'The Voice' coaches Chance the Rapper and John Legend battle over contestant Nadége
Chance the Rapper is embracing his villain era on “The Voice.”
Team Chance singers Maddi Jane and Nadége delivered a soulful burst of retro pop during the second round of Battles Tuesday night. The Chicago-based songwriter and California vocalist revamped Frankie Valli’s 1967 hit “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
Nadége’s blind audition was a point of contention between coaches Chance the Rapper and John Legend. During the audition, Legend joined the 26-year-old onstage for an impromptu performance of his R&B hit “Ordinary People.” Chance one-upped his fellow coach by also singing the song with Nadége onstage; the surprise move helped Chance persuade the singer to join his team.
“It did cause a huge rift in me and John Legend’s friendship forever. It’s irreparable,” Chance jokingly told Nadége in Battles rehearsal. “It was worth it though.”
Watch Maddi Jane, Nadége perform on ‘The Voice’:
For their Battles performance, Jane and Nadége gave a vocal showdown to remember. Nadége dazzled with her ethereal head voice, while Jane was a musical knockout with her rich tone and popstar charisma. The masterful cover left the coaches with no criticism to offer the contestants. “I wish the performance was longer. That’s my only note,” said Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay.
But there can only be one winner.
Chance the Rapper declared Jane the battle’s victor, leaving Nadége’s “Voice” fate in the balance. Luckily, the singer’s A+ performance earned her swift interest from the other coaches.
Legend hit his steal button for a chance to work with Nadége and vindicate his loss to Chance the Rapper in the blind auditions. Dan + Shay quickly followed up with their steal-button bid. “I’ve been telling her since the blinds, ‘I love you Nadége,’” Legend said. “I think you have such a beautiful gift.”
However, Legend wouldn’t get the chance to win over Nadége. In the middle of Legend’s pitch, Chance the Rapper hit his Playoff Pass button, which allows him to keep Nadége on his team and send her straight to the season Playoffs.
“I had to give Nadége the Playoff Pass because Nadége’s voice is so sultry and jazzy, even when she is pushing or belting,” Chance said afterward. “And I wanted a double dose of beating John Legend.”
Legend may be the self-professed "four-chair king," but he may have underestimated the ruthlessness of Chance the Rapper, the Playoff Pass Prince.
“Chance is a dastardly villain. He turned a knife in me,” said Legend in a post-Battle interview. “I think I need to understand that Chance is my enemy now, simple as that.”