'The Voice' recap: Gretchen Wilson cover stuns Snoop Dogg in 1st Battles round as two coaches 'steal' contestants

It’s time to roll up your sleeves: The Battles have begun on The Voice!

Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé got down to business on Monday’s episode as they entered the next phase of NBC’s singing competition show. With eliminations on the line for each Battle, the four coaches had the unenviable task of deciding which two artists from their teams would go head to head in a duet. Whoever performed better — or showed the most potential, in some cases — earned the right to move on.

But getting eliminated during the Battles doesn’t necessarily mean the end. With “steals” in play, the other coaches can each snag up to two eliminated performers and have them join their teams, giving those singers a second chance at winning The Voice.

In the season’s inaugural Battle episode, six dueling pairs faced off — two each from Team Snoop and Team Gwen, and one each from Team Reba and Team Bublé — setting the stage for two hours of impressive performances, surprising decisions and two dramatic coaches’ “steals.”

Standout Battle of the episode

If there were any doubts about Snoop as a coach, his decision to pair seasoned country singer Gail Bliss with natural talent Christina Eagle for the first Battle of the season should quell any concerns. Performing Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman,” both played to their strengths — Bliss with her strong vocal tenacity, Eagle with her range and “sassy” stage presence. Their lively and energetic rendition excited the crowd and wowed the coaches.

McEntire applauded their “entertaining” duet, thanking them for “bring[ing] the party to town.” Stefani couldn’t get over Eagle’s raw talent, wondering why she wasn’t signed to a record label. “You’re insanely good,” the No Doubt frontwoman said. “You can’t teach charisma, stage presence. That’s just you being you.” Snoop thanked them for making their duet “feel like it’s one, rather than ‘I’m competing against you,’” a vital reminder that Bliss and Eagle were, at the end of the day, singing for their lives.

While the other coaches leaned toward Eagle, Snoop had a tougher time reaching a decision. Ultimately, he based it on who showed “the most potential… to grow,” and that was Eagle. The rapper said it was Eagle’s “strong” voice and her ability to “control it” that impressed him.

Surprising coaches’ decisions

Some Battles weren’t as straightforward. Case in point: the Battle between Team Gwen’s Sloane Simon and Sydney Sterlace. The singers were paired up because both are teenagers, sing pop and have similar vocal styles. Stefani gave them Billie Eilish’s hit song “Birds of a Feather,” knowing that whoever showed “the most flexibility, personality and is ready right now” would move on.

Simon and Sterlace’s voices blended so seamlessly that Snoop believed they “sounded like one.” Bublé thought Simon was more confident on stage, while Sterlace was visibly nervous. McEntire agreed, saying Sterlace needed “more years to develop.” Stefani singled out Sterlace’s growth from rehearsals and observed that Simon was “more ready.” Though the panel preferred Simon over Sterlace, Stefani went with the “weird voice inside” that told her to pick Sterlace, mainly because of her potential and not necessarily for what she showcased on stage. Was this the end of Simon on The Voice? Not exactly…

The Battle between Team Bublé’s Latin singer Kiara Vega and country boy Mor Ilderton also inspired a surprising coach decision. Assigned “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls for their Battle, the duo’s emotional, harmony-filled performance moved McEntire to tears. But it was Ilderton’s “uniqueness” that grabbed the attention of McEntire and Stefani; they picked him because they agreed his raspy voice fit the rock ballad better.

The close race left Bublé in a dilemma. Knowing he was about to lose a talented singer, he vowed to give his number to whoever he eliminated, so he could continue to mentor them off the show. That singer ended up being Ilderton, as Bublé chose Vega to move on because of the possibilities he believed she represented. Was this it for Ilderton? Hardly…

The season’s first 'steals'

Simon and Ilderton were the first two singers saved by the season’s first “steals” after initially getting eliminated in their respective Battles.

After Simon was let go by Stefani, the other coaches pounced on the opportunity to steal her for one of their teams. Bublé, who missed out on Simon during the Blind Auditions, had the strongest argument. “I was devastated when I couldn’t get you to join my team the first time,” he admitted. Sloane chose Bublé as her new coach, which thrilled the jazz singer: “She’s a pop star in the making.”

Once Ilderton was eliminated by Bublé, it seemed as if his time had come to an end. Bublé even scribbled his number on a napkin, handing it to Ilderton with the intent to continue mentoring him. But the thrill of the “steal” is that it could happen at any time. When Ilderton was leaving the stage, Stefani stood up and dramatically pressed her “steal” button, stunning everyone. “I just got this feeling,” she said after welcoming him to Team Gwen. “I know what to do with that guy.”

Quote of the night

“He’d better name his baby Gwen,” Stefani joked after finding out that R&B singer Jan Dan’s wife was due to give birth on the day of The Voice taping. She crowned him the winner of his Battle against the 14-year-old singer Jaylen Dunham, moving Dan to the next round.

A look ahead at the next episode

Night 2 of the Battles is next. That means more eliminations and potentially more “steals.” If the first Battle episode was any indication of what’s to come, nothing is off the table, and the coaches are in for more difficult decisions.

The Voice continues Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.