Monday kicked off the Battle Rounds for Season 29 of The Voice, with coaches Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and John Legend each starting with 10 contestants. During the battles, team members were paired to compete against one another, with only one advancing to the Knockout Round while the other faced elimination.
One of the most emotional moments of the night wasn’t even on Clarkson’s team. Pop-soul singer Lucas West went head-to-head with 14-year-old country singer AJ Robinson, performing a cover of Hunter Hayes’ “Wanted.” John Legend explained his song choice: “I felt like I could find a song where country, soul, and pop kind of intersect, so I picked Hunter Hayes’ ‘Wanted.’”
From the moment the duo hit the stage, Clarkson couldn’t hide her admiration for AJ. “I can’t escape how utterly cute you are,” she gushed, noting the young singer’s adorable cowboy hat. She praised AJ’s vocals while also acknowledging Lucas’s talent, repeatedly emphasizing, “AJ, you’re just so freakin’ cute… I could not take my eyes off the little Howdy Doody. I love you so much.”
When it came time for the decision, Legend chose Lucas West to advance to the Knockouts. While Clarkson agreed that Lucas deserved it, she admitted being heartbroken over AJ’s elimination. “Watching AJ go home was so hard for me,” she said. “Lucas is a great singer, but if I’d had a Steal, 100 percent I would have stolen AJ.” She even turned to Legend and said, “John, you broke my heart! I wish I had a steal.”
Fans can watch the touching performance and the aftermath of the battle to see why this round left Clarkson so emotional.
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