The premiere of “The Voice” season 28 aired Monday, September 22nd.  The returning coaches are: Michael Buble, Niall Horan, Reba McEntire (the only female AND Country coach this season), and Snoop Dogg.  Michael Buble is fresh off of two wins, and he makes sure to stress that point with every argument to win over new talent. 

Reba, being the Queen of Country, and the ONLY Country coach this season on “The Voice” may think she has a leg up on the other coaches, but Niall and Snoop are coming in hot to snag any promising Country artists away from Reba.  

If viewers remember from when Niall had his Freshman season on “The Voice,” Blake Shelton pegged him as his “son.”  Reba created a threatening competitive feud with Michael Buble. Well, now it’s Michael Buble who’s calling Niall “son” and Reba has a new feud with Niall!  

Each coach still has one Block that they can use during the Blind Auditions.  We saw two coaches in this premiere episode use their only Blocks… but, did it pay off? 

BLIND AUDITIONS:

Pictured: (l-r) Michael Buble, Reba McEntire– Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

The first audition of the season was a four-chair-turn from 20-year-old Adian Ross from Texas who sang an Adele song.  Though his style sounded more like John Legend.
Snoop seemed to have the best pitch with promises of a record deal after the show and then sweetening the deal with a thick silver chain.  However, it was Niall who Adian chose as his coach.

Mindy Miller is the definition of Country. Her strong Country sound by singing “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.” Once again, Snoop was the first coach to turn his chair.   The only Country coach, Reba McEntire, wasn’t given in without a fight and she was the only other coach who turned for Mindy.

Except…Snoop BLOCKED Reba from Mindy.  Reba was angry!

There’s a Star in the House!

The coaches were blown away after turning their chairs and seeing quite literally a mini “Michael Jackson” singing “ABC” just like Michael Jackson.  Michael Buble was the first coach to turn his chair, soon followed by Reba.  Max shared that he sings as Broadway as the “little Michael Jackson” on “M.J. the Musical.”   Max chose Buble as his coach.

Snoop vs. Reba!

Girl dad, Manny Costello from Athens, Georgia got choked-up before his audition. Manny Costello was the Country artist that Reba may have been hoping for.  She was the first to push her button, followed by Snoop.  Reba told him that he made her “home sick.”   That comment initiated Manny to get teary-eyed himself as he thanked her for the compliment.

Reba told Manny that he took her back to the [Country] greats and he has components of George Jones, Haggard, and “there’s a little Randy in there.”   

Of course, Manny did what he had to do and he went with the “Queen of Country” Reba!   This was after Snoop expressed how Manny’s singing took him back to the time that he spent with Willie Nelson and Chris Christopherson making the song “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.”  This made Snoop want to go to his Green Room!

Niall was feeling left out because he wanted a Country artist on his Team, though feels Reba wins them all over. 

Viral TikToker Express Mail…

Ari B is 30-years-old from Detroit, Michigan and her day job is delivering mail. She came up with “Mail Lady Monday” where she re-mixes songs about mail.  Some “pitch issues” stopped Niall from turning.  Snoop said he wanted something “soulful.”  Buble agreed that the song wasn’t working for her.  His parting words were, “You are easily a great enough singer to be on this show.”   So, it really came down to it being the wrong song for Ari.

The Country Holy Ghost!

Pictured: Snoop Dogg — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

A Country artist group came out to Blind Audition.  After Snoop’s chair turn, along with all the other coaches, he told them he was touched by the Country holy ghost! 

The group’s name is “D.E.K. of Hearts,” for their initials.  They’re from Nashville and have been together for 14 months.  Their harmony was tight, and Niall pegged himself as the perfect coach from them being that he sang in a group.  Buble offered the group “a little bit of Country and a little bit of Jazz.”  Reba planted “Reba” actual fans in the audience and cued them to whip those fans out to fan away.

“D.E.K of Hearts” saw the value in Niall and chose him for their coach!  Reba was “dead” because she fell to the floor when this happened.

He Brought His ‘Super Fans” to His Audition…

Peyton Kyle, from Gainesville, Georgia, said it was his super fans, Don and Susan, who gave him the push to audition for “The Voice” and that’s why he brought them.  Upon his arrival to Los Angeles, Peyton’s appendix burst.   He sang “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars for his Blind Audition.

Ralph Edwards, from Fresno, California,  tried out for “The Voice” eleven times and this was the first time he got to audition for the coaches.  And…he got four chairs turned while singing Journey song “Lights”!  

Snoop tried to win over Ralph by bringing out his “family” and it did work because Ralph chose him for his coach.  Snoop said Ralph “has the potential to go all the way.”  

Jack is Niall’s People!

Jack Austin is a musical theatre student.  He chose to sing “This Town” by Niall Horan and put his own spin on it.  The pressure is on because he found out that Niall is coaching this season after he chose the song.  Michael Buble was the first coach to turn, followed by Niall and Reba.  

After Niall told Jack that he was waiting to turn his chair, she said he appreciated the liberty that he took with the melodies in the song that he had not thought of.  Then, Niall suggested he and Jack sing a verse together.  

Ryan Mitchell is 25 from Los Angeles, who was guilty of keeping the same pitch throughout the song without dynamic that lost the coaches. Thus, no chair turns.  Carson was pretty upset about it.  

THERE’S A NEW “Carson Callback Card!”

Carson Daly now has some control in the game.  He gave Ryan the “Carson Callback” card that he can only do one time this season.  Ryan had 24 hours to prepare a new song and re-audition for the coaches.

Jazz Mckenzie sang a Tina Turner classic “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”  Jazz was a four-chair-turn. However, Reba BLOCKED Snoop!  Buble brought out Irish dancers to prove his point that he doesn’t have the luck of the Irish like Niall Horan.  

The Block that Reba used, remember, it’s her only one!  Well, that didn’t matter because Jazz was all set with Michael Buble and chose him as her coach.

To be continued with Ryan Mitchell’s second audition because that wasn’t shown in this episode.