Spoiler alert! This story contains minor spoilers for The Voice’s Season 25 Blind Auditions, which ended March 12.
It seems like The Voice just got started on its 25th season, but already we’re through the first round of competition. John Legend, Reba McEntire, Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay have secured 10 artists apiece to take into the Battles after six nights of Blind Auditions. There’s a lot of talent this season, and while obviously not everyone who auditions is going to make it on the show, sometimes it seems like a promising singer gets passed over. Here are four artists who — in my opinion — totally deserved to make it past the Blind Auditions.
Ash Haynes
On the first night of auditions, Ash Haynes took on Tina Turner’s “The Best.” The coaches, unfortunately, didn’t think her effort matched the song title. John Legend wanted more accuracy on the big notes, and Dan + Shay and Chance the Rapper agreed she had some pitch problems. Reba McEntire gave her some advice on breath control, and you know what that is? Coaching. All Haynes needed was a little mentorship from The Voice’s coaching panel, and we could have had her beautiful energy on Season 25.
Aeden Alvarez
If The Voice producers really are upset at the show’s lack of breakthrough talent, maybe the coaches should try turning their chairs for the artist who has nearly 700,000 TikTok followers. Aeden Alvarez auditioned with SZA’s “Snooze,” which may not have been the best choice for a group who couldn’t see him performing. Reba McEntire said stylistically it wasn’t for her, and John Legend noted how hard it can be to find the rhythm in SZA’s music. Maybe Alvarez will come back and audition with a different song. Or maybe he’ll make it on his own in the meantime.
Mecca Notes
Everybody got excited when New Orleans teacher Mecca Notes started crooning “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” by Stevie Wonder, and I’m not sure what happened next that kept the coaches from hitting their button. Dan + Shay said they were looking for something specific, but this was only halfway through the Blind Auditions, when they still, theoretically, should have been pretty open. John Legend wanted a little more control in the vocal, but I think they missed an opportunity here, and I can’t imagine a contestant having a cooler name.
Raina Chan
The Blind Auditions get brutal toward the end, with spots filling up and the coaches often holding out for a particular genre. Raina Chan was a victim of this on the final night of auditions, as only John Legend had a spot left when the 14-year-old sang Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand.” Reba McEntire indicated she would have turned if she could have, but John Legend and Dan + Shay agreed if the teen comes back in a couple of years, she’ll have honed her skill even more. Still, if Chan had auditioned earlier in the process, I'm certain she would have found a team.
Whether or not these artists deserved a shot to sing again the Battles, their journey on The Voice came to an early end. Hopefully the experience and exposure they got from the Blind Auditions leads to success anyway. You can see how the remaining artists fare with new Season 25 episodes airing at 8 p.m. ET Mondays and 9 p.m. ET Tuesdays on NBC, available to stream the next day with a Peacock subscription. Be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule as well to see what premieres are coming soon.
