‘The Voice’ recap: The Top 5 hopefuls perform one last time in Part 1 of the live finale

Five finalists. One winner. The Voice’s two-night live finale kicked off Monday with an evening of strong performances as the remaining hopefuls unleashed their talents onstage with the goal of being crowned the Season 26 champion, complete with $100,000 and a record deal.

For Voice hopefuls Danny Joseph, Jeremy Beloate, Shye, Sydney Sterlace and Sofronio Vasquez, it was their last chance to show America they have what it takes to be named the new winner. Each artist performed twice in the episode — a ballad and an uptempo number. Viewers have until 7 a.m. ET on Tuesday to cast their vote for their favorite singer on The Voice website or via the show’s official app.

The season’s penultimate episode also featured an appearance by Martha Stewart (who gave her feedback on the coaches’ wardrobe and introduced a boozy drink, “Snoop Noggy Nog”) and a special holiday duet with Michael Bublé and Carly Pearce singing their new song, “Maybe This Christmas.”

How did the Top 5 finalists do on the finale stage? Let’s find out…

Danny Joseph (Team Reba)

Performances: “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” by Luke Combs, “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse

Joseph went all-in on the classic rock vibes for his two finale songs, both of which catered to his gritty vocals and showed off his impressive guitar-playing skills. All season long, the British rocker has stayed true to his identity — always bringing his own unique take to every song and making them his own.

His Amy Winehouse cover was a prime example of Joseph adding something new to the R&B/pop classic, including a stellar guitar solo. Reba McEntire said the performance showcased “a different sound” that audiences hadn’t heard from him before and urged viewers to cast their vote for Joseph.

Jeremy Beloate (Team Snoop)

Performances: “What the World Needs Now” by Jackie DeShannon, “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn

Snoop Dogg put it best when describing Beloate’s appeal: Sometimes music isn’t about how someone sounds, but how they make you feel — and the theater singer achieved that in spades, bringing Snoop to tears (again). Both of Beloate’s finale performances were passionate and theatrical, and perfectly highlighted his Broadway-ready vocals.

His best rendition was his stunning slowed-down cover of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” which captivated the coaches’ panel. “It’s so powerful what you do,” a stunned Stefani said, while a teary Snoop told Beloate his special power is making people feel things with his voice.

Shye (Team Bublé)

Performances: “One of Us” by Joan Osborne, “Falling” by Harry Styles

Shye’s uniqueness was the star of the night with two carefully chosen songs that left little doubt about how singular her voice was and could be. The 18-year-old singer drew chills with her standout performance of Joan Osborne’s 1995 classic and followed it up with an equally powerful production of an emotional Harry Styles ballad.

Since the very beginning, Bublé has consistently called out Shye’s distinct vocal style as her secret weapon. There’s power in knowing who a voice belongs to the moment a song starts, which he said Shye has represented. Bublé called Shye “the truth” earlier in the season for her vocal tenacity and continued to drum home that point in Monday’s episode: “You are the truth. You’re the real deal. This has to continue because you have to be heard. You just do.”

Sydney Sterlace (Team Gwen)

Performances: “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams, “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol

The youngest Voice competitor this season at 16 years old, Sterlace proved that age is just a number. After Stefani compared Sterlace to Olivia Rodrigo for her pop tendencies with an alternative edge, the teen singer’s two performances showed just how much she’s grown in a short amount of time. “You’re fulfilling my dream,” Stefani said after her Gracie Abrams cover, praising her natural singing ability.

It was Sterlace’s second showing, of the popular 2006 Snow Patrol ballad, that left McEntire in awe of what was to come of her bright future. “Little eyes will be watching you,” the country star said. “You’ve got a powerful voice, not only in singing but what can help someone [in life].” Stefani was visibly verklempt, telling Sterlace that she nailed a difficult song with her “beautiful,” “angelic” voice in a high-pressure situation.

Sofronio Vasquez (Team Bublé)

Performances: “Unstoppable” by Sia, “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman

Vasquez saved his best performances for The Voice finale, and he picked two winning songs to close out his experience: first a Sia cover, followed by a crowd-pleasing ballad from The Greatest Showman. Bublé acknowledged the song choices were risky, but those can produce the “biggest rewards.”

The Filipino singer’s first performance brought the loudest crowd reaction, while his last trip to the stage served as an exclamation point on his Voice journey. Snoop called Vasquez’s near-perfect cover of “A Million Dreams” one of the “best performance[s] I’ve seen.” Bublé, who has been high on Vasquez since the Blind Auditions, gave his singer the ultimate vote of confidence when he said he accomplished everything he came on to The Voice to do.

A look ahead to the finale

This is it! One singer will earn the coveted title of The Voice champion on Tuesday’s final episode of the season. Will it be rocker Danny Joseph, Broadway belter Jeremy Beloate, teenage phenom Sydney Sterlace, soulful crooner Shye or Filipino powerhouse Sofronio Vasquez? Is Team Bublé the one to beat? We’ll find out who America chose in less than 24 hours.

And don’t forget, a slew of big-name artists will perform: Kelly Clarkson, Dan + Shay, Tears for Fears, Myles Smith, Riley Green and Ella Langley, Season 24 winner Huntley and a special duet with Snoop Dogg and Sting.

The Voice crowns a new winner during the two-hour finale Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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