Reba McEntire made a bold move on the Tuesday, Oct. 22 episode of The Voice, swooping in to steal Frankie Torres from Gwen Stefani’s team during the Battles round. Torres, who delivered a powerful rendition of “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS alongside fellow contestant Gabrielle Zabosky, initially seemed destined to leave the competition when Stefani, 55, chose Zabosky to stay on her team.
However, just as Torres was preparing to say her goodbyes, McEntire, 69, hit the steal button, securing the talented singer for her own team.
“I loved her singing,” McEntire said, explaining her strategy to Stefani. “I did a little play there because I did say Gabrielle so you’d go with Gabrielle [and] I could have Frankie.”
Stefani was visibly stunned by the clever maneuver, replying simply, “Wow.”
McEntire, known for her hit song “I’m a Survivor,” praised Torres’ performance, calling her voice, tone, and stage presence “amazing.” She emphasized that regardless of Stefani’s choice, she had planned to steal Torres.
In a post-show interview, Torres expressed her excitement about joining Team Reba, sharing that McEntire was one of the first concerts she attended. “Her and Kelly Clarkson. I went for Kelly, but I stayed for Reba, and it was amazing,” Torres said, smiling as McEntire hugged her from behind.
McEntire herself couldn’t wait to start working with Torres. “I can’t wait to go through songs with you,” she told her new team member.
The episode also featured a lighthearted moment with fellow coach Michael Bublé, who teased McEntire about the timing of her steal. “That was some last-minute stuff right there,” Bublé remarked, to which McEntire responded, “Really tricky.”
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with episodes available to stream the following day on Peacock.
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