The Battles started on "The Voice" on Tuesday night (Oct. 17), and first-time coach Reba McEntire stepped on the stage to listen to the first pairing of her team. McEntire chose to pair two country singers — Jackson Snelling and Jordan Rainer — to sing together during the competitive round, and she chose "The Heart Won't Lie," a 1993 duet from herself and Vince Gill.
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McEntire said she wasn't nervous going into her team's first battle performance, and she seemed to be having genuine fun while coaching Snelling and Rainer. The coach praised both singer's voices, but she later mentioned that she was not just looking for talent in the competition but a "unique personality" as well.
Both Snelling and Rainer are fans of McEntire and shared their connections with her during rehearsals. Rainer, who is from the same area of Oklahoma as McEntire, mentioned briefly meeting the singer at a "backyard BBQ," among other places. Snelling recalled listening to McEntire with his father as a child. McEntire gave the singers a few tips during the rehearsals — one of which involved Rainer taking her sunglasses off — and then sent them to the big stage.
During their Battles performance, both Snelling and Rainer shined, showcasing their individual voices and coming together with flawless harmony. The two artists also infused plenty of energy into the love ballad, and the performance earned standing ovations from all four coaches.
After the song, McEntire was tasked with a tough decision, and her fellow coaches didn't make her job any easier. Niall Horan praised both singers but said he wants to see "what happens with Jordan" out of "pure excitement." Gwen Stefani agreed, saying she wants to hear more of Rainer's potential.
"If you ask my ex-husband, there are many sides of me," Rainer joked after Stefani's comments. "You ain't scratched the surface."
While laughing at her comment, John Legend said, "I can't take it," after which Rainer fired back, "He couldn't either."
When analyzing the performers, Legend went a different way than Horan and Stefani, saying he would choose Snelling as the winner of the battle.
Of course, the final decision came down to McEntire, who called the moment "not the fun part." In the end, she chose Rainer to continue in the competition.
Watch below, and catch "The Voice" on NBC on Monday and Tuesday nights.
