Age: 14
Hometown: Cataula, Ga.
Song: “Watermelon Moonshine” by Lainey Wilson
Chair turns: John
Kelly’s comments: “If you have more breath for breath control you’ll stay on key a little bit better.”
Adam’s comments: “Blake Shelton has ruined me. He’s wounded me deep down in my soul.”
John’s comments: “What made me push my button was I loved your tone and I love the way your voice kinda floats … it sound way richer than it should sound when you’re only 14 years old.”
Result: Team Legend

Jeremy Keith

Age: 40
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Song: “You Are My Lady” by Freddie Jackson
Chair turns: John, Adam, Kelly
John’s comments: “Your tone was just silky smooth … you know ‘Ordinary People’? Should we sing that together?”
Adam’s comments: “John makes the most sense for you, just hear me out. You are no longer a background singer in my opinion because you are so incredibly good. … I do believe that you are so beyond special.”
Kelly’s comments: “I think it’s a different thing to know how to pick songs, to know how to navigate it in a competition setting.”
Result: Team Adam

The teams so far:

TEAM LEGEND (2 of 10): AJ Robinson, Lucas West
TEAM KELLY (5 of 10): Aaron LaVigne, Abigayle Oakley, Jonah Mayor, Julia Golden, Liv Ciara
TEAM ADAM (3 of 10): Alexia Jayy, Bay Simpson, Jeremy Keith